Jeffrey Deitch Takes Hollywood

An Exclusive Tour of the Art Guru's New Los Angeles Home.

After being appointed the new director of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) this January, former New York dealer and downtown impresario Jeffrey Deitch needed some digs on the West Coast. Seasoned aesthete that he is, to truly feel at home he needed to surround himself with the art he loves (click play above for a sneak peek of the pieces by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Aaron Young and Andy Warhol, among many others). Deitch’s new "movie star" home, in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood, isn't just any old Spanish revival house—it's the former residence of Cary Grant. (Meanwhile, another prominent figure in the art world is buying into Hollywood history: Larry Gagosian recently purchased Gary Cooper's old abode, in Holmby Hills.) Deitch is particularly interested in where art and entertainment merge. As part of his early activities at MOCA, he allowed his friend James Franco to film an episode of General Hospital within the museum; and the first show under his leadership was a major Dennis Hopper retrospective. For today’s short, filmmaker Alison Chernick and food artist Jennifer Rubell toured Deitch's house—including his "super Tudor-pop" party room, as he calls it—and sounded out his theories on celebrity, his new vision for MOCA, and his belief that you need a painting of Jesus over your bed.

Jeffrey Deitch Takes Hollywood

An Exclusive Tour of the Art Guru's New Los Angeles Home.

After being appointed the new director of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) this January, former New York dealer and downtown impresario Jeffrey Deitch needed some digs on the West Coast. Seasoned aesthete that he is, to truly feel at home he needed to surround himself with the art he loves (click play above for a sneak peek of the pieces by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Aaron Young and Andy Warhol, among many others). Deitch’s new "movie star" home, in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood, isn't just any old Spanish revival house—it's the former residence of Cary Grant. (Meanwhile, another prominent figure in the art world is buying into Hollywood history: Larry Gagosian recently purchased Gary Cooper's old abode, in Holmby Hills.) Deitch is particularly interested in where art and entertainment merge. As part of his early activities at MOCA, he allowed his friend James Franco to film an episode of General Hospital within the museum; and the first show under his leadership was a major Dennis Hopper retrospective. For today’s short, filmmaker Alison Chernick and food artist Jennifer Rubell toured Deitch's house—including his "super Tudor-pop" party room, as he calls it—and sounded out his theories on celebrity, his new vision for MOCA, and his belief that you need a painting of Jesus over your bed.

Fate

"It is the fate of our age that we fight in isolation." Lyrics from Death in June. Really enjoy this tattoo work: placement and typography.

Fate

"It is the fate of our age that we fight in isolation." Lyrics from Death in June. Really enjoy this tattoo work: placement and typography.

"If Art Were..." with Sean Brian McDonald

I met artist, Sean Brian McDonald, at his "Important Packages" art show at Specific Merchandise last month. If you're familiar with Brooks Hudson Thomas of Specific, you know what a fresh perspective he has and a keen eye to curate truly unusual yet inspiring things. Sean Brian McDonald's show was just that, emerging talent at its best...truly out-of-the-box, if you will.

A former musician turned painter, turned sculpture, Sean's "Important Packages" is based in utilitarian philosophy. He focused on each piece as a cultivated object with it's own compositional needs. As he gathers materials, such as beautifully flawed pieces of scrap wood, he's able to implicate this sense of process and use it as a point of departure, allowing new ideas and narratives to surface. As he states, "my goal is to extract the hidden elegance and sense of magic out of every material I'm drawn to."

I sat down with Sean last week for a twist on my favorite conversational game, "If Design Were..."

Here you have it, "If Art Were... with Sean Brian McDonald:

SY: If art were an object?
SBM: Junk drawer

SY: ...a food?
SBM: Caviar on wonder bread.

SY: ...a moment?
SBM: The beginning of the universe.

SY: ...a memory?
SBM: A moment of excitement followed with a yawn.

SY: ...a place?
SBM: Sewage plant.

SY: ...a song?
SBM: "Free Jazz," By Ornette Coleman.

SY: ...an era?
SBM: Pre-Historic: The hunter's and gatherer's would spontaneously break into chants and start dancing.

SY: ...a person?
SBM: Andy Kaufman

SY: ...an animal?
SBM: Flying squirrel or humpback whale.

SY: ...a city
SBM: Even though I've never been there I'll go with Berlin. It just sounds right.

"If Art Were..." with Sean Brian McDonald

I met artist, Sean Brian McDonald, at his "Important Packages" art show at Specific Merchandise last month. If you're familiar with Brooks Hudson Thomas of Specific, you know what a fresh perspective he has and a keen eye to curate truly unusual yet inspiring things. Sean Brian McDonald's show was just that, emerging talent at its best...truly out-of-the-box, if you will.

A former musician turned painter, turned sculpture, Sean's "Important Packages" is based in utilitarian philosophy. He focused on each piece as a cultivated object with it's own compositional needs. As he gathers materials, such as beautifully flawed pieces of scrap wood, he's able to implicate this sense of process and use it as a point of departure, allowing new ideas and narratives to surface. As he states, "my goal is to extract the hidden elegance and sense of magic out of every material I'm drawn to."

I sat down with Sean last week for a twist on my favorite conversational game, "If Design Were..."

Here you have it, "If Art Were... with Sean Brian McDonald:

SY: If art were an object?
SBM: Junk drawer

SY: ...a food?
SBM: Caviar on wonder bread.

SY: ...a moment?
SBM: The beginning of the universe.

SY: ...a memory?
SBM: A moment of excitement followed with a yawn.

SY: ...a place?
SBM: Sewage plant.

SY: ...a song?
SBM: "Free Jazz," By Ornette Coleman.

SY: ...an era?
SBM: Pre-Historic: The hunter's and gatherer's would spontaneously break into chants and start dancing.

SY: ...a person?
SBM: Andy Kaufman

SY: ...an animal?
SBM: Flying squirrel or humpback whale.

SY: ...a city
SBM: Even though I've never been there I'll go with Berlin. It just sounds right.

"Act da Fool" by Harmony Korine

Proenza Schouler Presents "Act da Fool," a film by Harmony Korine. Amazing!

"Act da Fool" by Harmony Korine

Proenza Schouler Presents "Act da Fool," a film by Harmony Korine. Amazing!

Alejandro Vigilante Debuts in Buenos Aires

Photo credit | Ginny Dixon

In an effort to keep all of us culturally informed on an international level, here's a quick FYI for art enthusiasts who may be in Buenos Aires next month.

By Saxon Henry

Artist Alejandro Vigilante’s iArt Movement will debut in Daniel Maman Gallery in Buenos Aires on September 23, 2010. The exhibition will be the Argentine-born artist’s first solo exhibition in his home country.

Beyond execution and the medium, Vigilante believes the soul of art is the idea, so it is idea with a capital “I” that charted his course as he set out to create a movement that would stand the test of time. The inspiration for his iArt Movement was found in the Pop Art Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. “What’s more pop than internet?” he asks in response to those who inquire as to the title of his movement. As far as he is concerned, the answer is simple: “Nothing.” He also firmly believes that if the Pop Artists were beginning their movement today, the internet would figure as strongly in their works as it does in his.

Alejandro Vigilante Debuts in Buenos Aires

Photo credit | Ginny Dixon

In an effort to keep all of us culturally informed on an international level, here's a quick FYI for art enthusiasts who may be in Buenos Aires next month.

By Saxon Henry

Artist Alejandro Vigilante’s iArt Movement will debut in Daniel Maman Gallery in Buenos Aires on September 23, 2010. The exhibition will be the Argentine-born artist’s first solo exhibition in his home country.

Beyond execution and the medium, Vigilante believes the soul of art is the idea, so it is idea with a capital “I” that charted his course as he set out to create a movement that would stand the test of time. The inspiration for his iArt Movement was found in the Pop Art Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. “What’s more pop than internet?” he asks in response to those who inquire as to the title of his movement. As far as he is concerned, the answer is simple: “Nothing.” He also firmly believes that if the Pop Artists were beginning their movement today, the internet would figure as strongly in their works as it does in his.

"If Design Were..." with Ty Best

CASTE is a unique Montana studio that creates unusual, severe and obscurely chic furniture and objects. Co-founder and designer, Ty Best, draws his inspiration from the area's vast, intoxicating landscape. The futuristic, primitive sensibility of the pieces plays on a humble Montana aesthetic, juxtaposed with a fervent luxe twist. Much of Ty's work is inspired by architecture and nature, and the Montana landscape is often referenced by the vertical and horizontal planes in his pieces and how they interact with one another.

I was introduced to the wonderful world of CASTE by designer Kara Mann, who carries the line at her namesake, multi-line showroom in Chicago. “My clients want interiors that look timeless but that have unexpected, gutsy elements, too,” she says. Last month, Kara's office put me in touch with Ty, and we had a little chat about his inspirations. I thought he'd make a perfect contender for my ongoing series, "If Design Were...," so without further ado, let's play "If Design Were..." with Ty Best of CASTE:

SY: If design were an object?

TB: "A brilliant, undiscovered Mangiarotti vessel, covered in dust and remaining that way!"

SY: ...a food?

TB: "Fresh honeycomb...from a friend."

SY: ...a moment?

TB: "Sharing a cupcake with Carol Christian Poell."

SY: ...a memory?

TB: "The smell while painting ceramics with my mother."

SY: ...a place?

TB: "The place in which I design pieces where people do not understand them [...] The tension is beautifully psychotic, and clearly shows."

SY: ...a song

TB: "Thom Yorke singing "Spinning Plates" backwards!"

SY: ...an era?

TB: "The "future primitive" era that will soon happen...that is what I am designing for."

SY: ...a person?

TB: "Any lucky person who sat next to Martin Margiela for they learned something very valuable."

SY: ...a city?

TB: "NYC...makes me feel like less of an outsider...Very freeing."

"If Design Were..." with Ty Best

CASTE is a unique Montana studio that creates unusual, severe and obscurely chic furniture and objects. Co-founder and designer, Ty Best, draws his inspiration from the area's vast, intoxicating landscape. The futuristic, primitive sensibility of the pieces plays on a humble Montana aesthetic, juxtaposed with a fervent luxe twist. Much of Ty's work is inspired by architecture and nature, and the Montana landscape is often referenced by the vertical and horizontal planes in his pieces and how they interact with one another.

I was introduced to the wonderful world of CASTE by designer Kara Mann, who carries the line at her namesake, multi-line showroom in Chicago. “My clients want interiors that look timeless but that have unexpected, gutsy elements, too,” she says. Last month, Kara's office put me in touch with Ty, and we had a little chat about his inspirations. I thought he'd make a perfect contender for my ongoing series, "If Design Were...," so without further ado, let's play "If Design Were..." with Ty Best of CASTE:

SY: If design were an object?

TB: "A brilliant, undiscovered Mangiarotti vessel, covered in dust and remaining that way!"

SY: ...a food?

TB: "Fresh honeycomb...from a friend."

SY: ...a moment?

TB: "Sharing a cupcake with Carol Christian Poell."

SY: ...a memory?

TB: "The smell while painting ceramics with my mother."

SY: ...a place?

TB: "The place in which I design pieces where people do not understand them [...] The tension is beautifully psychotic, and clearly shows."

SY: ...a song

TB: "Thom Yorke singing "Spinning Plates" backwards!"

SY: ...an era?

TB: "The "future primitive" era that will soon happen...that is what I am designing for."

SY: ...a person?

TB: "Any lucky person who sat next to Martin Margiela for they learned something very valuable."

SY: ...a city?

TB: "NYC...makes me feel like less of an outsider...Very freeing."

Joseph Szabo: "Jones Beach" Reception Tonight!

M+B (AKA my favorite photography gallery in L.A.) is pleased to present "Jones Beach," an exhibition of black and white photographs by Joseph Szabo. Images of tanned muscle men, catwalk-like displays of beach wear, heavily oiled skin, masses of sprayed hair, and all the pageantry of adolescence reveal the dynamics of a beach that was a true melting pot of humanity.

There will be an opening reception for the artist on tonight, June 10 from 6 to 8pm and a book signing for Szabo's newly released monograph by Abrams Books with introduction by Vince Aletti titled Jones Beach, on Saturday, June 12 from 2 to 4pm. The exhibition will run from June 10, 2010 to August 14, 2010.

Somewhat of an expert on the subject of teenagers with his previous works "Almost Grown" and "Teenage," Szabo began shooting at Jones Beach one summer when his usual subjects – his photography students from Malverne High School – were no longer readily available. He chronicled the public and the private lives displayed on this ocean playground that is one of the world’s busiest beaches. Even if we weren’t there to enjoy the good weather and excellent people watching, we have these photographs which turn a captive eye to the urban masses who came out to celebrate their weekends, holidays and summers.

Jones Beach reveals the forces in motion at such a theater of humanness, from moments of quiet introspection to flashy exuberance. Called the “people’s palace by the sea”, Jones Beach is still a unique space very different from the commercial appeal of Coney Island or the privileged seclusion of the Hamptons. On this democratic stretch of sand and ocean class, race, and other potential divisions were temporarily forgotten and Szabo’s sympathetic lens was there to capture it all.

For more information, please visit M+B's website: www.mbart.com.

Joseph Szabo: "Jones Beach" Reception Tonight!

M+B (AKA my favorite photography gallery in L.A.) is pleased to present "Jones Beach," an exhibition of black and white photographs by Joseph Szabo. Images of tanned muscle men, catwalk-like displays of beach wear, heavily oiled skin, masses of sprayed hair, and all the pageantry of adolescence reveal the dynamics of a beach that was a true melting pot of humanity.

There will be an opening reception for the artist on tonight, June 10 from 6 to 8pm and a book signing for Szabo's newly released monograph by Abrams Books with introduction by Vince Aletti titled Jones Beach, on Saturday, June 12 from 2 to 4pm. The exhibition will run from June 10, 2010 to August 14, 2010.

Somewhat of an expert on the subject of teenagers with his previous works "Almost Grown" and "Teenage," Szabo began shooting at Jones Beach one summer when his usual subjects – his photography students from Malverne High School – were no longer readily available. He chronicled the public and the private lives displayed on this ocean playground that is one of the world’s busiest beaches. Even if we weren’t there to enjoy the good weather and excellent people watching, we have these photographs which turn a captive eye to the urban masses who came out to celebrate their weekends, holidays and summers.

Jones Beach reveals the forces in motion at such a theater of humanness, from moments of quiet introspection to flashy exuberance. Called the “people’s palace by the sea”, Jones Beach is still a unique space very different from the commercial appeal of Coney Island or the privileged seclusion of the Hamptons. On this democratic stretch of sand and ocean class, race, and other potential divisions were temporarily forgotten and Szabo’s sympathetic lens was there to capture it all.

For more information, please visit M+B's website: www.mbart.com.

Sorted Books: It's All in the Details

As an addendum to my last post on "design solutions for storing and showcasing books in your home," I give you artist Nina Katchadourian's Sorted Books project. An ongoing project since 1993, Sorted Books is a great example for utilizing a collection of books to make an artistic statement. The idea is simple: cull through your collection of books, pulling particular titles and grouping the books into clusters, so that the titles can be read in sequence, from top to bottom. I've always believed that inspiring design is all in the details, and taking the time to create interesting statements in this fashion is a prime example. I'm in love with this idea.

-S

Sorted Books: It's All in the Details

As an addendum to my last post on "design solutions for storing and showcasing books in your home," I give you artist Nina Katchadourian's Sorted Books project. An ongoing project since 1993, Sorted Books is a great example for utilizing a collection of books to make an artistic statement. The idea is simple: cull through your collection of books, pulling particular titles and grouping the books into clusters, so that the titles can be read in sequence, from top to bottom. I've always believed that inspiring design is all in the details, and taking the time to create interesting statements in this fashion is a prime example. I'm in love with this idea.

-S

Lucio Fontana Post-It

Lucio Fontana post-it. And why not?

Lucio Fontana Post-It

Lucio Fontana post-it. And why not?

L.A. Muse: A conversation with Alex Prager

Last week, I was invited to the opening night for Alex Prager's exhibition, "Week-End," the latest body of work by the 29-year old photographer and native Angelino. Completely self-taught and recognized for her signature aesthetic, Prager’s "Week-End" is a collection of color photographs as dazzling as they are bizarre. The exhibition opened on January 30, 2010, and will run through March 6, 2010 @ M+B gallery in West Hollywood.

"Inspired by the high drama of classic movies—which, despite their theatricality, touch upon genuine emotions of alienation, fear, anger, longing, and lust—Prager's images seem at first to be all exquisite surface. However the girls of this series—named “Barbara,” “Jane,” “Lois” and other such conventional and slightly old-fashioned monikers—conceal pain beneath their lipstick-lined smiles and dead eyes. In the artist's own words, she is “documenting a world that exists and doesn’t exist at the same time.” The trilogy began with girls playing archetypal roles in "Polyester." Then in "Big Valley," the roles took on lives of their own, and the separation between make-believe and real life began to dissolve. With "Week-End," which signifies the peak as well as the extent of the period, the façade becomes so thick that the illusion is now more real than the world they actually live in." - M+B

As a photography enthusiast and fan of Alex's work, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with the artist herself. Here are some snippets from our conversation, as we talk about Los Angeles as a source of creative inspiration:


SY: The word "End" in your latest exhibition, "Week-End," seems to suggest a completion to your previous two works "Polyester" and "Big Valley." How did the story evolve throughout the trilogy, and why "End" it now?

AP: "The story started with a box of old clothes from the 60's that my grandmother's friend Vera gave me because she knew I liked vintage. I threw some wigs on my friends and basically played dress up with them. I think that's why "Polyester" seems more to me like it's a performance by a small town theater group with very bad acting. It's not serious to me. "The Big Valley" was more thought out for me, and I think it comes across a bit more on the edge, and slightly more real. With "Week-end," I felt as if the girls in the photos were no longer play-acting. It's as if their little game had become their only reality. To me, it's like the ending is more about them than about me and the work."



SY: As the trilogy unfolded, I became more and more convinced that you are doing a commentary on life in Los Angeles as much as telling a story about your cast of females. What is a bigger muse for you, L.A. or the women that fill your work?

AP: "I'd say that Los Angeles has been my muse for the past three series. The girls are more like props to me. I still have to find the exact right one for the picture I'm going to take, and she has to inspire me and all that, but when it comes down to it, there'll always be another girl, but there will never be another city like Los Angeles."



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your artistry?

AP: "There's so much about this city that I disagree with, but at the same time I love it more than anywhere in the world, I guess maybe some of that might come across in my pictures. It's like anyone in regard to the place they grew up, I think there's always some sort of love/hate relationship going on there."



SY: Rick Owen's said something like "L.A. should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NYC and Paris." Of course, we're not talking fashion, but does the same go for art? Is it more challenging to prove oneself in the international community coming from L.A.?

AP: "I don't really know. I think a lot of artists in New York go unnoticed because there's so many people focused on art and so much competition. So many rules and politics and all that. Los Angeles is more laid back when it comes to art. You can put a show on in your closet and a crowd will probably turn up. I feel like because I started here, I had more of a chance, not less of it, because when I started my audience was mainly just friends and friends of friends checking it out. Not necessarily to criticize, but more just to see what I had made. I felt like people were interested in a different way than they probably would have been had I been having the same shows in New York. Maybe it's because they're more starved for art here, because there's not as much, I don't know."



SY: When one thing ends another begins. Now that the series is completed, what are we to anticipate from you in the future? ...new directions/inspirations/anything you’d like to share?

AP: "That's a secret, but I will be showing "Week-End" in Tokyo in April, and London in June."

L.A. Muse: A conversation with Alex Prager

Last week, I was invited to the opening night for Alex Prager's exhibition, "Week-End," the latest body of work by the 29-year old photographer and native Angelino. Completely self-taught and recognized for her signature aesthetic, Prager’s "Week-End" is a collection of color photographs as dazzling as they are bizarre. The exhibition opened on January 30, 2010, and will run through March 6, 2010 @ M+B gallery in West Hollywood.

"Inspired by the high drama of classic movies—which, despite their theatricality, touch upon genuine emotions of alienation, fear, anger, longing, and lust—Prager's images seem at first to be all exquisite surface. However the girls of this series—named “Barbara,” “Jane,” “Lois” and other such conventional and slightly old-fashioned monikers—conceal pain beneath their lipstick-lined smiles and dead eyes. In the artist's own words, she is “documenting a world that exists and doesn’t exist at the same time.” The trilogy began with girls playing archetypal roles in "Polyester." Then in "Big Valley," the roles took on lives of their own, and the separation between make-believe and real life began to dissolve. With "Week-End," which signifies the peak as well as the extent of the period, the façade becomes so thick that the illusion is now more real than the world they actually live in." - M+B

As a photography enthusiast and fan of Alex's work, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with the artist herself. Here are some snippets from our conversation, as we talk about Los Angeles as a source of creative inspiration:


SY: The word "End" in your latest exhibition, "Week-End," seems to suggest a completion to your previous two works "Polyester" and "Big Valley." How did the story evolve throughout the trilogy, and why "End" it now?

AP: "The story started with a box of old clothes from the 60's that my grandmother's friend Vera gave me because she knew I liked vintage. I threw some wigs on my friends and basically played dress up with them. I think that's why "Polyester" seems more to me like it's a performance by a small town theater group with very bad acting. It's not serious to me. "The Big Valley" was more thought out for me, and I think it comes across a bit more on the edge, and slightly more real. With "Week-end," I felt as if the girls in the photos were no longer play-acting. It's as if their little game had become their only reality. To me, it's like the ending is more about them than about me and the work."



SY: As the trilogy unfolded, I became more and more convinced that you are doing a commentary on life in Los Angeles as much as telling a story about your cast of females. What is a bigger muse for you, L.A. or the women that fill your work?

AP: "I'd say that Los Angeles has been my muse for the past three series. The girls are more like props to me. I still have to find the exact right one for the picture I'm going to take, and she has to inspire me and all that, but when it comes down to it, there'll always be another girl, but there will never be another city like Los Angeles."



SY: How has being a native Angelino affected your artistry?

AP: "There's so much about this city that I disagree with, but at the same time I love it more than anywhere in the world, I guess maybe some of that might come across in my pictures. It's like anyone in regard to the place they grew up, I think there's always some sort of love/hate relationship going on there."



SY: Rick Owen's said something like "L.A. should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NYC and Paris." Of course, we're not talking fashion, but does the same go for art? Is it more challenging to prove oneself in the international community coming from L.A.?

AP: "I don't really know. I think a lot of artists in New York go unnoticed because there's so many people focused on art and so much competition. So many rules and politics and all that. Los Angeles is more laid back when it comes to art. You can put a show on in your closet and a crowd will probably turn up. I feel like because I started here, I had more of a chance, not less of it, because when I started my audience was mainly just friends and friends of friends checking it out. Not necessarily to criticize, but more just to see what I had made. I felt like people were interested in a different way than they probably would have been had I been having the same shows in New York. Maybe it's because they're more starved for art here, because there's not as much, I don't know."



SY: When one thing ends another begins. Now that the series is completed, what are we to anticipate from you in the future? ...new directions/inspirations/anything you’d like to share?

AP: "That's a secret, but I will be showing "Week-End" in Tokyo in April, and London in June."