LOS ANGELES — The Manhattan skyline makes my heart seize, but I’ve never seen a more glorious panorama of modern American civilization than from the south promontory of the Getty Center, perched in the verdant Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the cobalt-colored Pacific Ocean, the mirage of Catalina Island, the humming 405 freeway, the spires of downtown Los Angeles and the snow-lathered San Bernadino Mountains. The city is somewhat smogless right now, allowing man and nature to seem more like collaborators than duelists when I took in the view this afternoon. I was stunned. So stunned I forgot to take a photo of it. I’ve got a crush on L.A. and it’s Getty’s fault.
Museums wipe me out. The mere sight of a docent makes me yawn. The quiet, the antiquity, the sterility — nap time. It’s tough living with this attitude in one of the museum capitals of the world. And yet I’ve had some transcendent museum experiences outside Washington: most notably the Kokovins and Vrubels in the Tretyakov State Gallery in Moscow. And now the Getty. It energized me, left me wanting more, and it had a lot to do with the museum structure and setting itself. The beautiful architecture contains beautiful art in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings.
My favorite exhibits: 1) Urban Panoramas features a series of Catherine Opie photographs of mini-malls, which suggest that the California landscape consists solely of nail salons, video rental shops, medical diagnostic centers and El Pollo Locos. Also featured are Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao’s photos from along the 7 train in Queens, which made me wonder what I’d do if I ever walked into a museum and saw myself depicted as an unsuspecting pedestrian in some guy’s renowned photography. 2) In Focus: The Worker has some dynamite shots, the most famous of which is Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother,” but I was most taken with Edmund Teske’s “Newspaper Vendor, Los Angeles.” I can’t find a photo to show you why, but I hope to buy a print some day.
And, of course, the center’s Central Garden is damn gorgeous. I’m in lust with these azaleas.
3 responses so far ↓
Tuxedo pants « Tonsil: Hank Stuever's Blog // March 7, 2010 at 14:56 |
[...] out with Janet Duckworth. Time off in LA is the best kind of time off there is. I am elated to read Dan Zak’s blog items about rambling around LA this week, before he has to report for after-party [...]
Anne // March 8, 2010 at 10:24 |
Dan,
Hank turned me on to your blog — excellent! I felt the exact same way when I went to the Getty for the first time last year. I can read all day about how the state is in a death spiral and the gangs own downtown and the cars spewing air pollution are choking us all, but standing up there looking over the city and the water still made my stomach wiggle. Beautiful!
Hope you’re recovering well from last night!
Danielle M. // March 9, 2010 at 11:27 |
I could have written the same thing after my first Getty visit last month. Magnificent! I spent little time inside, however, because I was so struck by everything outside. I guess that means I’ll have to go back to see all the wonderful inside exhibits you mention.
Also, I was yelled at by a security guard for touching a garden sculpture. Worth it.