Showing posts with label museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label museum. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2016

The Broad Museum.

In LA, there are a bunch of beautiful museums to visit where you can see art, look back on history, or learn about a new culture. I've visited a lot of them, but when I heard there was a brand spanking new contemporary art museum opening in Downtown LA, I knew I had to check it out. Especially since entry into the museum is free!

Before opening, the museum teased everyone with its beautiful architecture of the building. It's a super modern look that looks almost like a mesh net(?)...that's what I thought of it anyway!




Upon walking inside, we were instantly greeted with this interesting piece, resembling a stack of plates by Robert Therrien.



Moving over to the left, was this lamp that looks like its sort of melting. This reminded me so much of a prop straight out of a Tim Burton movie.



All the art in this museum was very modern, which I actually really like. I think it allows the audience to use their imagination to delve into the deeper meaning of what the piece is trying to convey. Noting the date and location the artists created the pieces also influences the interpretations of the artwork, so I always make a note to read the placards next to them.

My favorite room by far was the Takashi Murakami Room! Murakami uses his Japanese heritage and American pop culture to influence his works. His art spills into fashion and film as well and has been compared to Andy Warhol.




I also really loved a video piece by Ragnar Kjartansson. I couldn't get any footage of it, just because it wouldn't have done it any justice, really. The piece was a looping video of a group of musicians who rented a dreary cabin in upstate New York. Each musician was set in a different room of the mansion each with different instruments and they all sang and played the same song from their respective rooms. Videos were taken of each room and displayed separately, but became harmonious when they were all played at the same time. This exhibit was totally worth seeing, I would even recommend it before the infamous Infinity Room!

We came across some very random but interesting pieces throughout, like this Double America by Glenn Ligon.


My boyfriend even found some height competition with this Charles Ray number.


I was feeling a little tiny standing next to this Robert Therrien piece.


There were even some Jeff Koons works like these basketballs.


I loved seeing some Roy Lichtenstein artwork as well!


Finally, we saw the infamous Infinity Room! Note that when you go to the Broad, come early and make a reservation to see this! Since everything is free, the museum has to track the number of visitors in the most popular exhibit so by the time we arrived, the reservations for the room were filled and we had to go on a standby list and we couldn't see it until 8:30pm. But it was totally worth the wait (kind of). We had (a full) 15 seconds in the room where you stand on a platform surrounded by water below you and mirrors on the walls. Lights are projected in there to reflect on the water and the mirrors. It really looks like you are in a room of infinite sparkle. My favorite part of it was looking down below me...it felt like I was floating in space!



I really recommend checking this place out guys! It's very different and unique and you can't beat the price.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Exploring the Super Cute World of Hello Kitty.

Hello! Hello Kitty is one of my favorite iconic characters and this year, she is celebrating her 40th anniversary! I remember as a kid always asking my dad to take me to the Sanrio store to buy me Hello Kitty stickers. I was obsessed and I still think she is the cutest. When I heard the Japanese American Museum in Downtown LA was holding an exhibit for Hello Kitty for her 40th anniversary, I knew I had to check it out. If you're a fan of hers or even a fan of Japanese art, this exhibit is really worth seeing.


The entrance to the exhibit with this Hello Kitty block sculpture.

She's ageless?! Girl's gotta tell me her secret...


The exhibit included relics from the 70's and 80's like backpacks, notebooks, and stickers designed with Hello Kitty on them. 

I had a lot of these items as a kid.

Hello Kitty's family, minus her twin, Mimmy. 

These adorable Hello Kitty bride and groom!

How Hello Kitty looked the year I was born.

Her bows lead to the next room of the exhibit. 


There was also a hall of different takes of adapted Hello Kitty art, which was super creative. 








My favorite part was the room of Hello Kitty fashion, where different dresses were on display made of Hello Kitty dolls and fabrics. 

This dress made of Hello Kitty dolls was worn by Lady Gaga. 

I'm about 14 apples tall. 


The sculptures throughout the museum were also very artistic. 

Pharoah Kitty. 

Kitty hieroglyphics.

Japanese Kitty. 

And the man who put up with my Hello Kitty fever. 



The exhibit is going on until May 31, so make your way there before its gone!