NocTOURnals

In the words of Elton John, “Saturday night’s alright”. There’s only one more Saturday night for NocTOURnals which includes experiences at four cultural institutions at night – MOCA Grand Performances, Walt Disney concert Hall and REDCAT with viewings, moonlit garden tours, live performances and screenings.

I began my evening at MOCA Grand Avenue where I took an art making class and a docent tour of The Art of Richard Tuttle. I had a chance to create my own sculpture inspired by Tuttle’s fascination with everyday materials such as light bulbs, string, paper, cardboard and plywood. There was a seven-year-old boy across from me who was enthusiastically handling a hammer and nails. I had to borrow it from him a couple of times and weave my neighbor’s scraps into my piece. Little did I realize that there was a table with buckets of stuff to incorporate and there I was nipping leftovers. Wha La – only 45 minutes and I was an artist!

REDCAT was next on my stop where they were offering tours of the auditorium. There was also a fascinating installation by Renata Lucas’ Falha made of plywood, hinges and handles. Within moments, I could see that there was an opportunity to manipulate the space by lifting one section and lowering another. Falha is made from raw plywood which gives it a feeling of being unfinished exposing the possibility of deconstructing boundaries through something as simple as moving a wall or divide. So of course, with the help of my docent, I moved a number of planks and made my own version of Falha (Failure).

Walt Disney Concert Hall was my last stop of the evening. While waiting to put a group together we were offered an outdoor silent film, shown on the polished metal walls. It was a Buster Keaton film about construction and destruction, pianos dropping and ladders tipping; an apt subject with all that I had observed so far. Keaton needed to borrow that hammer! The outdoor public space at the Hall was a request by Mrs. Disney when she provided $25 million in seed money to begin the construction. All of the trees and plants are drought resistant and able to sustain themselves in planters. From the fragrant gardens we proceeded to the magnificent concert hall with its boat-shaped walls and ceiling of douglas fir, perfecting the orchestra resonation from balcony to mezzanine. There isn’t a bad seat in the house!

I wandered back to the MOCA to hear the DJ and people-watch and called it a night, all the while planning to come back for a Grand Performance.

WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution

Sunday I joined two old friends at MOCA's Ralph Tornberg / Museum Director's Distinguished Lecture Series at the Colburn School with a sold-out crowd to hear the distinguished, Angela Davis. Looking at the legacies and potentials of feminism in relations to WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution at the Geffen Contemporary through July 16th, the Tornberg series investigates how feminist thinking is important in our cultural life.

photo: Vicki Gilkey, CRA/LA, me and Jo Keita, Nubian Tours


Ms. Davis opened by acknowledging a Betye Saar assemblage from 1972, created during the height of the Black Liberation Movement and the Women's Movement and the critical role of imagination and what can be conceptually expressed. She further enforced the idea that critical impulse involves making the world a better place for all of its inhabitants and refusing to accept institutions that exist just because they always have. Angela suggested the we think of the ourselves as part of a world community. It was thrilling to be in an audience with so many inquisitive educated women!


Saturday I confess that I stayed inanimate until noon. But filled the afternoon with errands and the early evening with a reception and booking-signing at Zipper. They were celebrating the publication of the new Rizzoli edition of Pools by Kelly Klein. Kelly signed copies of Pools and graciously met with guests. However, the store was filled with so much more that it was hard to stay focused on the books. My mind floated and bobbed all over the boutique. Just add water and a little wine! http://www.zippergifts.com/


Topped the night with a screening of the bio-pic of Edith Piaf, La Vie en Rose. Magical and tragic. The “Little Sparrow” – as she was nicknamed – flew so high that she could not fail to burn her wings.




Friday night I had the pleasure of an impromptu dinner with the animated Janine Masaki, Boutique Manager at Etro. She refused to have her photo taken over a bowl of udon noodles so I'll have to wait for the right moment.