Speed of Life

Arshile Gorky "The Artist and His Mother" 1926-36 oil on canvas 60 x 50 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York Gift of Julien Levy for Maro and Natasha Gorky in memory of their father © 2000 Estate of Arshile Gorky/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Today's New York Times reports that a new study by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum suggests that "learning about paintings and sculpture helps children become better students in other areas." The study cites "improvements in a range of literacy skills among students who took part in a program in which the Guggenheim sends artists into schools. The study, now in its second year, interviewed hundreds of New York City third graders, some of whom had participated in the Guggenheim program, called Learning Through Art, and others who did not." "The study found that students in the program performed better in six categories of literacy and critical thinking skills — including thorough descripti...

From the Los Angeles Times : "On Thursday, attorneys representing artist Kent Twitchell filed a claim against the U.S. Department of Labor in connection with Twitchell's large-scale mural "Ed Ruscha Monument" — a six-story portrait of fellow artist Ruscha on a building owned by the federal agency — being painted over in early June. Twitchell said he received no notice, as required by law, that the paint-over would take place."

Underwater Display: Terminal 1 San Francisco International Airport Summer - Lots of traveling in the heat and lots of time in airport departure lounges. The San Francisco International Airport has an interesting program of curated exhibitions. Terminal 1's current display concerns the sea - "Aquarium: Underwater Planet" The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Steinhart Aquarium from the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. (All the current exhibits at SFO are listed at sfoarts.org. ) Specimens gathered long ago float in amber colored jars bringing to mind Doc Ricketts' Lab in Monterey or even the mutated human/sea creatures who serve Davy Jones and torment Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest." I found A O Scott's review of the reviewers- "Avast, Me Critics!" - in the New York Times to be an entertaining take on the role of critics in contemporary American society: "Are we out of touch with the aud...

Matthew Barney sweeps up at SFMOMA There is an amusing article in today's San Francisco Chronicle about the installation of Matthew Barney's "Drawing Restraint" exhibition at SFMOMA - Petroleum Jelly, Barney dressed as Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Tennessee trucker Jim McKinney, future Bjork sightings. This exhibit, which opens today, is going to be fun. Matthew Barney's "Drawing Restraint" Exhibition has its own comment space on the web: "Drawing Restraint:What's Your Opinion?" Trucker Jim McKinney with coffeee and pastry watches his tankload of petroleum jelly ooze forth at SFMOMA Matthew Barney Podcast: "Drawing Restraint:Podcast" Podcaster at SFMOMA'S Chuck Close Exhibition

Max Beckmann "Film Studio" 25 5/8 x 37 5/8 in. (65.1 x 95.6 cm) oil on canvas 1933 Saint Louis Art Museum The Los Angeles Film Festival opens today and runs until July 2nd. The screenings will be held in venues throughout Westwood. Star Wars empresario George Lucas acts as Guest Director this year. Lucas has this to say about independent film, "Throughout my life, I have been amazed and inspired by films that transport me to new lands .... The experience of discovering these new cultures, new stories and new filmmakers is exhilarating and rejuvenating." As Guest Director, George Lucas has elected to screen three films: Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" Jean-Luc Godard's "Masculine Feminine" Poolside chats will be held during the festival at the W Hotel. Anjelica Huston and Sally Kellerman will talk about photography with photographers Michael Childers and John Stoddart on Wednesday, June...

Nagasawa Rosetsu "Elephant and Children" ink on paper c. 1794 Asian Art Museum, San Francisco I recently wrote on the extraordinary ink on paper technique of the 18th century Japanese artist Nagasawa Rosetsu . Newly on view at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is Rosetsu's "Elephant and Children". This painting combines a daring composition with rich and varied brush techniques. The Asian Art Museum has determined that Rosetsu "depicted the elephant's huge body, large ears, trunk, and legs with minimal strokes using a flat brush, afterward using a round brush quickly but carefully to fill in details such as the children." Rosetsu's paintings are witty, at times charming, but usually contain a hint of mystery or even dread. Rosetsu "is said to have had a volatile temperament, and his life ended under mysterious circumstances, possibly murder or suicide."

"Ed Ruscha Monument" Kent Twitchell 1978-1987 Acrylic "(The Ed Ruscha mural) has always been such a popular piece in the art world and in Los Angeles. I had no idea it was in danger in any way," he said. "It was sort of my 'Mona Lisa'; I worked on it for nine years." -Kent Twitchell "Ed Ruscha Monument" Kent Twitchell (painted over - June 2, 2006) Ed Ruscha in a brooding Firestarter pose. Do they really want to mess with this man's portrait?