Friday, October 16, 2015

Brand New Contemporary Art Museum - The Broad Museum in Los Angeles

For better or worse, it must be a sign that we are living in a new Gilded-Age when families are racing to build museums to showcase their phenomenal personal holdings.  One of the new ones I reported a while ago was the Anderson Collection in Stanford; last month, a brand new Broad Museum opened its door in Downtown Los Angeles, and soon, a Fisher Wing will be added to San Francisco Modern Art Museum.
The Broad is a new contemporary art museum built by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. The museum, which is designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler will offer free general admission. The museum will be home to the nearly 2,000 works of art in the Broad collection, which is among the most prominent holdings of postwar and contemporary art worldwide. With its innovative “veil-and-vault” concept, the 120,000-square-foot, $140-million building will feature two floors of gallery space to showcase The Broad’s comprehensive collection and will be the headquarters of The Broad Art Foundation’s worldwide lending library. [source: Broad Museum website]
DSCN0315 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0551 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN8644 _ Exterior, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, July 2013
The Broad under Construction, 2013 

Early October, I had a chance to visit this newly opened museum.  I had been wondering about that structure since 2013 when I saw the enormous building under construction, next to Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Symphony Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles. Now, the completed building shone under the bright sun and it's orderly, elegant, somewhat muted exterior complimented well to the metallic and dynamic Disney hall at its side.

IMG_1243 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0151 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0177 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0154 _ Broad Museum, LA

IMG_1247 _ Broad Museum, LA

There was a pathway behind the front "panel", where one had a good view of the museum through windows and a "behind the scene" view of the intricately patterned façade.

DSCN0167 _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0163 _ Broad Museum, LA

The front lobby was very playful. In contrast to the square and orderly exterior, the lobby was molded like an gigantic cave, organic and ever morphing, and a little bit threatening, like a haunted house.

DSCN0316 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0318 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0168 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0170 _ Broad Museum, LA

There were three levels in the building, where the first and third were exhibition spaces while the second contained offices, boardroom and educational center.  Taking the escalator, I willingly allowed myself wallowed by the dark tunnel and arrived at a brightly lit exhibition space, which contrasted dramatically to the dark and mysterious front lobby behind me.



DSCN0476_m _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0534 _ Broad Museum, LA
Escalator and tubular elevator

DSCN0451 _ Broad Museum, LA
Staircase

DSCN0363 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0320 _ Broad Museum, LA

Before I concentrated on the art, I looked around and admired the building from many angles.

IMG_1354 _ Broad Museum, LA  DSCN0377 _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0381 _ Broad Museum, LA

IMG_1355 _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0382 _ Broad Museum, LA

IMG_1348 _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0408 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0374 _ Broad Museum, LA

On the second floor, visitors had a "backstage" peep of the vast collections not being on display at the moment, and the inverted bulge at the conference room was that central oval on the front façade:

DSCN0449 _ Broad Museum, LA DSCN0469 _ Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0470 _ Broad Museum, LA

The Broad had an impressive array of artworks on display.  Below are some of my favorites, by artists such as Julie Mehretu, El Anatsui, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, Anselm Kiefer, William Kentridge and Neo Rauch:

DSCN0323 _ Cairo, 2013, Julie Mehretu, Broad Museum, LA
Cairo, 2013, Julie Mehretu

DSCN0335 _ Cairo, 2013, Julie Mehretu, Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0337 _ Red Block, 2010, El Anatsui, Broad Museum, LA
Red Block, 2010, El Anatsui

DSCN0326 _ Untitle, 1954, Combine, 1954, Rauschenberg, Untitled, 1975, Johns, Broad Museum, LA
Untitled, 1954; Combine, 1954, Robert Rauschenberg; Untitled, 1975, Jasper Johns

DSCN0334 _ Big Electric Chair, 1967-68, Andy Warhol, Broad Museum, LA
Big Electric Chair, 1967-68, Andy Warhol

DSCN0332 _ Watchman, 1964, Jasper Johns, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0353 _ Rückenstütze eines feingliederigen Menschen (Hasentypus) aus dem 20. Jahrhundert p. Chr., 1972, Joseph Beuys, Broad Museum, LA
Watchman, 1964, Jasper Johns & Rückenstütze eines feingliederigen Menschen (Hasentypus) aus dem 20. Jahrhundert p. Chr., 1972, Joseph Beuys

DSCN0343 _ Double Masked Heads, 1974, Susan Rothenberg, Broad Museum, LA
Double Masked Heads, 1974, Susan Rothenberg

DSCN0349 _ Untitled [New York City], 1953, Cy Twombly, Broad Museum, LA
Untitled [New York City], 1953, Cy Twombly

DSCN0328 _ La-La, 1953, Cy Twombly, Broad Museum, LA
La-La, 1953, Cy Twombly

DSCN0350 _ Nini's Painting [Rome], 1971, Cy Twombly, Broad Museum, LA
Nini's Painting [Rome], 1971, Cy Twombly

DSCN0351 _ Untitled [Bolsena}, 1969, Untitled [Rome], 1987, Leaving Paphos Ringed with Waves [III], 2009, Cy Twombly, Broad Museum, LA
Untitled [Bolsena], 1969, Untitled [Rome], 1987, Leaving Paphos Ringed with Waves [III], 2009, Cy Twombly

IMG_1351 _ Untitled, 2006, The Rose [V], 2008, Cy Twombly,
Untitled, 2006, The Rose [V], 2008, Cy Twombly

DSCN0344 _ Grey, 1954-55, Sam Francis, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0346 _ Ocean Park #90, 1976, Richard Diebenkorn, Broad Museum, LA
Grey, 1954-55, Sam Francis & Ocean Park #90, 1976, Richard Diebenkorn

DSCN0364 _ Deutschlands Geisteshelden, 1973, Anselm Kiefer, Broad Museum, LA
Deutschlands Geisteshelden, 1973, Anselm Kiefer
hahaha
DSCN0356 _ Deutschlands Geisteshelden, 1973, Anselm Kiefer, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0357 _ Deutschlands Geisteshelden, 1973, Anselm Kiefer, Broad Museum, LA
Deutschlands Geisteshelden (details), 1973, Anselm Kiefer,

DSCN0358 _ Am Rhein, 1968-91, Anselm Kiefer, Broad Museum, LA
Am Rhein, 1968-91, Anselm Kiefer

DSCN0359 _ Am Rhein [detail], 1968-91, Anselm Kiefer, Broad Museum, LA
Am Rhein (detail), 1968-91, Anselm Kiefer

DSCN0370 _ Triptych (With Nude) (Diptych IV), 1966, Richard Artschwager, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0369 _ Triptych (With Nude) (Diptych IV), 1966, Richard Artschwager, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0368 _ Triptych (With Nude) (Diptych IV), 1966, Richard Artschwager, Broad Museum, LA
Triptych (With Nude) (Diptych IV), 1966, Richard Artschwager

DSCN0372 _ Destruction V, 1972, Richard Artschwager, Broad Museum, LA
Destruction V, 1972, Richard Artschwager

DSCN0379 _ Black Flowers, 1961, Roy Lichtenstein, Broad Museum, LA
Black Flowers, 1961, Roy Lichtenstein

IMG_1347 _ Tulips, 1995-2004 Jeff Koons, Jeff Koons, Broad Museum, LA
Tulips, 1995-2004 Jeff Koons

DSCN0387 _ Balloon Dog [Blue], 1994-2000, Rabbit, 1986, Jeff Koons, Broad Museum, LA
Balloon Dog [Blue], 1994-2000, Rabbit, 1986, Jeff Koons

DSCN0383 _ Kiepenkerl, 1987, Jeff Koons, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0386 _ Kiepenkerl, 1987, Jeff Koons, Broad Museum, LA
Kiepenkerl, 1987, Jeff Koons

DSCN0396 _ Under the Table, 1994, Robert Therrien, Broad Museum, LA
Under the Table, 1994, Robert Therrien

DSCN0404 _ Under the Table, 1994, Robert Therrien, Broad Museum, LA

DSCN0410 _ The Walk Home, 1985, Julian Schnabel, Broad Museum, LA
The Walk Home, 1985, Julian Schnabel

DSCN0412 _ The Walk Home, 1985, Julian Schnabel, Broad Museum, LA
The Walk Home, 1985, Julian Schnabel

DSCN0421 _ Infinite Expansions, 1983, Mike Kelley, Broad Museum, LA
 Infinite Expansions, 1983, Mike Kelley

DSCN0445 _ Something Solid Beneath the Surface of All Creatures Great and Small, 2001, Damien Hirst, Broad Museum, LA
 Something Solid Beneath the Surface of All Creatures Great and Small, 2001, Damien Hirst

DSCN0443 _ Away From the Flock, 1994, Damien Hirst, Broad Museum, LA
 Away From the Flock, 1994, Damien Hirst


African't. 1996, Kara Walker

IMG_1394 _ African't. 1996, Kara Walker, Broad Museum, LA
African't. 1996, Kara Walker

DSCN0446 _ from Mine, 1991, William Kentridge, Broad Museum, LA
Still from "Mine", 1991, William Kentridge


An excerpt from "Mine", 1991, William Kentridge

DSCN0506 _  Untitled (Dancing Black Butterflies), 2007, Mark Grotjahn, Broad Museum, LA
Untitled (Dancing Black Butterflies), 2007, Mark Grotjahn

DSCN0507 _ Invisible Sun (algorithm 8, fable form), 2015, Julie Mehretu, Broad Museum, LA
Invisible Sun (algorithm 8, fable form), 2015, Julie Mehretu

DSCN0507 _ Invisible Sun (algorithm 8, fable form), 2015, Julie Mehretu, Broad Museum, LA
Invisible Sun (algorithm 8, fable form) (detail), 2015, Julie Mehretu

DSCN0510 _ Der Laden, 2005, Neo Rauch, Broad Museum, LA
Der Laden, 2005, Neo Rauch

DSCN0515 _ Falle (Trap), 2001 Neo Rauch, Broad Museum, LA
Falle (Trap), 2001 Neo Rauch

DSCN0514 _ Heillichtung, 2014 Neo Rauch, Broad Museum, LA
Heillichtung, 2014 Neo Rauch

Some are not necessarily my favorite but their presence was hard to ignore, such as the works by Takashi Murakami:

DSCN0494 _ DOB in the Strange Forest (Blue DOB), 1999, Takashi Murakami, Broad Museum, LA
DOB in the Strange Forest (Blue DOB), 1999, Takashi Murakami

DSCN0496 _ End of Line, Takashi Murakami, Broad Museum, LA
End of Line, 2011, Takashi Murakami

IMG_1386 _ Takashi Murakami, Broad Museum, LA
Front: DOB in the Strange Forest (Blue DOB), 1999
Back: Of Chinese Lions, Peonies, Skulls, And Fountains, 2011, In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow, 2014, End of Line, 2011, Takashi Murakami

One of the special installation was the "Infinity Mirrored Room", 2013, Yayoi Kusama. Using numerous LED lights and mirrors, the artists created an infinite universe within a confine of such dimensions: 113 1/4 x 163 1/2 x 163 1/2 in. (287.66 x 415.29 x 415.29 cm).

Visitors could sign on to visit the room once entered the Museum.  My wait to visit it was about two hours.  Each visitor was given about 30 or 35 seconds alone inside the room - a staff timed her iPad at the entrance to the room.  Below are some stills and video I shot while waiting and inside the room.  By the time I left the room, the sign up sheet for that Mirrored Room was closed for the day.

DSCN0453 _ prelude to Infinity Mirrored Room, 2013, Yayoi Kusama, Broad Museum, LA DSCN0459 _ preview of Infinity Mirrored Room, 2013, Yayoi Kusama, Broad Museum, LA
Entrance to the Infinity Mirrored Room, 2013, Yayoi Kusama



DSCN0462 _ Infinity Mirrored Room, 2013, Yayoi Kusama, Broad Museum, LA
Infinity Mirrored Room, 2013, Yayoi Kusama

Another standout installation was a nine-channel HD video projection, titled "The Visitors", 2012, by Ragnar Kjartnsson. Inside a large long U-shaped room, along the wall there were multiple screens and speakers, with certain distance from one another, and each of such sets featured different instrumental player(s) and they created a disorienting yet harmonious cacophony when visitors wandered from screen to screen, one sound fading and another emerging, mixing and replacing.


Excerpt from "The Visitors", 2012, Ragnar Kjartansson

After the strong sonic stimulation, it was welcome to be with silent and whimsical sculptures by Urs Fischer and  Robert Therrien, both adding the strange sense of living and breathing to the front lobby, where they stood and guarded.

DSCN0466 _ Untitled, 2012, Urs Fischer, Broad Museum, LA
Untitled, 2012, Urs Fischer

DSCN0545 _ No Title, 1993, Robert Therrien, Broad Museum, LA
No Title, 1993, Robert Therrien

A wonderful new museum. 

Shall we thank people for being able to accumulate such vast amount of wealth, if they put to good use as building this amazing museum?


Other Related posts on Art · 文化 · Kunst:
- Anderson Collection at Stanford University
- Introduction to Fisher Collection and the 75th Anniversary Exhibit at SFMOMA
- The Downtown Art Walk in Los Angeles
-  LACMA - Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Revisiting Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena
- Getty Villa in Los Angeles (Malibu)
- Urs Fischer Exhibit at MOCA, Los Angeles
- My Favorite De Young Museum Collections
- "Renoir in the 20th Century" - Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Posted by Matthew Felix Sun at 1:07 PM
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