California Design / LAMA
Last week I visited the California Design auction preview at Los Angeles Modern's new space in Hollywood. Sam Maloof is a staple and so is Stan Bitters, but who is that on the left? Yes, that is indeed a Lawrence Hunter clock. THE clock from California Design 76! Michael Cooper's Soapbox Derby Car , which is seen on the opposing page of California Design 76, is also in the sale. In 1975, the San Francisco Museum of Art held a fundraiser where they invited artists to build soapbox derby racing cars and trophies. This downhill racer was his entry. It was later shown at the Pasadena Museum of Art's California Design 76, which was held at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. Here is a small portion of the other artists who participated in the derby. I wonder what the Ruth Asawa piece looked like? The LAMA essay includes a must watch video on the derby. In October of the same year, Cooper had an exhibition of 14 works, mostly with wheels, in San Diego at Palomar
