Esoteric Survey

While I was at Southwestern College a few weeks ago checking out the original buildings before they get demolished ,  I paid a visit to "Dark" by Bruce Nauman. The sculpture is "a 4’ by 4’ by 4” thick solid steel slab with the word “DARK” written on the bottom. It was purchased as part of the Annual Purchase Award Exhibit: Outdoor Sculpture April 19 - May 10, 1968. $1900 of student funds were used to pay Nauman for the work.  Source: SPEAKOUT , Southwestern College Art Gallery, The First Decade It was a controversy before it was even out of concept form.   Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968 Little old ladies in tennis shoes did not start this fire. Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968 Bob Matheny makes a great point.  Source: Chula Vista Star News, 1968 John Baldessari was an instructor at Southwestern College at the time and wrote an essay in defense of "Dark". Here are some of his key points, which are so good and so Baldessari. Read the full essay here ....

The recent passing of John Baldessari reminded me of the 2017 exhibition I went to and never did a post about. This was the first major retrospective of his work in Latin America.  The exhibition explores his work as an artist and professor.  Aprendiendo A Leer Con John Baldessari - Museo Jumex Early instruction paintings Goya Series Virtues and Vices (for Giotto) Pride from Virtues and Vices (for Giotto)  features The Equitable Building by Welton Becket John Baldessari in Mexico City in 2017 Source: Claire Kennedy / Courtesy of the Estate of John Baldessari and Marian Goodman Gallery

If you haven't seen   Gaps in the Record: Vanguard Print Culture in San Diego , your time is almost up. It closes on September 2nd.  Gaps in the Record: Vanguard Print Culture in San Diego documents the overlapping literary and visual art practices and independent publishing activity within San Diego’s mid-twentieth century creative community. The exhibition centers on a small group of painters who were also writers: Don Dudley (1930), Guy Williams (1934-2004), Richard Allen Morris (1933), Malcolm McClain (1923-2012), John Baldessari (1931), and Fred Cooper (1939). Curated by Dave Hampton The show is deep, so even if you have been, you should probably go back again.

GAPS IN THE RECORD: VANGUARD PRINT CULTURE IN SAN DIEGO May 11 – August 5, 2018 Gaps in the Record: Vanguard Print Culture in San Diego documents the overlapping literary and visual art practices and independent publishing activity within San Diego’s mid-twentieth century creative community. The exhibition centers on a small group of painters who were also writers: Don Dudley (1930), Guy Williams (1934-2004), Richard Allen Morris (1933), Malcolm McClain (1923-2012), John Baldessari (1931), and Fred Cooper (1939). Curated by Dave Hampton The opening reception has been rescheduled to Friday, June 1st More information at  San Diego History Center Poems for Painters, by Guy Williams, Duchamp, 1963, offset print on paper

John Baldessari posters, including one with Bob Matheny.  1962  La Jolla School of Arts Faculty Exhibition at the Art Center in La Jolla (now The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego) The exhibition included Don Dudley,  Beatrice Levy,  Guy Williams, Fred Holle,  Rhoda Lopez,   Sheldon Kirby  and Mac McClain.  Guy Williams This was a pretty major paper score. 

A monumental Sheila Hicks fiber sculpture at the preview for the May 22nd  LAMA   sale. It appears they also have some Walter Lamb furniture KEM Weber desk and side table designed for the Disney studios in 1938. KEM Weber music cabinet designed for the Disney studios in 1938. This was the KEM Weber set up at Disney, complete with an "Airline" chair on the right  Source: Walt Disney Archives Three paintings by Oskar Fischinger Coincidentally, Oskar worked as motion picture cartoon effects animator at Disney right around the same time KEM Weber designed the new offices. Theoretically, he could have been using a Weber desk when he was working on Fantasia. Fischinger at work at the Disney studio in 1939. He hated it. More on that, here . Source:  Elfriede Fischinger  via Michael Sporn Animation   Salvador Dali was around the Disney studio too. There is an "Airline" chair in the corner. Sour...