Esoteric Survey

Last weekend I visited the new Geffen Galleries at LACMA. The project was designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It's been in the works for two decades! It's so LA to have a car in the museum, which obviously the point. It's a really good example of an Avanti, as is the Ruth Asawa. I love this huge ceramics table, especially the lack of acrylic. Doyle Lane bowl They painted the metal brackets to match the glazes. Another Lane A big Natzler. Bernard Kester with Laura Andreson is a nice LA moment. Beato is in the front right. John Mason I took some photos of some older things too, like this Mayan ceramic from 400-600 CE. The plastics room. Kay Sekimachi These college buddies were also in the plastics gallery. Clock by Frank Cumming III Long Chair by Marcel Breuer DCW by Charles and Ray Eames With a nice Evans paper label from 1947-ish. Dora De Larios The Dora sculptures line the walkway that crosses over Wilshire. The Latin American design section Lina Bo Bardi Quilts on ...

  Boundless: Reflections of the Southern California Landscapes in Midcentury Studio Ceramics explores how the physical, social, and political landscapes of the area shaped craft. Nearly 150 objects from Mingei’s permanent collection, set against large-scale photography, transport us to the breathtaking locations reflected in the ceramics. Through these landscapes and the awe-inspiring science of clay, glaze, and fire, this exhibition celebrates Southern California mid-twentieth century ceramics. Curated by  Guusje Sanders There are a large number of Laura Andreson pieces in the exhibition and there's a reason for that. Andreson started the ceramics department at UCLA in 1933. Over 5,000 students studied under her  until she retired in 1970. This includes Martha Longenecker in 1939, who founded Mingei International Museum in 1978.  In 1982, Mingei organized the exhibition Laura Andreson — A Fifty-Year Retrospective in Clay. It was curated by Mingei founder and then D...