Esoteric Survey

Vintage bronze belt buckle by San Diego artist Jack Boyd. Image: Lisa Cliff Collection The "rare & authentic" 18K gold knock-off by Tom Ford. I've seen a lot of Jack Boyd belt buckles and there is no doubt that this is a direct copy. Image: eBay I used to think Tom Ford was kinda cool.  He owns a Neutra house and had Tadao Ando design a ranch for him. Those are the sort of things I would do if I had his bank account.  Image: eBay Tom Ford's Tadao Ando ranch in New Mexico.  Photo by  Guido Mocafico via   A AS Architecture Tom Ford's Richard Neutra house, originally the Brown residence, 1955 Photo: Triangle Modernist Houses Apparently, his taste in mid-century design not only includes architects like Neutra, but also artists like Jack Boyd.      You would think the former creative director of Gucci and YSL would be sensitive to fakes.  Although, instead of low-end copies  of  G...

I was finally able to check out the new Tadao Ando project in Malibu. The last time I was there it was still under construction- here . I wonder why the utility lines haven't been undergrounded yet?   I Photoshoped them out on the first image above.   Wires hanging in front of my new Ando house would be driving me nuts! More on Ando here & here

Tadao Ando house under construction on Malibu Road Malibu Modern "Taco Guy" at La Salsa on PCH in Malibu From 1949 to 1987 "Taco Guy" on La Salsa was "Burger Guy"on Frostie Freeze.  La Salsa purchased the location in 1987, turned the burger into a tray, gave him a tan and a new outfit = "Taco Guy". Source: Experiencing LA I ran into a nice Evelyn Ackerman.  The title is Pennants,  from 1958     Opening at the Marine Art Salon  in Venice Tanya Aguiniga weavings in the exhibition. It runs until September 15th, by appointment only. Photo:  Marine Art Salon

The ferry ride out to Naoshima. This Yayoi Kusama sculpture is next to the ferry landing. This is the view from my room at the Benesse House Park hotel.  Tadao Ando designed the hotel and the adjoining museum.  Those are George Rickey sculptures in the reflecting pool.  There was a Helen Frankenthaler print hanging in the room. Not bad for hotel art. Art at the Benesse House Park Another Yayoi Kusama sculpture. This one is in front of the  Benesse House Park site. Look at the framed piece!  Bruce Nauman neon piece in the  Benesse House Museum.  They also had a great Cy Twombly and a pretty good Donald Judd. Benesse House Museum Benesse House Museum I thought this was an actual plant growing inside the museum but it's a wood sculpture by Yoshihiro Suda.   Benesse House Museum  Dinner at the  Benesse House Museum Restaurant, Issen. They made me a special vege...

Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Kobe Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Kobe Benesse House, Naoshima Benesse House, Naoshima Lee Ufan Museum, Naoshima Kyoto Design House Kyoto Design House

Yayoi Kusama Naoshima Kanjiro Kawai House and Studio Kyoto Tadao Ando / George Rickey Benesse House, Naoshima Osaka Tokyo