12 February 2008

Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA Opens




This week marks the opening of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA. The new building on the LACMA campus in Los Angeles was designed by visionary architect Renzo Piano. I had a chance to visit the new BCAM today and it is a light filled space that shows off the Broad Collection in a wonderful fashion. The collection includes works by John Baldessari,
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jasper Johns,
Ellsworth Kelly,
Jeff Koons,
Barbara Kruger,
Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg,
Charles Ray,
Richard Serra,
Cindy Sherman,
and
Andy Warhol to name a few. The building is composed of three floors and designed so you enter at the top via an escalator that is colored bright red. The exterior escalator and stair reminds one of Piano’s earlier works, the Centre George Pompidou. The top two floors show off the collection and keep the work in order by artist. When one reaches the ground floor, it is filled with two works by Richard Serra. Serra’s work is impressive, huge, and just a plain treat for the senses. LACMA has also rearranged work in the other buildings on the campus. Many works of modern art have been moved to the Ahmanson building and are shown with a fresh vision. Don’t miss this part of LACMA. Congratulations are in order to LACMA and the staff. The BCAM is a success and the continued growth of LACMA is truly welcome.

If you want to visit the BCAM and LACMA this week, it is FREE Feb. 16-18. You will need to order dated and timed tickets at the LACMA site.

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