+ For Theory, - For Execution

Went over to the Geffen Contemporary Museum with the OC LDS feminist contingent to see the Wack! Art and the Feminist Revolution exhibit. Lots of different types of artwork were included ... paintings, drawings, photography, art-installations, etc etc. And yet, the focus of the exhibition was very specific, taking art only produced between 1965-80, and only by female artists.

On the whole I was "underwhelmed." Maybe it's that I'm not generally a fan of contemporary art. While I liked a lot of the theory behind some of the pieces, the execution often seemed shoddy, crude or vulgar. One particularly theoretically interesting piece (a woman charted parallel emotional oscillograms of conversations she had with her mother ... what is so basic as a woman's relationship to her birth mother or motherly figure) was scribbled on 8x11 sheets of paper with pen in handwriting that was barely discernible, much less pleasing to the eye. Very interesting theory, very poor exeecution. Another large painting showed a vanity table with a picture of Marilyn Monroe, cosmetics, fresh fruit and jewelry, with some type in the middle about the first time Norma Jean had someone comment on her looks. The painting was skillfully rendered, and it was apparent that the artist was trying to focus on the temporality of physical beauty, but the whole image looked like a cut and paste collage ... like one would see in a glossy advertisement for CVS cosmetics.

Even less did I enjoy the nude parading of women, either as subjects or self-portraits. And not because I don't like nude art. I have several friends who do wonderful live model sketches, and there are several artists who are able to render the human form as very divine. However, I do have a personal convictions that some things (like pubic hairs, for example) are not ever pretty, and cheapen (rather than alleviate) art.

Whew! That all being said, there were a couple of things that I did like about the exhibit. I liked the enormous red weaving that hung in the antechamber of the museum. It really is massive. And intricately woven with many different threads and yarns and weaves throughout. I imagined it as the collective feminine heart, knit together despite color, race, time or belief. I also liked the room with the crocheted, intertwined pieces. And, I liked some of the really sharp black and white photography.

I want art to be beautiful, and inspire me to live more beautifully. I want to find that touch of the divine. I like portraits better than landscapes. I especially like portraits that tell a story about the subjects. Rembrandt. Sargent. Cassatt. Even Rockwell, and Say. I think that finding the humanity in a portrait makes it easier to find humanity in those I meet.

After the exhibit, a few of us ventured into J-town (Japanese-town, aka Little Tokyo) for some ramen. It was a dead and lifelessly hot day, but who can resist good ramen? Luckily, there was a dish (can't even remember the name) that came with hot broth, but cold everything else on the side ... which was just perfect. Yummy yummy oishi! We then went in search for some mochi. My very favorite type of mochi is green, very soft, no bean paste inside, and served with kinako powder. I believe the name of it is yomogi mochi, but I could be wrong. I last had it years ago in Kyoto. Desperately wanted to bring some home to the US, but was told that it wouldn't last the trip. Since then, I've had green types of mochi, but it's never right. Truly, yomogi mochi needs to be fresh (not refridgerated) to maintain the right texture. I've learned to go without when I can't find the right stuff, which also proved to be today's case.

Came home and napped, then got ready for a night of salsa dancing in the OC. I've never been to Club Promenade, but had heard about it from an acquaintance. Drove down, found the place, and it was totally dark. Again with the poor execution. As I later found out, I'd misinterpretted the week. What a waste of time and gas!

So, to console myself, I wheedled Wonder Woman into coming with me to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And for once, there was no lack of execution. And I was in a satisfactorily air-conditioned room!