We took a break from Thousand Oaks to visit LACMA, which has turned into a magnificent art museum since the building of two huge new buildings showing touring exhibits and standing collections. I loved visiting the Olmec sculpture exhibit, where I was instantly transformed into an awestruck schoolboy gazing in wonder at two gigantic basalt heads dating from a millennium before Christ.
A collection of nineteenth century clothing was inspiring, particularly an extraordinarily embroidered jacket and an excellent black suit that I’d wear in a heartbeat. I found a few costume pieces including some gloves, an interesting decorative lace border and a dress that might be useful for painting reference, duly photographed and stowed away in my ever-growing photo archive.
Although I particularly liked the gloved hand that you see here as a resource for a costume in one of my paintings, I want to be a little circumspect about using nineteenth century clothing in the work – I want to continue painting people that could be from the present although their surroundings and actions may be universal.
I enjoyed finding old Hermes standing amongst the old master paintings. He’s wearing a winged helmet that oddly resembles those worn in World War One by the British infantry.
Boxing Day, December 26th, Sydney, Australia. Took Jon to see the Terracotta Army exhibition in the NSW Museum – not as wonderful as the exhibition in London – but still overwhelming -looking into the face of the large-as-life scupture of a man, a warrior, a servant, a father, a survivor…..
Both of us longed in that moment to be in China – to feel the weight of the army, look into each face
Awestruck indeed
What is it about sculpture that reaches into our loins?
Sandy