Renzo Piano
A show worth seeing in LA and one worth skipping: Renzo Piano at LACMA and Conversations at the Natural History Museum. Piano’s high-craft wood architecture models are so generous I got a headache.
On the other hand, I was less than thrilled with Conversations, a brilliant curatorial idea lost in the execution. Six artists toured the museum’s catacombs and designed work that incorporated the found treasures.
Megan and I were looking forward to it — a dangerous position. We didn’t feel it was worth the price of parking ($6) and museum entrance ($9 a person) — although the shell collection upstairs made up for it. Paul McCarthy’s model ship photos and sculptures clearly drove the show. The other projects work in conversation much better than in reality: the problem is the potential.
I must admit that for someone who doesn’t appear to try overly hard, Renzo Piano’s models and drawings are BEAUTIFUL. Period. I say that he doesn’t try very hard because his output tends to exclude renderings and other glossy imagery, in favor of working drawings and explanatory models. His model/drawings that combine old-fashioned blueprints (white on blue) with relief models are not only great to look at, but they also help to explain what’s going on. What’s great is that – like his buildings – they are so appealing in their own right.
By the way, do you know what’s going on with the LACMA expansion? Couldn’t find anything on their web page (though I didn’t try very hard). I assume the Piano exhibit is related to his expansion/renovation planned.
John,
Great comment. Unfortunately I don’t know much more than “they’re planning.” I hope his design is funded.