Comments on: Art Here and Now http://lacma.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/here-and-now/ Mon, 20 May 2013 19:02:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Adam Feldmeth http://lacma.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/here-and-now/#comment-5377 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:02:11 +0000 http://lacma.wordpress.com/?p=2851#comment-5377 Michael’s memory of a donation to the tar pits is in reference to Terrence O’shea.

http://greg.org/archive/2010/10/05/going_long_on_terry_oshea.html

]]> By: scott tennent http://lacma.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/here-and-now/#comment-335 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:17:25 +0000 http://lacma.wordpress.com/?p=2851#comment-335 Michael, thanks for your comment. None of us on the Unframed team have heard the Tar Pits story before… we’re asking around but thus far it sounds like it might be urban legend. If we find otherwise we’ll definitely relate the story in a future post.

]]> By: Eve http://lacma.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/here-and-now/#comment-334 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:40:44 +0000 http://lacma.wordpress.com/?p=2851#comment-334 Wow that is quite an interesting process~

]]> By: Michael Buitron http://lacma.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/here-and-now/#comment-329 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:42:39 +0000 http://lacma.wordpress.com/?p=2851#comment-329 Some twenty years ago–long before the days of computerized records–I paid a visit to LACMA’s Registrar’s Office as part of a class project. One wall was covered with files, like a gigantic card catalog (for those who remember record keeping before computers). I can’t remember the registrar’s name at the time, but she explained to me that every work of art that has ever been owned or exhibited by LACMA had a file card. She challenged me to name a work or artist, and she would show me the card.

I remembered Michael Asher’s installation for the young talent award: three temporary walls installed in one of the galleries. At the bottom of the card, where it would normally give the piece’s current whereabouts, it said that the work was destroyed by the museum staff. I don’t think she was familiar with Asher’s ephemeral practice, and becoming a bit flustered, and tried to explain that LACMA was not in the habit of destroying art works in its care.

When I recounted the story to Asher a few days later, he caught himself laughing. Part of the impetus for Asher’s practice was thwarting expectations among viewers (and registrars) about what a work of art should be.

I also remember a story of one of the YTA artists throwing their donated work into the tar pits. Is that a part of LACMA lore, or can someone on staff post that story?

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