*11/15/2107 Some photos had to be removed due to Blogger policies on nudity and what it deems inappropriateOn Wilshire Blvd, what once was a Masonic Temple is now another free art museum for LA. The large space on the same street as so many other institutions, which we thought would be reserved for weeks, opened up to us on Saturday. We saw an unbelievable amount of modern art in just a few hours and were completely impressed with yet another gallery to ogle with our eyes in the LA area.
If you want classic art go elsewhere. The galleries in the collection goes as far back as 1990, it's a modern art museum. Just upon entering you might be in awe of the space presented to you. A vast new playground to show off pieces loaned to to other LA museums over the year now have a new home. Some strange, some eye-catching, everything starts off as a strange dream you wonder into as soon as you make it past the elevators in the main hall on the first floor.
On the first floor you'll see "Villar Roja's Two Suns(II), Michelangelo's David as big as a giant on it's side as though something has gone wrong. It's one of many pieces that allow for a close up look.
You'll look in the questionable realm of Hell, a strange wig shop and artists take on many old comic characters. Superman seems to influenced at least two artists greatly involved with this opening collection on display. Spot Superman chained to trees and looking quite beat-up on the first floor and the bottled-city of Kandor on the third floor, if you get the reference.
The third floor had some wonderful Takashi Murakami work that was drawing in a crowd. We over hear someone saying, "What's anime?," as they couldn't quite understand where the idea of the ludicrous big-breasted anime figure came from.
The second floor was the worst, Lizzie Fetch's Ledge's video was sheer annoyance. Apparently is was shot in the the the temple itself before it was renovated. It looked more like 40-year-olds were figuring out how to do funny videos on YouTube without any help from their kids or working knowledge of what they were trying to do. It's almost like stepping into a drug-addled homeless person's head.
*Oddly, no water fountains worked and the cafe wasn't open when we went.
If you just pass on the second floor and bring your own water you'll be able to enjoy the many different artists and an almost theme park setting of absolutely fun art work to get lost in.
Marciano Art Foundation
4357 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Days and hours open
Thursday 11am – 5pm
Friday 11am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 6pm
Free, must reserve entry
Free parking is available in the lot directly behind the Foundation, accessible off of Lucerne Boulevard, and is limited to two hours. Visitors must have a reserved ticket to park.
