Korean Funerary Figures

A collection of small Korean funerary figures, or Kkoktu, were on display at the UCLA's magical Fowler museum, where I went to meet them. Here is how the catalog describes them: Koreans have a tradition of creating charming and festively painted wooden dolls. But rather than being placed in a toy box, these joyful figurines of clowns, tigers and acrobats adorn coffins. Their costumes and poses reflect the realities of rural Korean village life. Though the kkoktus’ gaiety seems incongruous with mourning, they express a culture’s deep desire that the dead enter the next world surrounded by joy — and its appreciation of the fleeting nature of all experience.

Korea is very present here in Los Angeles, and though I must admit I am no fan of kimchi, I want to absorb more of this culture - for instance with a visit to the local Korean spas, famous for their Akasuri scrubs and exotic baths.
Suggestions, anyone?

Follow Me To Work - LA

Last August, while I was in New York, this post invited you to discover my itinerary to work. I'm in Los Angeles now and last week, I worked in Hollywood. Of course, in LA it's all about driving. Follow me!
When I get off the freeway, I love glimpsing at Dorca's - this tailor used the outside walls of her shop as an advertising billboard, with figures in a compellingly naive style. The other wall is all in Spanish, and prominently offers quiceañera gowns, to be worn to girls' lavish 15th birthday parties.

Los Angeles is a super multicultural city. After passing by the Latino tailor place, I stop at Sunset and La Brea for a Middle Eastern treat - Mashti Malone's ice creams in flavors such as rose water, saffron and (my favorite) orange blossom with pistachios, are irresistible.

A few blocks down, when I drive past the crazy Chinese theater, I know I almost reached my destination. While the tailor place and the ice-cream parlor are the real thing, the Chinese theater is gloriously fake, a crazy take on an imaginary Oriental style.

And for a good laugh on the way, there's always the "Let,s Relax" sign put up by someone who is obviously very confused about spelling and punctuation - who doesn't love a great typo?

At my desk - out of my Sesame Street tote come stumbling out a notepad I adorned with Ingres's superb portrait of Madame d'Haussonville, sharp pencils and, of course, an apple.

Art In LA

It's unfortunate that the image most people get of Los Angeles springs from shows such as Baywatch and 90210... Really, LA is a city that is rife with exciting exhibitions when it comes to art. Here are some shows I don't want to miss. UCLA's exotic Fowler Museum currently shows Korean funerary figures, wooden "dolls" that traditionally accompany the dead into their tombs and towards there hereafter. And the show is free! Also at UCLA (top picture), an upcoming dance performance by the Helios Theater.
Meanwhile at LACMA (LA County Museum of Art), the brand new red and white Resnick Pavilion, designed by Renzo Piano, offers Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915; I'm very eager to see those treasures.

Above are 2 irresistible ads for museums: with plenty of wit, the Getty Center parodies nutrition information boxes, while the Natural History Museum presents a toothy Angeleno.

Welcome, Lily

My friend Mariame is not only the most intelligent, best read and most articulate person I know, she also has a rare sensitivity, a true gift of empathy that have endeared her to me for over 10 years. A couple of years ago, I blogged about her wedding. And now she is a mother!
On August 26, she gave birth to a little girl, Lily. The uncanny thing is, just a few days ago I was reading a children's book about John Singer Sargent's masterpiece "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose" and thinking what an enchanting name Lily was - without know that Mariame and her husband had chosen that very name for their baby! More uncannily yet, the very day Lily was born, I posted a picture of this painting on my blog.
As soon as Lily is old enough, I will buy her Hugh Brewster's magical book about this painting (above)...
Maybe one day Lily will have brother and sisters, echoing other Sargent paintings I adore - I just read Erica Hirshler's fascinating Biography Of Sargent's Daughters, which tells the story of "The Daughters of Edward Boit" (Sargent never had children of his own, bar his works).

In the meantime, I got her the same mouse hat I had chosen for another tiny friend, from ElleGanT's Etsy shop; I hope it keeps her warm in the Parisian winter.

Welcome to life, Lily! In my heart, you are already a treasure, a beloved trasure.

New York Favorites

New York loves its dancers! Especially around the Lincoln Center (66th st W). That NYCB ballerina is beautiful but where's the turn-out?

New York loves Japanese noodles! At the teeny restaurant Totto (52nd st W between 8th & 9th), I had a delicious vegetarian noodle soup.

New York loves art! The Frick collection is not just one of my favorite museums in the world. It's also one of my favorite places - the art is displayed in Mr Frick's home, so luxurious yet cozy.

New York loves being a little crazy! A wood horse and hippo went for a ride around the city last week...

Breakfast With Madame X

I have long been fascinated by Madame X, the stunning portrait by John Singer Sargent, so I really enjoyed reading Strapless, a book that explores the life of the mode, Amélie Gautreau, and her relationship with the painter - the painting caused a scandal in Paris, causing socialite Amélie's downfall and, of course, a falling out with Sargent.
I wish there were more books about the relationships between artists and their models.
I read a few pages of this volume over breakfast at Smooch, in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, where everything is fresh, organic and simply delicious. Last weekend, I had their wonderful granola with vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit before dashing off to their nearby flea market.
The book has led me to rediscover Sargent's oeuvre. Even more than Madame X, the painting I find the most magical is Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, below.

Villa Carlotta

One of the things I find fascinating about plants is their Latin names - Citrus Paradisi, isn't that exquisite and tempting? The Villa Carlotta is indeed famous for its botanical gardens. Fragrant with gardenias, dotted with hundreds of camellias, it includes some very exotic specimens and spectacular landscaping.
The Citrus Tunnel for instance, which is literally a tunnel made of orange, lemon and grapefruit trees of all kinds, seemed like something out of Alice In Wonderland.
Inside, the villa, we discovered some moving sculptures. I adore how the hard, cold marble can convey the limpness of a Madonna's hand, the delicate curves of a body. Really, how can marble dance?

Ballet De L'Opéra

Last night, I was delighted to go to the Opéra Bastille to see the institution's ballet company performing Jiri Kylian's extraordinary Kaguyahime, inspired by an ancient Japanese legend. My favorite ballerina, Marie-Agnès Gillot, was regal as ever (but pictured above is the equally exquisite, emotional Agnès Letestu). An ensemble of traditional Japanese musicians played live, as Eastern tradition merged with Western modernism in its most graceful and poignant expression. It was a triumph.

Speaking of art and sublime women, did you know that the Louvre's Venus de Milo has a blog?

Around Sculpture

Last week, I attended the opening of a new show at Venice's LA Louver gallery with my dear friend Spangler. I loved the gouache paintings by Sol LeWitt, as well as the sculpture above, by Joel Shapiro. It's magical how it seems to be falling, as if in motion, and how the lights multiply its shadows, like echos of light and darkness.

This made me reflect on how different LA and Paris are. LA, all angles and modern; Paris, voluptuous and old, as reflected in this sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle, in the garden of the Paris museum that bears his name.

2010 - With Art

To illustrate what I wish us all for 2010, I thought I'd use images from exhibitions I've enjoyed these past 2 weeks in Paris. At the Pinacothèque, where masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age have been loaned by my dear Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), we can wish for many books, both enlightening and amusing... and for music, played by that graceful mandolin... Let's also wish for pooches and pets of all kinds, curled up on our beds...

The musée Antoine Bourdelle celebrates Isadora Duncan - wishing us plenty of dancing.

Finally the Fauvists & Expressionists show at the Marmottan Monet museum speaks of a year filled with colors.

Tables Of New York

When I got back to Los Angeles, the first question a New Yorker friend asked me is, "Where did you eat?" It made me laugh - New Yorkers are so obsessed with restaurants! Here are shots of tables from some of the places where Chloé and I had meals in NYC, and as you see, it's not all about the food.
Lunch - At the Noho Star, Chloé pulled out her magical makeup pouch and laid out a few of her treasures on the table... They include this spectacular black Chanel lipstick, and a present for me: a yummy-scented lip balm from the boutique of Le Crazy Horse, Paris's most extraordinary, quirky and fascinating cabaret.

An afternoon snack - While Chloé was getting her nails done, I sneaked out for an iced tea blended with home made lemonade and a light yogurt chocolate muffin at Café Angélique, on Bleeker and Grove.

Dinner - We ate almost every night at the wonderful Blue Ribbon in the West Village's Downing street, but we also had dinner once at the Noho Star, where I nibbled on a carrot cake and spied on the amazing artist, musician and scholar Lloyd McNeill drawing effortlessly in his sketch-pad...

Art Galleries In Chelsea

Hanging around Chelsea in NYC last weekend, I visited a number of art galleries. I loved the whimsical, eerie works on paper of Austé, reminiscent of Tim Burton's cartoons and Andersen's fairy tales... I was also thrilled to admire Kara Walker's extraordinary cut-outs - even though her characters have no features or eyes, they are magically expressive, and tell stories - below, the same work seen from two different angles.