A Foggy Morning

A short portion of yesterday morning's drive to work was through an eerie fog, the neighborhood streets take on a totally different dimension. Although shot in color I converted the images to black & white using NIK Silver Efex Pro.

LACMA - Fashioning Fashion

Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915, currently on view in the Resnick Pavilion at LACMA. Past experiences with this type of historical exhibit had left me cold. Usually a regimented and dry. This exhibit has a different tone, set in a monochromatic environment consisting of a serpentine arrangement of what appear to be shipping crates. The crates create not just a neutral backdrop for the costumes but also act as a frame around them. Giving each costume its own space while not interrupting the flow. The mannequins themselves have a porcelain white appearance, conveying  a uniformity if not a fragility. In contrast running along the walls of the gallery space in bold red letters is the name of the exhibit.
The combination of all of these elements made for an interesting photographic experience. Several mirrors were incorporated into the environment which made it even more interesting for me.

The exhibit runs through March 6, 2011.

As always all images copyright Peter Politanoff

Resnick Pavilion - Eye for the Sensual

Eye for the Sensual: Selections from the Resnick Collection, is one of three exhibits currently on view in the Resnick Pavilion at LACMA. Sensual it is: The gallery rooms are not painted white, rather they are decorated. Decorated with dark paint or wallpaper with contrasting moulding. Mirrors are artfully used to allow the viewer to see all sides or sculptures resulting an illusion of even bigger spaces. The art blends into the environment rather jumping off the walls. The entire experience not just the art is 'sensual'.
Mirrors of course adding another dimension for myself. If you are a follower of my blog you are certainly aware of my penchant for self portraits.

There you have it , an pictorial overview of the gallery rooms with me in every shot.

All images copyright Peter Politanoff

LACMA - Resnick Pavilion

Several weeks ago LACMA complete Phase II of its transformation when The Resnick Pavilion opened to the public on October 2. This marks an addition of 45,000 square feet of gallery space.
The single story structure is the "largest purpose-built, naturally lit, open-plan museum space in the world". The Resnick Pavilion opened with 3 exhibits(to be discussed in subsequent postings).  Eye for the Sensual:Selections from the Resnick Collection;  Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico;  and  Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915. 

The opening of this gallery space comes just two years after the completion of Phase I of the LACMA transformation. Phase I included the opening of the 60,000 square foot BCAM gallery space. With the inclusion of Chris Burden's Urban Light.

The addition of these two gallery spaces coupled with some very intelligent choices, LACMA has transformed itself into a World Class Museum. A museum with viewing galleries of a good proportion, to accommodate larger works of art, and allowing the viewer to step back and enjoy the experience.

More on the Resnick Pavilion soon.

All images copyright Peter Politanoff

http://www.lacma.org/about/AboutLACMA.aspx

More From the West

To continue the thread I started last week. Here are some more images from the 'West'. Some shot w/ Leica M8 others w/ Canon 1D mkIII.

All images were shot in California, and as always copyright protected.