Modern Artfulness

LA's very cool Broad Museum

By Mark Smith

August 27^th, 2022

This is my kind of museum.

Here's what I liked about The Broad - which as you know rhymes with road and is named for philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad:

It's not overwhelming. My museum tolerance is about two hours, or two floors. Whichever comes first.
Surprises. Several of the rooms you walk into and think, "Wow"
Offers some of world's most famous contemporary art
There are places to sit down
It's free

Entering is part of the experience.

Get ready to feel small. Don't worry, it's only temporary.

Jasper Johns' "Flag"

According to The Broad, artist Jasper Johns painted this version of "Flag", one of more than 100 versions he created, in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War. He had painted his first "Flag" 13 years prior at the age of 24, after having a dream - that he had painted the American flag.

Looking closer.

At first glance from across the room, this piece doesn't seem all that interesting. How many times have I seen the American flag? But then, walk right up to it, within inches - close enough to make the docents nervous - and examine it. You can see that Johns was using a copy of the New York Times as part of his "encaustic" process, along with bedsheet material and warm pigmented wax.

At this range it's much more interesting and personal, revealing the imperfections that the artist was willing to accept for art's sake (or were they purposeful?) - and reminding me that, unlike most flags nowadays, this one - like the Betsy Ross 13-star version - was hand-made.

Iconic works by Warhol.

Nancy and I had just seen a Netflix series on Andy Warhol, so it was extra cool to see his work in person.

Complex works by Basquiat

Some of the most compelling work was from Jean-Michel Basquiat, a friend and sometime partner of Andy Warhol in the 80's. The images and words seem, all at once, to be random yet very purposed, universal and then intensely personal. As with some of my favorite songs, you could spend hours trying to decipher exactly what was meant, but in the end it's best to just enjoy it and think about this artist - who would gain international fame and die of a drug overdose at age 27 - as he went about creating the work right before you.

Self-Portrait

There must be only a few situations when capturing your own image TWICE in one photograph is not a cardinal sin - such as when you're among gigantic metal flower bulbs that reflect everything in sight. If Andy Warhol can get away with it, so can I. Besides, you can barely tell it's me.