The Art Exhibits of LA
Exhibits from around Los Angeles, from film to paint to video
Hayao Miyazaki Retrospective at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Indigo Craane, Staff Writer
The Hayao Miyazaki exhibit launched on Sept. 30 marks the grand opening of the anticipated Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Hayao Miyazaki is the mind behind Studio Ghibli, who has been captivating audiences for decades with his mesmerizing creative vision. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio known for their animated feature films, the most popular being “Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “My Neighbor Totoro.” Miyazaki has never before exhibited his work in the United States, much of it not even leaving Japan, until now.
Miyazaki’s complete body of work is presented with an experiential retrospective. Featuring over 400 items, many of which have never been on display before, the exhibit showcases original storyboards, character designs and even animation frames created by Miyazaki himself. The curators cleverly included immersive presentations, projections and video installation through the exhibition, intentionally woven into the broader scheme of the gallery. This altogether creates the effect of moving art, an experience as though it is moving through the narrative itself.
The gallery carries the visitor from room to room as though they are within the universe of Studio Ghibli. When first entering the exhibition, the visitor is greeted by the magic tree featured in “My Neighbor Totoro’’ to enter the Creating Characters gallery, then thematically guided from room to room with the 11 movies he made with Studio Ghibli, including “Spirited Away,” “Castle in the Sky’’ and “Princess Mononoke.” Rather than focusing on the chronological order of his work and the process behind it, the exhibit is more so ordered by the philosophical and thematic aspects within his films. The first half of the exhibit is covered by the beautiful natural environments seen in the film, whereas the other half focuses on his depictions of industry, technology and war. Much like Miyazaki’s films, the greatest strength behind the exhibition lies within the quieter moments, such as the animator’s storyboard panels showcased under the glass.
It is certainly clear how much time and effort was put into this exhibition. Studio Ghibli has never allowed another institution to curate an exhibition about their work, let alone Miyazaki’s. It is an altogether surreal experience to see his films in gallery quality beside their original reference drawings.
The Hayao Miyazaki exhibit is only on view at the Academy Museum until June 5, 2022, and reservations are free for minors and $20 for adults. As per Miyazaki’s personal request, there is a rule to not take photos or videos, so the exhibit is truly a rare insight for Studio Ghibli lovers and film junkies alike! Those who visit will not come away from it with an empty mind or heart.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures can be found at 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90036.
Reservations are $20, and it is open until June 5, 2022.
The Japanese poster for Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away.”
The Immersive Van Gogh Experience
Sophie Salem, Staff Writer
The Immersive Van Gogh exhibit is a once in a lifetime pop-up experience from Nov. 29, 2021 to Feb. 6, 2022. Take a step into Van Gogh’s oil paints for a limited time only through the perfect exhibit for museum hoppers.
In the former Amoeba Music store in the heart of Hollywood, Van Gogh’s paintings quite literally emerge from every corner. This immersive experience encourages viewers to get lost amongst 500,000 cubic feet of projections, solely showing Van Gogh’s art. Visitors fall adrift in Starry Night or lose themselves in thousands of Van Gogh’s famous sunflowers. Sit in your own social distanced circle and admire the art around you with a soundtrack that is bound to make you feel at peace. Experience Van Gogh from a whole new perspective and feel the paint beneath your feet for a 40 minute runtime. Through 90 million pixels and over 60 thousand frames of video, see each individual brush stroke and truly appreciate the years of work put into each painting. Vincent Van Gogh; one of the most famous and influential painters there ever was. From realism to post-impressionism, Van Gogh’s art has left an indelible mark on history as well as lessons of the past. Today, Van Gogh’s works of art are truly coming to life as we celebrate his impact and effect on the world.
Tickets at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit range anywhere from 30 to 80 dollars a person. For children ages 6-16, tickets cost as low as 30 dollars whereas an adult ticket with extra perks costs up to 80 dollars a piece. These perks include priority access, a limited edition poster, a VIP souvenir and a Van Gogh seat cushion. However, the most popular ticket costs 50 dollars with a limited edition poster and a cushion, but many people in the LA area have questioned whether it is worth paying so much for a 40 minute “movie.” Afterall, a ticket to go watch a two hour movie at AMC is roughly 15 dollars.
Nonetheless, Massimiliano Siccardi, the creator of the exhibition and master of digital art, spent countless days working on this experience. It is truly worth it. Go to the Van Gogh exhibit to simply fix your eyes on the walls around you and relax amidst the lighting. Yes, tickets are pricey, but the exhibit will give you a chance to genuinely appreciate art and view history from a new angle. Tickets to the exhibit are definitely worth it as the showing is the perfect amount of time for squirmy viewers and is also genuinely entertaining. The entire exhibit was executed very well in terms of COVID-19 precautions and a smooth entrance. Staff ensured the museum wasn’t overly crowded and the wait was very short. Not to mention, there is no rush to get out. Stay for as many showings as you want from the floor or the second level viewing platform.
The only downside to the exhibit had to be the souvenir shop on your way out. There were various options from Van Gogh posters to coffee mugs, but everything was extremely expensive. As viewers make their way out of the exhibit through the store, every item is incredibly pleasing to look at, but a simple exhibit catalog is 70 dollars. Yes, the gift shop is perfect to browse, but not so perfect to stock up on Van Gogh souvenirs.
It’s true, the immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Hollywood is the perfect pastime for museum goers. Visitors are bound to learn more about Van Gogh while also viewing art from a new perspective. So, grab your tickets before it’s too late and walk into the wonderful world of Vincent Van Gogh.
The Immersive van Gogh Experience can be found at 6400 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90028.
Tickets range from $31-$80, and it is open until Feb. 6, 2022.
Visitors watching majestic projections of Van Gogh’s self portrait at the immersive exhibit.
The Ink Dreams Exhibit at LACMA
Aili Forster, Staff Writer
LACMA’s “Ink Dreams” exhibition was launched on Sept. 19, 2021, consisting of a 400 piece collection of East-Asian ink paintings. The exhibition features artists from all over the world, united through the art of ink painting.
While the collection of pieces are all made through ink, the artists’ pieces are distinguished from one another through the different techniques and mediums used. Even with such a large collection of artworks, there is a huge variety in the type of ink and paper, with some artists even painting on fabrics like linen and canvas.
One piece in the collection that stood out is called “Wonderful: Secret Lover in Golden House”, by Yao Jui-Chung. This work shows an isolated golden hut amid a disarray of abstract mountains, trees and fog. Intricately drawn in blue ink pen and gold leaf, the piece is nostalgic to traditional Chinese paintings in composition, but rebels against it by using pens instead of brushes. The paper used is also handmade.
The exhibition is split up into three different sections, all encasing a different aspect of ink art. The first section, “Apparitions” showcases works that use absence to depict figures and landscapes. “Apparition painting” often is done by using watered-down inks, thinned out till almost indistinguishable. The second section is named “Meditations,” as the pieces in this section are supposed to mirror aspects of meditation like the repetition of moves and writing. The last section is called “Dreamscapes” which consists of modern landscape paintings recorded on silk and paper mediums.
The idea of having the pieces divided up into smaller sections makes sense, especially for such a large collection. However, the execution of this is not done well enough, as this division is barely noticeable throughout the exhibition. The different sections are not divided clearly enough physically, making it seem more like random pieces were put together. While the pieces alone are extremely impressive craft-wise, the overall message or theme of the collection is incoherent.
Regardless, the “Ink Dreams” exhibition is worth seeing for its impressive craftsmanship and unique styles and mediums. The exhibition was only open until Dec. 12, but here are some new exhibitions currently open at LACMA: “Mixpantli:Contemporary Echoes” and “Mixplantli: Space, Time, and Indigenous Origins of Mexico”. Both exhibitions celebrate traditional Indigenous art forms and feature Indigenous artists. Upcoming exhibitions to look forward to are: “City of Cinema: Paris 1850-1907”, which is opening on Feb.20 2022, and Barbara Kruger’s “Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You” exhibition, which opens on Mar.20 of 2022. The “City of Cinema: Paris 1850-1907” exhibition displays paintings, film, photography, posters, prints and sculptures from 19th century “Parisian visual culture”, according to the LACMA website. Kruger’s exhibition presents 20 years worth of work by Kruger, from installations to audio soundscapes.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art can be found at 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90036
Two paintings shown as part of the ink dreams exhibit.