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Museum of Contemporary Art

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Idler
Idler
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5 out of 5
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Museum of Contemporary Art

  • February 1, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Idler from Poolesville, Maryland
Museum of Contemporary Art

There’s a lot to like about the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla, but there’s not too much, if you catch my drift. Rather than overwhelm the visitor with crammed exhibits and diffuse sensibilities, the museum lets select pieces and tightly focused exhibits showcase California art and themes. This is not to say that the museum confines itself to local artists--non-Californian contemporary art is well represented with pieces by such major figures as Rauschenberg, Warhol, and Lichtenstein, and work by Latin American artists are featured as well.

It’s not just the art that’s thought-provoking here, but the building and its setting as well. The foyer of the museum serves as an exhibit space, and the first piece that caught my eye was a romantic-looking group of paintings on the wall facing the door, entitled "An Inland Sea" by Jean Lowe. What looked on first glance like a lush landscape painting from the 19th century on closer inspection features a dammed river and landscape ravaged by pollution--a statement on the destructiveness of man. This was one of the pieces of an exhibit entitled "Southern Exposure," which drew from the museum’s collection to ably demonstrate the diversity and creativity of the region’s artists.

One of the pieces I liked best was a disturbing 18-minute film depicting a woman’s obsession with psychic phenomena and her house. Perhaps the piece that "spoke" to me most, however, was an acrylic Minimalist sculpture by Robert Irwin, beautifully lit from the sides to cast shadows onto the wall behind it. It was hard to tell where the piece ended and the shadows began. I also liked a triptych of photos taken at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City--a commentary on the institutionalization of culture.

One section features a long Plexiglas window with several cut-out areas offering views of the gorgeous shoreline nearby. The difference in hue between the Plexiglas (bluish cast) and open spaces and the inclusion of outdoor elements in an indoor setting pose interesting questions about the boundaries of art, architecture, and the outside environment. This was another work by Robert Irwin, who seems to say quite a lot with very little.

My one regret was that I couldn’t enjoy the lovely outdoor sculpture garden. I made a brief foray there, but a light rain quickly turned into a downpour that sent me scurrying back indoors for shelter. Instead, I made do with a visit to the museum’s appealing gift shop. I’d love to return to the museum on a sunny day to better enjoy its outdoor displays. Since exhibits change frequently, there’s sure to be something new to enjoy indoors as well.

Open Thursday 11-7, Friday-Tuesday 11-5. Entrance is $6 for adults, $2 for students, seniors, and military personnel. Children under 12 free. The museum is free the third Tuesday of the month and provides free guided tours at 2pm each day, with an extra tour at 5:30pm on Thursday.

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