Artsy Summer: Tim Burton @LACMA

A thread of emails from early spring was taken up again, leading us on a trek over to the Mid-City for a gander at Tim Burton @LACMA.

Uhm, why did we go, like, the second weekend it opened?! The experience was both amusement-park-line-esque as well as moblike (once we got into the exhibit)--not exactly ideal. I was actually turned off being among the hoards of people herded through the several spaces full of Tim Burton's sketches, films, costumes, and other media.  It wasn't fun to squint at works behind two or three people, but that's more a commentary on the layout and traffic flow logistics than the works themselves.

Though I am somewhat skeptical of high school or college notebook doodles being elevated to art by simply framing and captioning them, I admit that I enjoyed the exhibit.  The progression of Tim Burton's work, from his early days drawing cartoons for various City of Burbank campaigns to being an animator at Disney, demonstrate how increasing experience and success allowed him to develop his personal style and pursue his own projects. I even bust out my little Moleskine and started sketching again. And what better evidence of an exhibit's success than its ability to inspire?

We had a bit of time to hang out at the rest of the huge LACMA campus.  Tons of art and collectibles notwithstanding, I was delighted by the profusion of Eames shell chairs out and about:

And this interesting installation.  I was reluctant to enter but was obedient to MyKo, who wanted a photo.  I cracked a smile just for her shot, but kept my lips pursed and eyes closed as much as possible.  A guard was on duty next to the installation, mostly to make sure the kids weren't swinging from or getting entangled in the strings.  Interactive art can sometimes be dirty. 

Though Tim Burton was great, the true highlight of the trip was the company.  Thanks to Mini for organizing.  

This outing was an inadvertent start to my Artsy Summer, which replaces last year's picnic project.  This year it will be museums. And art.  And gardens.  And plays.  And films.  And new places.  And air conditioning.  For a bit of respite on these hot, suddenly summer days.