25 Years of Pixar, A Review of the Oakland Exhibit That Kicks Ass!

The current Pixar exhibit (at the Oakland Museum) is one of the best I have seen at a contemporary art museum since the Todd Schorr solo in San Jose. This show is a "significantly enhanced" version of the exhibition, which is returning home to Oakland after a world tour that began at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2005. Kind of sad that it didn't begin here, since Pixar is right next door to Oaktown in Emeryville, but it's hard to compete with MOMA's draw. It should have opened right here in their own hood, then it would have been a true homecoming. Hats off to the Oakland Museum curators, for taking the helm to steer this museum in a much needed, fresh and new direction. (Support the place - spend some money there!)

Jessie!.. still in love with her, even after all these years...

This is a large, very solid show - full of room after room of 25 years of wonderful art. Original sketches, paintings, models and storyboards from all the wonderful Pixar animated endeavors. Pencil sketches, watercolors, oils, digital paintings, sculpture, charcoal, pastels - you name it, all your fave Pixar creations in every media imaginable. Beautiful sketches and renderings of tons of characters, from Buzz to Ratatouille.

The darkened room encasing the "Toy Story Zoetrope," (above) is a knock-out, really enlightens one on the essence of animation and how it all works. It comprises a 3D turntable populated by the Toy Story figures in carefully sequenced postures that spring to life when it all spins under the strobe lights. Leave yourself at least 15 minutes to stare in wonder at this puppy.

This Bug's Life art is titled as a pencil drawing!  Unbelievable rendering.

Roz in all her glory... did you fill out your paperwork?

When you go, make sure you leave enough time to see everything, at the very least - two hours...  And you may want to book your tickets ahead, they are admitting in intervals to keep the crowds down. When I went the pace was perfect, not too crowded, although the girl at the ticket desk could have used another helper.

The charcoals by Nathan Fowkes for "Sharks Tale" were jaw dropping.

Can't beat "slinky dog"...

Don't you pay any mind to all those hi-brow art critics out there that refuse to realize animation and cartooning is "real" art.
Just remember the great quote by Anton Ego from Ratatouille -

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so."

This show is so good I will be going back for a second injection. The amount of Pixar artists and their incredible art here is a true feast. A historical journey thru our joint Pixar past, all the characters, places and life lessons that made us smile, gasp, laugh and cry.  

Gettin' Real and HyperReal at the San Jose Museum of Art

Just can't say enough good stuff about the consistently solid shows this museum produces. They put all the other "contemporary" museums in the Bay Area to shame. Currently up is the "Real and HyperReal" show with illusionist artists - Sandow Birk, Llyn Foulkes, Tino Rodriguez, and Paul Wonner. These works were fantastical, grand and surreal. I especially liked the "Third Eye", an old red door with a peephole thru which you could view a wonderful diorama of a room. Then there was the sadly-beautiful, trashed huge landscape of discarded canvases which touched the artist in me.

Next, a wall sized, beautifully sexy nude black man sitting stiffly on a white horse. And a birds eye view of a retro LA scene (By James Doolin) that had me transfixed by the minute details and incredible perspective. 

Hyperreality exists where the distinction between real and imaginary implodes and neither subject can be quantified or defined as "real," because the anchor, or signifier, can no longer be identified.

There are also two non- painting, installations by Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin, that were not exactly my cup of tea, but they may be yours. This show is definitely one to see and you can check out the always great, Wayne Thiebaud exhibit as well. 
http://www.sjmusart.org/content/real-and-hyperreal

Last Gasp Kickin' Ass Art at Their 40th Anniversary Exhibit, at 111 Minna Gallery in SF

Doggie Greeters

Great scene happening at the opening and celebration last night of Last Gasp's anniversary party. If you don't know who Last Gasp is - briefly they have been responsible for supporting and publishing many counter culture artists, cutting edge writers and poets and fringe musicians, here in San Francisco. Many who have gone on to fame and fortune, breaking ground in our cultural landscape.

Ed Hardy

The line up of artists is a veritable whose-who of pop-surrealism and kustom kulture - Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup Glenn Barr, Robert Crumb, Richard Corben, Guy Colwell, Ron English, Tony Fitzpatrick, Christopher Felver, Camille Rose Garcia, Justin Green, Bill Griffith, Rick Griffin, Ed Hardy, Frank Kozik, Joe Ledbetter, Carol Lay, Adrian Lee, Michael Manning, Chris Mars, Scott Musgrove, Junko Mizuno, Liz McGrath, Laurenn McCubbin, Mitch O’Connell, Annie Owens, The Pizz, Mark Ryden, Michael Rosen, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Dori Seda, Winston Smith, Eric White, Robert Williams, Attaboy, Aye Jay, and many more.

Chris Mars

Camille Rose Garcia

The crowd was a wonderful mish-mash of colorful artsy types. Lots of snappy dressers, friendly familiar faces, wierdos, usual art groupies, and freaks, just my kind of crowd. At one point there was some out-of-control, attention-sucking woman who kept flailing around in some sexy? dance on a bench, eventually hitting people around her, including artist Isabel Samaras who got it in the face. The place was nicely crowded and every 5 or so people there was a strong whiff of fresh herb, the pockets must have been packing it. Then there seemed to be a cadre of older women in leopard/cheetah spotted faux fur coats, not together- but they would have made a great photo if there had been room to herd them up.

Best Darn Shirts In The Place!

Jennybird Alcantara

Junko Mizuno

Dudes With An Agenda Of Some Sort

Reverend Levba

Winston Smith and Isabel Samaras

Mitch O"Connell

Striped Dude and Red Headed Tee Shirt Seller

The venue was 111 Minna, a bar, club and gallery. The past shows I had been to there, were poorly lit. Much of the art was stuck on temporary wall dividers in the middle of the space and you could barely see it. However, for this event, I was happy to see things were much cleaner. The dividers were gone, all the art was respectfully on the actual walls and it was all lit very well. The gurl DJ spun some great stuff including the Ramones, which always seem to cheer me up, along with a darn tasty margarita.

So much outstanding, eclectic art and eye candy, a very good vibe and friends meeting up again -  good time, great show, all around! 

http://www.lastgasp.com/
http://www.111minnagallery.com/