Interview: Curator Paul Schimmel
14/03/2016
On March 13, downtown Los Angeles gets a new arts institution. Hauser Wirth & Schimmel opens in the heart of the arts district in an expansive 116,000 square foot art complex inhabiting an old flour mill from the late 19th century. The space will host large gallery spaces, a bookstore, and a restaurant that will open in the summer of 2016. The inaugural show Revolution in the Making, Abstract Sculpture by Women, 1947-2016, features almost a hundred works ranging from pioneering female artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Lee Bontecou, and Louise Nevelson, to contemporary creatives whose works were commissioned for the new space like Phyllida Barlow, Lara Schnitger, and Kaari Upson.
Artbound recently met with Hauser & Wirth partner and vice president Paul Schimmel, former chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art, who discussed the vision for the art space, the early days of Los Angeles' warehouse art scene, and the lessons he learned from his long tenure in local institutions.
What's the history of the structure?
This piece of property was very important in the early development of Los Angeles. The flour mill was the largest mill in Los Angeles from the 1890s until the post-War era. Trains would bring wheat from the central valley to this mill -- which art now occupies -- and would be turned into flour and put on trains and sent down to San Pedro and all over the globe. In fact, it's a wonderful metaphor for Los Angeles and its artists who make wonderful work that not only stays here, but it's who we are known as, a creative community all over the world and increasingly more so.
Interior of Hauser Wirth & Schimmel
Can you tell us about the specific pieces you chose to display for your debut exhibition?
It's a broad survey that really explores the revolution in the hands of women artists, in terms of new materials, new processes, new forms, breaking down of hierarchies not just having to do with identity politics, but the hierarchies of what is appropriate for artists to work with and express. So the earliest section -- in many ways -- the artists who came before the feminist revolution were both embracing aspects of modernism and doing so in ways that were unprecedented -- the use of wire, stretched canvas, new materials that relate to primitive sculpture, basket weaving. Really, the profound change that took place in some ways, some artists got bigger, more monumental, more steel, heavier, and working with more fabricators or more things where they had to direct. This generation of artists really embraced the most intimate of expressions -- realized as grandly as anything else -- but done so with the sense of their own touch and feel. And what began with artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Ruth Asawa from San Francisco, and Claire Falkenstein, one of the great L.A. artists who has been overlooked, continue through a dialogue of artists like Jackie Winsor and [Magdalena] Abakanowicz. Their kind of monumental use of rope, fiber, and the primary forms and structures of circles and cubes. The loss of weight and gravity as seen in [Eva] Hesse, Gego, and Mira Schendel. The weaving of corners with Lygia Pape or the definition of a frame with Marisa Merz. The appetite to take over architecture with Cristina Iglesias and the beautiful concrete sculptures by Isa Genzken. And in the last section, the fourth gallery, you really have a new generation. Many merging here today: Lara [Schnitger], Kaari [Upson], others who live and work around here, Rachel Khedoori. They too have brought the legacy of all of these artists forward into an increasingly riotous use of color, a deeper sense of the relationship between the viewer and the object that is both installation and environmental, performative, and culminating in works like Phyllida Barlow. She will be representing Great Britain in Venice this coming summer with her immersive [installation], taking pom poms sort of girl's language and turning it into a cathedral of pick up sticks and which you can wander in and through and among.
Installation by Phyllida Barlow | Photo: Drew Tewksbury
Why is Los Angeles a good place to open a gallery?
Los Angeles has always been a really artist-driven, rather than a traditional-commercial driven market. When we think of great centers of commerce in the art world, like New York. It's a very different environment. It's an environment really nurtured by the centrality and I should say the sense of controlling their own destiny' by artists. Artists have had opportunities here in terms of the space available for studios, new materials, new processes, as we see all around us in the galleries. And most importantly, the great emphasis and equalization that occurred because of the art schools. The art schools themselves created a dialog between and among artists that was outside of the collectors or the commercial arena. And institutions like MOCA, LACMA, and others have really followed the way and acknowledged both the centrality and primacy of what artists do and try to represent it as closely and intimately. And that was our thinking behind this space, something that is uniquely accessible to the community. You dont have to buy a ticket to come see a museum-quality exhibition. You don't have to wait in line in terms of timed entrance, you can come see a show, have a meal, sit out in the garden, meet a friend, and then go back in week after week after week. Coming from the museum world, there have always been two things I've been interested in in terms of the public, first time visitors and repeat visitors. They really are the whole grip, and if you get a first time visitor who has an experience where they connect personally with the art, they are your repeat visitors. They bring their friends and their families. And the se
LINK: | https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/curator-paul-schimmel-on-the-new-d... |
See more stories from kcet |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
03/05/2024
Fubo Loses Subs in Q1 But Exceeds Guidance and Reduces Losses
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award Brie Clayton May 3, 2024 0 Comments Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear Brie Clayton May 3, 2024 0 Comments By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
The Business of TV News: Shannon Bream Singles Out Key Issue in 2024 Election
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
ABC News Anchor Martha Raddatz Says Local News Is Everything'
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Paramount Stock Jumps on Report of $26 Billion Bid From Sony Pictures and Apollo Global
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS Shares 2024-2025 Schedule
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Fubo Continues To Reduce Red Ink Despite Losing 110,000 Subs in Q1
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart Ready to Release 4K Hybrid Streaming/Smart Speaker
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Limecraft updates content delivery platform
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security By Matthew Corrigan Published: May 3, 2024 Enha...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo submit $26 billion bid for Paramount Global
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company By Jenny Priestley Published: M...
03/05/2024
Global Academy launches Manchester media school
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
New Lightbridge C-Move Core
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
KPBS Modernizes Infrastructure With Major AES67 Control R...
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
SmallHD Free PageOS 6 Update Adds Powerful New Capabiliti...
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD Launches Quantum 32 Quantum Dot OLED HDR Referenc...
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
How WePlay Studios is Transforming the Future of Live Eve...
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagis Latest FAST Report Unveils the Rise of a Diverse G...
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
WDR Filmhaus to Implement Riedel Infrastructure
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
TF1 Chooses Broadpeak to Power Targeted Advertising for N...
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Limecraft Announces New Platform Update and Preview of MI...
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Prism Sound Announces Partners For 8 Hours At Rockfield 2...
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor brings excellence in contribution streaming to MP...
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Reports 10 Percent Revenue Growth in EMEA Region
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Introduces Field-Upgradable Motorisation Kit for...
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
LiveU Showcases Story-Centric Workflows and the LiveU Eco...
Visit LiveU at Stand D30 With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content appoints Koldo Unanue as new CEO to boost t...
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Fubo, Dish, DirecTV & Others Urge Congress to Probe New Sports Streaming JV
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
Brightcove Integrates AWS-Powered Generative AI Solution
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
CBS Claims 16th Straight Prime Time Viewing Title
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
Survey: U.S. Business and Consumers Plan to Increase Tech Spending
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony, Apollo Make $26B Bid for Paramount
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media Grow Executive Team
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
WRAL-TV Brain Game Producer Randy Mews Wraps Season Taping Before Retirement
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1 Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo Launches FAST Channels With Curiosity (NewFronts)
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
03/05/2024
SAG-AFTRA Will Use Nielsen Streaming Data To Enforce New Contract Terms
Nielsen said that actors' union SAG-AFTRA has selected Nielsen as its third-party provider of streaming content measurement....
03/05/2024
Cineverse Moves AI Content Search Tool cineSearch Into Public Beta
Cineverse said it has released a public beta version of cineSearch, its artificial intelligence-based system designed to help users find content to watch....
03/05/2024
Court TV To Debut Season 2 Of Accomplice To Murder May 5
Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5....
03/05/2024
Paramount Advertising Taps Mastercard, EDO for Attribution
Paramount Advertising said it is working with Mastercard and research and analytics company EDO to measure the impact of advertising campaigns and improve their...
03/05/2024
The Business of TV News: How To Grow Local Programming Without Burning Out Staffers, Viewers
WASHINGTON The panel The Growth of Local Programming happened at The Busines...
03/05/2024
Katz Media Group Names Craig Broitman President
Katz Media Group said that Craig Broitman will become president of the company, succeeding Leo MacCourtney, who announced that he is retiring effective July 1....
03/05/2024
MeTV Toons To Debut This Summer
MeTV Toons, the latest digital broadcast network from Weigel Broadcasting, will debut June 25, Weigel vice chairman Neal Sabin said at a virtual press conferenc...
03/05/2024
2024-05-02
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2024 second quarter ended March 30, 2024. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $...
03/05/2024
Prison Journalism: A glimpse into South African prisons
Prison Journalism: A glimpse into South African prisonsDavid van Nek was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2013 until 2015 and participated in the restorati...
03/05/2024
Prison Journalism: When your time in prison gets hard
Prison Journalism: When your time in prison gets hardFawaaz Adendorff was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Correctional Centre and participated in a Restorative Justic...
03/05/2024
Baby Reindeer: What's all the fuss about Netflix's hit series?
Baby Reindeer: What's all the fuss about Netflix's hit series?Netflix's new miniseries Baby Reindeer is trending on Netflix and it's the kind ...
03/05/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Makho, the hitman, turns out to be an old friend of Isaac's
Tonight on House of Zwide: Makho, the hitman, turns out to be an old friend of I...
03/05/2024
Tshepo Matlala discusses his class clown role in Youngins'
Tshepo Matlala discusses his class clown role in Youngins'Breakout star Tshepo Matlala portrays fan-favourite character Tshepo Masemola, who is the class c...