Tag: Ed Ruscha

Art Stars as Action Figures

Julian Schnabel © Mike LeavittJulian Schnabel © Mike Leavitt

You’ve seen his sketches, now marvel at the masterwork of Mike Leavitt, the artist’s artist.  Saturday, September 10th, his Art Amy Royalty will be on view at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York. The show includes never-before-seen action figure versions of art stars Matthew Barney, Christo, Chuck Close, Lucian Freud, Gilbert & George, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger, Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, Claes Oldenburg, Gerhard Richter, Ed Ruscha, Tom Sachs, Julian Schnabel, Richard Serra, Cindy Sherman, Frank Stella, James Turrell, Cy Twombly, Kara Walker and Ai Weiwei.

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Thomas Demand

thomas demand portrait
‘At heart I’m a frustrated nerd’ … Thomas Demand. Photograph: Christine Nguyen/© J Paul Getty Trust

What got you started?

I grew up in an area of Munich that was full of artists and architects. My father was an artist; my uncle was an architect; my best friend’s father was an art dealer. I never considered doing anything else.

What was your big breakthrough?

Being part of a show called New Photography at MoMA in New York in 1996. It put me on the map.

You’re based between Berlin and Los Angeles. Which city do you find most inspiring?

At the moment, LA. I lived in Berlin for 14 years – the longest I’ve lived in any one place – but by the end, I felt I needed some fresh air. LA feels freer.

Do you suffer for your art?

Yes.

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The Cool School LA’s Art Scene

This is a fantastic film if you want a crash course on LA’s hipster art scene of the mid ’50s and late ’60s. Thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. It was at Ferus Gallery that bookwormish Walter Hopps (who cared about the art) and Cary Grant look-a-like Irving Blum (who cared about the money) brought together a unique and odd collection of off-beat artists to La Cienega – Ed Kienholz, Ed Ruscha, Larry Bell, John Altoon, Billy Al Bengston, Ed Moses, Robert Irwin and Kenneth Price, among others. Bon vivants, artists, collectors and cigar afficionados Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell are interspersed throughout. The gallery housed Warhol’s first exhibit, brought in Lichtenstein, Duchamp, and got busted by the cops for an exhibit deemed obscene. Those crazy cats!!!

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