NICOLE KLIEST
Staff Writer
At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), visitors can enter the mysterious world of one of the most well known surrealist artists of the 20th century, Salvador Dali.
On view from Oct. 14 through Jan. 6, 2008 the LACMA will be hosting the exquisite “Dali: Painting & Film.”
The exhibition is the first to demonstrate the relationship between the paintings and films of Dali (1904-1989). It looks beyond conventional approaches to his works and delves deeper into his evolving relationship with film and approximately 100 works from collections around the world.
Well-known works, such as “Metamorphosis of Narcissus” and “The Persistence of Memory” are featured at the exhibit. Pieces of film that are attributed to Dali at the exhibit include his cinematic collaborations with Luis Buñuel, Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney in films such as “Un Chien Andalou,” “Spellbound” and “Destino.”
LACMA’s Assistant Curator of Modern Art Sara Cochran co-curated “Dali: Painting & Film” with Ilene Fort.
“For me the thing I’m happiest about with the exhibition is the way we installed it. From the beginning we wanted to integrate the films with the paintings,” Cochran said. “Although the lighting and design was difficult, I’m really delighted we did it. The integration is very exciting because it brings the relationship we’re trying to establish to another level.”
Andy Warhol was another notable collaborator with Dali. In 1966 Warhol asked Dali to participate in his famous “screen tests.”
Some others asked to participate in these filmed portraits included Velvet Underground’s Lou Reed, Edie Sedgwick and poet Allen Ginsberg.
“We are at a moment where the art of this exhibition extends out beyond Dali, the art of this exhibition portrays the idea that an artistic persona is really important” Cochran said. “In the screen test Dali did with Andy Warhol, you can see he really tries hard not to blink, but eventually he has to. It was an intriguing metaphoric confrontation between the two artists.”
All of the works are exhibited and integrated in several different rooms, which are filled with eager and curious visitors. Various pieces at the exhibition, such as sketches for set designs, newspaper clippings and newsreels, give Dali and his work greater context.
“The response to the exhibition has been tremendous — our galleries are full of people and it is bringing in a wide audience,” Cochran said. “It is wonderful because they are sitting through a considerable amount of film and are so patient. I think we are drawing in people who perhaps are not coming very regularly to LACMA but have heard the name Dali and are curious. This is a great exhibition that has a fresh take on Dali and film.”
Pepperdine junior Annalise Dry spent her time at “Dali: Painting & Film” during the Malibu fire.
“I could spend hours in this exhibit,” Dry said. “The paintings, films and sketches were all so spellbinding — I was extremely impressed.”
She said the exhibition has something for everyone, appealing to those with a variety of interests and artistic understanding.
It gives visitors a glimpse of what it was to see cinema for the first time and how Dali was highly interested in the new of media of his day.
He was a maddening figure who was very difficult to pin down, but through this film and painting exhibition visitors can start to get into the mind of the famous Dali and his cinematic influence.
“Dali: Painting & Film” tickets can be purchased online at lacma.org, via phone at 877 522-6255 or on-site at the LACMA Box Office.
11-01-2007