Art as Authority

by Doug Simay

Late summer shows invariably are largely survey or group exhibitions. Such is the case in the current LA art scene. I remember in rosier economic times that most dealers took the last half of August off to have a little personal R&R time. Not this year. Regardless of the stated reasons (from “having too many projects on the wish list” to “paying overhead”) most dealers will be open and in action - rolling right in to the season’s inaugural exhibitions in early September. Too bad. We all need the rejuvenation that comes with personal R&R.

Tony Berlant at LA Louver (Venice through August 28).
The artist’s name is synonymous with nailed, tin collage. In this exhibition of his most current work we are given the chance to see the role that photography has always played in his work. In these “paintings” the dominant theme and spirit is conveyed by altered photographs that have been printed onto the painting’s substrate. Affixed tin, nailed on top of the images gives the work dimension and psychological meaning. This work will give any fan of Berlant a huge boost in insight about his artistic process.

Continue reading ""R&R" - Doug Simay's Best Picks" »

Spun by Art as Authority at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Doug Simay

Los Angeles is the City of Angels. LA is my favorite city in the world...
Where else can one see so much art using the luxury of personal transportation?

Jean-Leon Gerome at Getty Center (Westwood through Sept. 12). Gerome (French, 1824-1904) was, in his day, hugely popular with his audience. But given his interest in the commercial development and popular spread of the work (utilizing reproduction techniques like photography) and his license in using his stylistic viewpoints to fabricate a view of history — the “academy” neglected discussion of him for most of the 20th century. In the age of the giclee, this highly worthwhile show could not be more germane.

Paul Caponigro at Peter Fetterman (Bergamot through mid Sept.). Caponigro studied with Minor White and this broad selection of his work attests to the skill of Caponigro and the significance of his education. His work follows well the path laid by Ansel Adams and Edward Weston.

Continue reading "City of Angels - Doug Simay's Best Picks" »

Spun by Art as Authority at 05:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hammer Museum


The Los Angeles art scene in mid-May.

Please enjoy,

Doug Simay

Spun by Richard Gleaves at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Doug Simay


Current Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions: Doug Simay's Best Picks


This month marks the 4 year anniversary of my “Best Picks” writing. I have been making regular (about 7 or 8 times per year) comprehensive “art rounds” in Los Angeles for just over 30 years. I have seen some history.

Ted Twine

Ted Twine at LA Harbor College (Wilmington closing). Twine’s are not superb paintings - but they are the best art to be seen in Wilmington. He skirts abstraction with a very visceral figuration/cartoon that reminds me of both Darren Waterston and Lari Pittman.

Continue reading "Doug Simay's Best Picks" »

Spun by Art as Authority at 12:06 PM | Permalink

by Doug Simay


Current Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions


The Reflected Gaze - Self-Portraiture Today at the Torrance Art Museum (Torrance through February 20).
I am frequently a fan of the curatorial efforts at the TAM. I also love portraiture. But this exhibition lacks a cohesive “eye” that would better integrate the artists represented. Figurative/portrait art was hugely seen about town this week and many of the artists in this show are in other exhibitions as you will read below.



Tom LaDuke and Chuck Close

Allison Schulnik at Mark Moore (Bergamot through February 6). There has been lots of media bubbling about this sold-out show. The work is interesting. There are great gobs of paint. She slathers it on more vigorously than Frank Auerbach and with the same “innocence” of Karel Appel. Me thinks the hype machine is not truly dead.



Allison Schulnik

Continue reading "Doug Simay's Best Picks" »

Spun by Art as Authority at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Doug Simay
intro Kevin Freitas


Art as Authority is proud to add to its growing roster of artists, writers, and art activists who not only support San Diego’s art community, but concretely contribute to its development and growth. I’m honored to welcome Doug Simay aboard in a joint effort to expand his readership and ours to yet another level of arts coverage and content. Doug Simay has been extensively covering the Los Angeles gallery and museum scene in his column “Simay’s Best Picks” for over two-and-half years. His column provides a comprehensive guide to the art being shown there, as well as, offering the reader rare personal insights into an artwork’s context, history and contemporaneity with great intelligence and wisdom rarely seen. Doug has maintained a presence here in San Diego for more than thirty years, recently as the director of Simayspace. His passion for collecting San Diego based artists has left him with an undisputable expertise and experience we can all surely benefit from. Please help me welcome Doug to the blog by enjoying the first segment of “Simay’s Best Picks”. Ars Longa Vita Brevis

At the end of Doug’s picks, I’ve included a brief explanation on how to go about subscribing to the Art as Authority blog via the RSS feed. Please take a moment to read over the instructions and subscribe, this way, you’ll never miss another “Simay’s Best Picks” or any of the blog’s future postings. Thank you.

Doug Simay's Best Picks

Alex Grey at Orange Coast Community College (Costa Mesa through December 18). The visionary art of Alex Grey is just part of a complex, spiritually driven world that Alex and his wife are evolving in New York (the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors). Grey’s paintings are heavily based on his experiences in Harvard’s anatomy labs and with LSD. In 1999 he had a mid-career show at the MCA La Jolla.

Alex Grey

Continue reading "Doug Simay's Best Picks" »

Spun by Art as Authority at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)