December 27
I went with Sharon for my first walk in three weeks. We stopped off at LA Louver to see an Edward and Nancy Kienholz exhibit. Edward died in 1994 and I don’t remember that Nancy was credited in the past.
I remember this: “A 1966 show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art drew considerable controversy over his assemblage, Back Seat Dodge ‘38 (1964). The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called it “revolting, pornographic and blasphemous” and threatened to withhold financing for the museum unless the tableau was removed from view. A compromise was reached under which the sculpture’s car door would remain closed and guarded, to be opened only on the request of a museum patron who was over 18, and only if no children were present in the gallery.”
And his other big sculpture of the time, Five Card Stud (1969-72) was even more disquieting to me, both being defining experiences for me struggling with the big question, But Is It Art? (Answer=Yes)