Bayside Artbeat Berkeley has had a busy weekend. We had a chance to catch two mini-blockbusters at SFMOMA: Picasso and American Art and the Brice Marden retrospective. The Picasso show highlights [in didactic fashion] the impact of Cubism on American art and the facilitation and eventual succession of art world hegemony from Paris to New York. If you can’t expound on this extemporaneously this show will certainly help. Lots of cool stuff and it’s always nice to see original Pablos. Through May 28.
I was anticipating the Marden retrospective since I first heard about it. I don’t really know why. After seeing room after room of enlarged Pantone chips I can see why Postmodernists rebelled against Formalism [not that I didn’t already know]. After seeing the show, I don’t care. HINT: Interior decorators will have a field day! Through May 11.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard Streets) San Francisco, CA 94103 415.357.4000
Also in town, LA crazy guy Gary Baseman is at Modernism with his show I Melt in Your Presence. Baseman presents a nice series of sexy, juicy, polyspecies goings on in a collection of both large format works and intimate images printed onto vintage foreign language book pages. Also includes some paintings on vintage pinup photos. Through May 5.
Modernism Gallery 685 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94105 415.541.0461
After catching a salad and some beers at John’s Grill [home of The Maltese Falcon] we jumped over to catch more beers and Corrallejos tequila at the Boom Boom Room before the Lila Downs concert at the legendary Fillmore West auditorium. As a huge Lila nut, I snagged a dance floor spot literally 10 feet from her. Part of the show included an 8-piece Mariachi group from San Jose. Tears all the way. Awesome. If you don’t know La Cucaracha check her out at Lila Downs. ! Aye que Bueno!
