Exhibitions: LA as It Was and Might Have Been

Los Angeles and its complex and compelling urban landscape star in a new exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Peter Alexander PA and PE, 1990 Acrylic and oil on canvas Unframed: 190.5 x 508 cm (75 x 200 in.) Courtesy of Pacific Enterprises © Peter Alexander.

By Michael Webb

Overdrive: LA Constructs the Future, 1940-1990, compresses half a century of the city’s growth and architectural expression into a few small galleries at the J. Paul Getty Museum. The sheer volume of information and exhibits could have made this show as congested and frustrating as traffic on the 405, at the bottom of the hill. Instead, it’s a joyful celebration of urban exuberance, an opportunity to make discoveries and be reminded of the rich diversity of this sprawling metropolis. Curators Wim de Wit and Christopher Alexander have made inspired choices, and they have grouped images, models, artworks, and videos within five thematic sections. The Getty’s design department collaborated with students at the Art Center College of Design to create a dynamic installation with plenty of open space for circulation.

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Getty Launches 'Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A.'

Photo Credits: Julius Shulman (American, 1910–2009) Department of Water and Power Building Corner with Fountains, 1965 Gelatin silver print Sheet: 25.4 x 20.5 cm (10 x 8 1/16 in.) © J. Paul Getty Trust. Used with permission. Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute 2004.R.10.51The Getty invited a distinguished list of media and art luminaries to the historic Studio A in the Capitol Records building in Hollywood earlier this week to announce Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A. The next installment in the Pacific Standard Time branded exploration of Los Angeles and Southern California design culture will be more modest, with eleven exhibitions and accompanying programs in and around Los Angeles scheduled for spring 2013. The Pacific Standard Time Presents event will continue the momentum of 2011’s Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945–1980 events, which included exhibitions and programs at 60 arts institutions across Southern California. The momentum carried by Pacific Standard Time is very real: according to a study by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Art in L.A. generated $280.5 million in economic output and supported 2,490 jobs with total labor income of $101.3 million for the Southern California region.

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