Photo by LA Weekly

 
Photo by LA Weekly

 
Photo by LA Weekly

 
Photo by LA Weekly

 
Photo by LA Weekly

 
Portrait of me by Austin Young

 
Portrait of me by Austin Young

xoxo,

Susan

 
"You Don't Nomi!" 

 
"Nuclear Family" 

 
Look at this awesome chandelier Kenny did! 

 
Hmm... I wonder what's inside! 

 
Kaboom!! 

When I’m not at Royal/T hanging out with Ann Magnuson and Kenny Scharf, I’m shopping for the maids! We want them to look neo-dada, like Courtney Love covered in neon paint and glitter! Here’s a shot of what I liked at Forever 21…

I wish I were Forever 21… haha. See you on Saturday for the opening!

The Gala in the Garden at the Hammer this past weekend was magical. Matt Groening who is the creator of The Simpsons was given a very funny tribute by Neil Patrick Harris and artist Lari Pittman was honored by Christopher Knight.  The Courtyard Installation by Jorge Pardo made for a very cozy atmosphere and gave all of my pictures at dinner an orange glow.

 
Frank Gehry with the Rodarte sisters

 
David Burtka, Neil Patrick Harris & Bryan Lourd

Artist Jorge Pardo designed a courtyard lighting installation

Charles Mostov, Jamie Kabler & Helene Galen

Brooke Glassman Kanter, Adam Kanter & Annie Philbin

David Morehouse & Thao Nguyen

I'm only on my first blog and I can already see why Kathy Grayson with her fabulous blog Art from Behind www.artfrombehind.com is always complaining about cameras.

The show at the Hammer "Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles 1960-1980” really looks amazing. It will run from Oct 2, 2011 to January 8, 2012, with the official opening the night of the 1st of Oct.

Meanwhile, back at Royal/T we are saying goodbye to Party Animals and anticipating our new show, East Village West. 

One of my passions is to share my love of art.  Through Royal/T (Culver City, CA), I’ve taken my love for sharing art one step further bringing a cafe, retail and art space to life. It wasn’t magical to begin with.  An old office building in Culver City—situated between the neighborhood’s art galleries and downtown restaurant row. The transition happened gradually.  Magic was brought in by curators, artists, pop up chefs, and collaborators.  Past shows include, ‘I Can’t Feel My Face’ curated by KAWS; ‘In Bed Together’ curated by Jane Glassman, LACMA Acquisition Committee; ‘The Never Ending Story, Fairytale, Fantasy, Obsession’ curated by Laura Hoptman/MOMA, NYC; ‘The Warholian’ curated by Eric Shiner, Director of The Andy Warhol Museum.
 Now, the space is magical. The venue serves as a forum to share the gift of Japanese art and culture with the local community in an accessible space that is affordable, inviting, and kid-friendly, reaching out to those who might be intimated by the idea of visiting a museum. After three years, eight shows, countless collaborations, engaging pop up shops and many tea parties it seems like the party is just getting started.

Seonna Hong, Retreat flys off the wall as we prepare for our new show.

Photo credit: Royal/T

The magical world of animals and art came to life with our Summer 2011 Party Animals show curated by electronic media artist Lindsay Scoggins. Her Wonderland Mafia video was selected as one of 25 winning entries in the 2010 Guggenheim’s YouTube Play: A Biennial of Creative Video competition.  The focal piece of Party Animals centered around Lindsay’s video of one of our magical maids, Chiyo, who brings art to life through an animated tea party.  We make it our mission to encourage each guest to celebrate when the visit us, and with this show we wanted both adults and children alike to find their own inner party animal once they step through the doors of Royal/T.

We began the de-install of the show today.  The art installers were fueled with tea and cupcakes and safely packed up Party Animals to prepare for our new show, East Village West, more on that later.  Before the install began, this past weekend was a hint of the excitement to come this week in LA with two art fairs PULSE and Art Platform Los Angeles and the beginning of Pacific Standard Time, an initiative of the Getty.

East Village West curated by Ann Magnuson and Kenny Scharf explores the punk rock-fueled creativity of the East Village looking out West for inspiration during the late 70’s.  The show is in tandem with Pacific Standard Time.  Pacific Standard Time is an unprecedented collaboration of more than sixty cultural institutions across Southern California, coming together to tell the story of the birth of the L.A. art scene. Initiated through grants from the Getty Foundation, Pacific Standard Time will take place for six months beginning October 2011.

Trying on a Patricia Fields head piece that will be for sale in Royal/T’s retail shop along with other East Village West inspired merchandise. 

Photo credit: Royal/T

 

The future.

More or less. Thanks, Manuel.

 

Staring at my wall. An every changing scrapbook of references curated and edited over the past five years, at times completely purged for new thoughts and musings. Heading out for some art openings. Unexpected moment on the video screen in the elevator. Failure is good sometimes. On the train I try to find something new in the Duke Riley. Hoping to have a piece from him one day.

Ran into Elsie Choi and Paul Hunter coming out of the F at Delancey on the Lower East Side. Joined them for Davi Russo's opening at Munch Gallery. Small world. Chris Rubino and Deanne Cheuk happened to be in the house. Always a good sign.

 

 

Wooooo 7 lineup includes James Franco, Alex Olson, Alex Wek, and Michael Rapaport. Pick it up at Saturdays. Might try to catch a short at the New York Surf Film Fest. Maybe I'll run into Cynthia there now that fashion week has ended. Still hoping to catch a Marc Jacobs show one of these days. Wind conditions seem perfect this weekend. Wonder if there are pirates on the Sound.

My favorite thing to do in the whole wide world is to eat and drink in the company of good friends.

 

 

A wheatpaste mashup featuring two of my favorite guilty pleasures: canned food and Colbert. Em would add popcorn.

Gus van Sant and Harris Savides spoke to the audience after an advanced screening of Restless at the Museum of the Moving Image. They talked about the beauty of incongruity and unexpected juxtapositions, the work of Wiseman, Akerman, Malick, and Ozu, maintaining integrity through the constraint of little rules, and how they both just try not to get in the way.

 

Dumpster diving is a serious sport in New York. Sidewalks late at night are total treasure troves for those with a discerning eye and friends with a van.

Karen, happy 50th. I miss you. Sorry I'm late.

Fashion stardom in full force in New York City. I didn't go to a single show this season but I did make it to Ari's Advanced Style celebration last night. Designers must be relieved that Fashion week is nearly over. Shout out to the 100+ club and of course Ari Seth Cohen, Tavi Gevinson, Dino Siampas, Siki Im, Alice Carey, Terri Murray, Deborah, Miyano Haraki, Jane Folds, Morgan Moffatt, Lynn Dell, Stella Rose, Amos Mac, Patrick MacLeod, Leila Brillson, Ms. Fitz, Debbie Kim, Jou-Yie Chou and Ace Hotel New York.

 

Principles and elements of design apply to darn near everything. Consider-texture, pattern, color, contrast, cadence, focus, scale balance, emphasis space, line, shape, form, value, repetition, continuity, unity, focus, placement, isolation, absence, rhythm, proportion, orientation, gradation, hue, dominance, alignment, proximity, volume. 

 

Celestial events reveal our fascination with the extraordinary and simultaneously reflect our need to seek out order and routine out of chaos. The harvest moon on 中秋節 felt electric.

Invention and innovation require tremendous energy. It's a labor of love to deliver relevance and difference, to be part of the pack but stand out, to shine and help others can shine too.

I like to stay up late. Too bad I also wake up early. Work hard. Play hard.

Mondays start out hazy but get hectic fast. I try to multi-task on my way to the office. Playlists are essential. Mine are 2-3 years old, but still awesome. I should start using my Spotify account. It's a beautiful morning in New York.

 

Coffee helps. The new spot around the corner, Bien Cuit, is just right. I can't speak french but I love Paris. Would be incredible to sail along the Mediterranean. Wonder how the market will behave today.

It's been ten years and a day. I lived in Boston then. I had just flown back into Logan the day before from SFO. I downloaded that WTC augmented reality app. 110 Stories. They got funded on Kickstarter. Doesn't work on the water.

We interrupt our "What I did this summer" program for a brief news flash:
Sarah Gavlak on assignment, New York City!

It's finally a sunny day in New York! The sun is shining after so much miserable rain- not to mention Irene's visit. I'm sitting in one of my favorite places in the West Village: Sant Ambroeus on Perry Street and West 4th. They have THE BEST coffee and the West Village location always has the best celebrity sightings. In fact, as I am writing this, the photographer Bruce Weber walks in sporting his signature handkerchief on his head. The last time I was here, enjoying lunch with the brilliant artist Fred Tomaselli, we sat next to Matthew Weinstein and the silver fox from Mad Men who plays Roger Sterling. It was very exciting. On another day I sat next to Kate Hudson, who was having a lovely time with a few girlfriends. She was super friendly and we spoke for a few minutes. About what, I don't really remember...

I truly love this place, especially their old school script font with its Salmon pink and gold color scheme that looks like something out of the Sixties. From the perfect foam on top of the cappuccino to the little cookies, everything is done so correctly. The biscotti's delicate almond flavors and light dusting of cinnamon and chocolate make you feel like you're really in Europe. I usually have a soft boiled egg with toasted sunflower seed bread. Heavenly! It's the breakfast I'm having this morning and also had after seeing the Alexander McQueen exhibition at The Met this summer. I went to the McQueen show with my dear friend Fabienne Stephan, who snapped this picture of me holding up the Sant Ambroeus menu. Little did I know that later in the day I'd be meeting the brilliant costume curator, Andrew Bolton, who was also a weekend houseguest at Jane Holzer's that weekend. The McQueen show was so moving. I was seduced, thrilled and left a bit depressed by the heavy sadness of this creative genius taking his own life only a year before, making the show that much more poignant. I nearly burst into sobs, right there in the gift shop, when I saw the years of his life in the catalogue: 1969 – 2010. We were the same age, 41.

I could go on and on writing these sorts of observations, but who knew that being a blogger takes up so much time?! Bloggers do, I'm sure! It really takes effort to communicate the quotidian minutia, daily rituals, and observations in splendid detail as one moves around the most exciting cities in the world. If only technology could progress to where everything I think would magically end up on my iPad. I'm sure some computer scientists at MIT are developing this now as I write. But then again, would I give up sitting at my favorite cafe, typing away, drinking too many cappuccinos, observing the comings and goings of celebrities and mere mortals such as myself? Probably not...

Auntie Sarah about to board the Log Jammer at Kennywood with Cole (left) and Jack.

After a quick trip to Paris, I flew back to Palm Beach and re-packed my bags for a three week excursion to Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The amount of costume changes involved was dizzying. First, I had to pack for five days in Pittsburgh which included a day at Kennywood with my nephews, then a three day birthday party extravaganza for the fabulous Ann Tenenbaum and another week in Los Angeles...what's a girl to do? Send steamer trunks ahead? Taking my fashion cues as I always do from fashion legends and Warhol icons Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor, I was appropriately dressed and still a little "out there" respectively for each leg of my trip.

A roof viewed from a ride where people have decide to toss their gum rather than in a proper receptacle. perhaps they were choking by the violent, jerking motion of the ride and rather than die mid-air, they heroically spit their gum, the sticky projectiles landing here creating a fascinating surface quality. Sounds like Miss Manners has visited many art galleries in Chelsea...

While one may not necessarily think of Pittsburgh as being on the forefront of fashion, people do have some cute style. I still think the Black and Gold of the hometown sports teams as THE most chic and sophisticated of all the major professional sports colors. That said, I was still a bit shocked at the, how shall we say it, overwhelming lack of "proper" clothing at my favorite amusement park Kennywood.  While it is not a water park, people were walking around as if they were at the beach, which I found appalling until I rode one of the rides that literally dumped gallons of water on my head and I was completely soaked to the bone.  I was a bit less of a fashion snob then, seeing how the idea of just walking around in your bathing costume was actually using your brain....Anyway,  Kennywood has amused my own family and all of Pittsburgh for several generations with an idyllic 19th century history that boasts one of the oldest hand-carved merry-go-rounds in the world and wooden roller coasters almost as old.  I threatened to take Eric Shiner, Director of the Warhol, who has never been to Kennywood! I can't imagine how he managed that, but he demurred and I managed to enjoy screaming on the roller coasters with my sister Lauren and my nephews Jack 9 and Cole 7, without Mr. Shiner.  Or well, probably a good thing for a colleague to not see such a childish display, although I don't think Eric will ever be the same after seeing me in my Steelers jersey on game day.  It seems, no matter how far I travel and all the wonders of the world that I see, I the still love that old dusty Kennywood park with its views of still active steel mills along the banks of the river and the smell of grease from old wooden rides and funnel cake. If I were going to make a scented candle, it would be that scent, dough frying in oil with top notes of confectioner’s sugar and light notes of roller coaster grease...

Vegas Baby! Ann's amazing cake of the sunset strip.

Next stop, Vegas baby! I had no idea the level of extravagance, excitement and fun that awaited me and 150+ of Ann Tenenbaum's friends for her big birthday weekend at the Wynn Encore. Ann's entire family was there, along with friends she grew up with, went to school with and has known for many years. I am a relatively new friend since her and her husband, Tom Lee, have added some of the gallery artists to their very impressive collection.  The party itself was a blast with incredible food, dancing until 4am (at least that is when I left and it was still going strong) followed by brunch the morning after, helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon and, of course, shopping.  Monday morning I awoke to the phone ringing. One of Ann's brilliant party organizers was inquiring if I needed assistance with my luggage. WHAT!?!?! It's time to go to the airport!??! I must have overslept! I jumped up and in fifteen minutes flat had the explosion of three weeks of wardrobe, jewelry, makeup, gifts and swag collected along the way contained back in my suitcase.  Whew, I made it to the airport with time to spare before my flight to LA for the next adventure. Why did I nearly miss my flight you may wonder? What happens in Vegas, darling....stays!!

Tomorrow... La La Land with Lisa Anne Auerbach...

Dancing the night away in Vegas.

The otherwise mild mannered art dealer Craig Starr of New York with his goth barbed wire fake tattoo.

I opted for a more demure Cherry icon like the kind one hopes to get three of on the slot machines...

Camp:

“Did you ever go to Camp?” “Yes, Camp!?” “Andy, did you ever go to camp?” the words were echoing through the upper floors of the Warhol Museum this June when I was visiting my family and my dear friend Eric Shiner. The breathy, soft voice was so familiar, I knew it well. As I rounded the corner there in beautiful black and white was a cast of characters, the early factory members asking the artist/director off camera, if he had ever gone to Camp. Sitting in the middle, legs up on the couch, slightly recumbent in all her blond beauty was Jane Holzer, or “Baby Jane” as she was called then. THAT was the voice I recognized! A voice I hear on the phone several times a day since I moved my gallery in Palm Beach into one of her retail spaces on the famed Worth Avenue. It has been like a dream come true for this Pittsburgh girl to have become close to such an icon. Talk about full circle, as I was watching Jane and co. ask so many tongue-in-cheek questions about recreation verses what Susan Sontag coined in her “Notes on Camp” as an unmistakenly modern sensibility, Ms. Holzer was texting me that very moment.

In fact, it was my pleasure to spend part of my summer fun with Jane Holzer, traveling with her to the art world’s grown up equivelent of summer camp, Art Basel in Switzerland, Paris and spending some time at her beach home in South Hampton. In Europe, we also had her granddaughter Emma Jane in tow and she has become quite the young connoisseur, inheriting her grandmother's keen eye. Also traveling with Jane was William Stover, fellow "Pittsburgher", independent curator formerly of the Carnegie Museum and MFA Boston. (William and I knew each other when he was a young, dapper curatorial assistant at the Carnegie Museum of Art in the Contemporary Art department and I was an intern.) We recently compared notes about this and growing up in Pittsburgh while walking through the incredible collection of modern pictures at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Basel.

After a few days at the fair, we all took the train to Paris, where we took in the spectacular Eduard Manet exhibition at the Muse d’Orsay. We were able to jump the lines because our friend Jean Gabriel Mitterand got us passes to the show, which was breathtaking! Ever since I was a young girl I and first came upon the charming little painting in the Carnegie Museum of Art’s collection by Manet “Le Chat avec Brioche” I adored “the inventor of modernity”. Amazing how he is still so relevant and studied today. I don't know any other painter who has since taken full advantage of shades of grey, black and white in combination with pink in all of art history. We see it especially in cape and background of "The Dead Toreador" and of course in the fleshy pink costume of the Courtesan's attendant in "Olympia" and in the very form of subject herself.

One of the absolute highlights of the trip was dinner in Fontainebleau at the country home and studio of the great surrealist French sculptor Claude Lelanne, with whom Jane has known for many years. Well known in the 60’s for her whimsical sculptures of life size sheep with real wool, a favorite among the chic French fashion set including Yves Saint Lauren for whom she made jewelry and collaborated on a dress. Intense interest in her work was re-ignited when the work sold for surprising amounts in the famous Christie's Yves Saint Laurent auction at the Grand Palais in Paris.

Madame was an absolute delight and her tarte de pommes was beyond! Our weary but delightfully sated party was driven back to the city in time to catch the Eiffel tower light up at midnight…pure magic.