Ken Price Sculptures at LACMA

A retrospective of Ken Price's work opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last week.  It is fitting that this exhibit be shown now as Ken Price died in February of this year and worked up to the time he died of Cancer at the age of 77 in Taos, New Mexico.  The exhibit is designed by a friend and noted architect, Frank Gehry whose description of Ken's work is written on one of the walls:  "Ken's work has a sense of clarity and an unself-conscious sense of humor.  It speaks volumes; it speaks of pleasure and love, and speaks of beauty without bravado."

The description states:  "A Retrospective traces the development of Price's sculptural practice from his luminously glazed ovoid forms to his suggestive, molten-like slumps, positioning him within the large narrative of modern American sculpture."  It is organized with his most recent works first going back in time.

I found the bronze and clay creations triggering various emotions from somber to joy to peaceful.  His colors combined with amorphous shapes are intriguing.  His works are on display in the Resnick Pavilion until January 6th.

Resnick Pavilion

"Bells Congo" 2003, on Banner outside the pavilion

"Underhung" 1997

Sculptures with Cubist influence

Exhibit phots by Fredrik Nilsen

"Molten Lava" 2004

"Snail Cup" 1968

"Crater of Fire" 2004

"Zizi" 2011 is one of his last creations.