When I was in elementary school, I was a classmate of Eli Broad’s son. Now, I get to tour The Broad, home to Eli and Edythe Broad’s contemporary art collection which is comprised of over 2000 pieces. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler. The project cost was $140 million. Tickets are free to the public, by advanced appointment.
For me, one of the highlights in the collection is the work of John Currin. His paintings are familiar subjects in haunting reality. He features opposing sensibilities in an off-kilter world.
The sculptural pieces in The Broad are large in size and a joy to walk around.
Even the stairwells and hallways are artistic, in their curving forms, dim lighting, and surprising windows.
As you descend from the second floor to the first floor, a window is open to the supply room where the art collection is stored.
One piece that blew my mind was an installation space filled with videos of musicians all in different rooms in the same home in Iceland, playing the same song simultaneously, and being filmed continuously for one hour with one take, no interruptions. The piece is by Ragnar Kjartansson and it’s called “The Visitors.” He filmed himself playing the song while in the bathtub.
