Gaze into infinity at the Broad
Infinity Mirror Rooms, in three words. Two of Yayoi Kusama's immersive, mirror-filled rooms can be seen in the city's perennially well-liked modern art museum. The free museum also houses the 2,000 post-war works owned by Eli and Edythe Broad, including pieces by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Jeff Koons. Otium, the museum's trademark restaurant from former French Laundry chef Timothy Hollingsworth, is located in front of a gorgeous olive tree grove in the plaza outside the building.
The museum has been a fascinating addition to Los Angeles' collection of institutions, even though at times its exhaustive survey of expensive gallery prizes can feel a little safe. The gallery experience is enjoyable, but the vault and veil design looks much heavier and more opaque than it should. However, there is one design feature that absolutely adores: the window that spans two stories and provides a glimpse into the collection storage.
A debut show at The Broad in 2015 included works by Jasper Johns, Cy Twombly, Barbara Kruger, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, and other 20th-century rock icons, along with a ton of Jeff Koons. The Visitors, a stunning nine-screen video installation by Ragnar Kjartansson, and Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room, which featured an unending field of LEDs, were two standout installations.
The vibrant Takashi Murakami exhibition, which is free to view on Thursday nights, as well as the return of summer music, are not to be missed.
