Helter Skelter L A Art In The 1990s Art Exhibit

"I had it all wrong. I thought there would be a public outcry against the exhibition and a supportive critical response," said Paul Schimmel, curator of "Helter Skelter: L.A. Art in the 1990s," as the controversial show approached today's closing. "Instead, the public has loved it. We have had about 100,000 visitors, a phenomenal number for a contemporary art show. They keep coming back and writing favorable comments.

Performance art is not a genre included in "Helter Skelter: L.A. Art in the 1990s," the energetic exhibition that has been packing in the crowds at the Museum of Contemporary Art's Little Tokyo satellite for the last three months. Painting, sculpture, drawing, installation art--yes. But, not performance. At least, not directly.

There's nothing harder to change than image. If you're a public figure, you can always hire a press agent to help, but it's a bit harder for a city to transform itself--particularly when the image suits the tourist industry and it's sent around the world on The Big Screen. In the case of Los Angeles, perceptions of the city have permeated the image of the art scene. Fun. Sun. Movie stars. Despite an endless list of L.A.

"I had it all wrong. I thought there would be a public outcry against the exhibition and a supportive critical response," said Paul Schimmel, curator of "Helter Skelter: L.A. Art in the 1990s," as the controversial show approached today's closing. "Instead, the public has loved it. We have had about 100,000 visitors, a phenomenal number for a contemporary art show. They keep coming back and writing favorable comments.

Performance art is not a genre included in "Helter Skelter: L.A. Art in the 1990s," the energetic exhibition that has been packing in the crowds at the Museum of Contemporary Art's Little Tokyo satellite for the last three months. Painting, sculpture, drawing, installation art--yes. But, not performance. At least, not directly.

There's nothing harder to change than image. If you're a public figure, you can always hire a press agent to help, but it's a bit harder for a city to transform itself--particularly when the image suits the tourist industry and it's sent around the world on The Big Screen. In the case of Los Angeles, perceptions of the city have permeated the image of the art scene. Fun. Sun. Movie stars. Despite an endless list of L.A.