Another Curatorial Trip

by Ariel Plotek, Assistant Curator at the Museum of Art

I went to graduate school at NYU, but hadn’t been back to the city in over a year, so a recent courier trip to NY was a homecoming of sorts. The courier trip is a funny feature of the life curatorial. It comes as a surprise to most to learn that works from the collection don’t travel alone. Indeed, every crate—whether onboard a commercial flight to London or a climate-controlled truck to Los Angeles—makes the trip with a courier, usually a curator or registrar who follows the work each step of the way. On this particular occasion I was overseeing the return leg of a loan, from JFK to LAX, and on to San Diego. I had, however, flown out a few days early—time to do some research, see the shows and catch-up with colleagues. It was a particularly good time for art in NYC: gallery week in Chelsea (including the opening of bad-boy Nate Lowman’s latest at Andrea Rosen), two major shows (Marina Abramovic and William Kentridge) at MoMA, the much-publicized (and unfortunately named) Skin-Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection (curated by Jeff Koons) at the New Museum, a specially good Whitney Biennial, and the opening of the New York Photo Festival in DUMBO. The trip’s real treat, however, came as something of a surprise: a knock-out Otto Dix show at the Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue. Working on Toulouse-Lautrec’s Paris (opening July 10), depictions of prostitutes have been much on my mind, and no one does the dark side of decadence quite like Dix. No less harrowing than his depictions of the trenches, Dix’s portraits of soldiers on leave in the cabarets and bordellos of a Weimar noir are haunting and hair-raising momento mori. Speaking of which, I was greeted at the Rubin Museum (where I supervised the de-installation and crating of our three loans) by the bluntly titled exhibition Remember That You Will Die, a selection of vanitas subjects from East and West designed to give pause. Still much on my mind as I boarded the plane the next day, happy to touch-down safe and sound six hours later in sunny CA.
..and the photo? Me, interrupting a photo shoot at the Chelsea Hotel.

Meet Gallery Member - Sam Dychter!

Hi Everyone!

Meet Sam, he's a San Diego native and a long time member/donor of the museum. He has a great

passion for San Diego and specifically for San Diego Museum of Art. He has been part of The Gallery since the

beginning, in fact, he was one of the driving influences. Please say hi to Sam at the next Gallery event & maybe even see if he wants to meet up for dinner, as you can see, he

knows all of the great local eats!!! Kim

1) San Diego's best

kept secret?

Besides The Gallery? The existencial environment that is San Diego. The perfect balance of great people, weather, and relaxation.

2) What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

That the medicines and technologies I develop will help those in need.

3) Guilty pleasure?

Double double cheeseburger, animal-style fries, and vanilla shake at In-N-Out.

4) Fun factoid about yourself?

I flew a plane before I drove a car.

5) Why did you join the Gallery?

To learn about art and work to make San Diego a cultural hub that we can all admire.

6) Favorite restaurant in San Diego?

Tough one. So you'll have to indulge me with this list...Italian: Cafe Milano (La Jolla) and The Venetian (Pt. Loma); French: Bleu Bohemme (Kensington) and Cafe Chloe (East Village); Seafood: Sea Rocket (Northpark); Mexican: Pokez (East Village).

7) Thing you are most excited to do/learn or would like to see while part of the Gallery?

Meeting up with my friends and learning about art from the real experts, the museum curators.

Meet a Gallery Member!

Hi Everyone,

So from time to time I like to check in with our Gallery members & try to learn more about them. The goal being that I can share this information with you all & at our next event you will know someone new & have fun things to chat about. So read on & please introduce yourself to Tim at our next event (May 20th, mark your calendar!).

Meet Tim Rout -

Me: What is San Diego's best kept secret?

Tim: The Gallery Club! (I swear he said this on his own...)

Me: What motivates you to get out bed in the morning?

Tim: Anything new & challenging. And coffee...

Me: Guilty Pleasure?

Tim: Chorizo Burrito

Me: Any fun factoids about yourself?

Tim: I was born in Congo, Africa to medical charity worker parents, and was carried around for a year in a half in a basket before coming to the US. I haven't stopped traveling yet!

Me: Why did you join The Gallery?

Tim: The chance to learn more about the art world and the opportunity to meet fun, like-minded people. So far, so good!

Me: Favorite restaurant in San Diego?

Tim: Kono's. Best breakfast, sun & view on the planet. Better than any 5 star restaurant.

Me: What is the thing you are most excited to do/learn while part of The Gallery?

Tim: I would like to find ways to translate my new knowledge of the art world to my own life, in artistic endeavors and improved understanding of people.

A big thanks to Tim for his time! I hope each of you will take the time to do this for me as well...

See you all soon,

Kim