Special Section: Art

If there’s a western perspective on anything, there’s one for art. Alta Journal’s Fall 2021 issue celebrates many of the art makers and curators who help represent California’s groundbreaking creativity.

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PAWEL NOLBERT

Nine artists. One museum. One wise old critic. They reassure us that in this moment of enormous change, our hunger for creative expression remains as strong as ever.

A RETROSPECTIVE LONG OVERDUE
judy chicago
© Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Collection of Diane Gelon; Photo BY Donald Woodman; Judy Chicago photo by Penni Gladstone

The pioneering artist Judy Chicago is celebrated in the city that launched her career. By Bridget Quinn

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Q&A: JUDY CHICAGO IN HER OWN WORDS
earth birth, from the series birth project, 1983, by judy chicago
© Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Photo BY Donald Woodman

By Bridget Quinn

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: WHAT HALE WOODRUFF’S SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT MEANS TO ME
hale woodruffs 1949 mural portrays black people in ways that segregated media ignore
PHOTO © Robin Dunitz

By Ishmael Reed

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: TAKING TEA WITH HENRI MATISSE
hiejin yoo discovered tea, 1919, by henri matisse
© Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; COURTESY OF LACMA

By Hiejin Yoo

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IN SEARCH OF AN ‘AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY’
matt black
Gregg Segal

The Central Valley’s Matt Black spent six years and traveled more than 100,000 miles—often by bus—photographing the ubiquity of poverty across the United States. By Jessica Zack

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: FINDING ENERGY IN RUFINO TAMAYO’S SIMPLE MOMENT
teresa flores sees a strong connection between body and place in mujer con una mesa, woman with a table, c 1926 and 28, by rufino tamayo
© 2021 Tamayo Heirs/Mexico/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Digital Image © 2021 Museum Associates/LACMA; Licensed by Art Resource, NY

By Teresa Flores

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NEW TIMES, NEW HISTORIES
michael govan, the ceo and director of lacma, and stephanie barron
Gregg Segal

LACMA reimagines itself for the 21st century, challenging accepted notions of what artworks should be displayed and for whom. By Hunter Drohojowska-Philp

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: LOOKING AT LORNA SIMPSON’S COLLAGE MAKES TIME COLLAPSE
erica deeman finds infinite worlds within ultra violet 2, 2015, by lorna simpson
© Lorna Simpson; Photo Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth

By Erica Deeman

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FUNK ART AND THE PURSUIT OF AUTHENTICITY
william t wiley at his studio in woodacre, california, in 2010
Jeff Vendsel/Marin Independent Journal

William T. Wiley and his creative philosophy were unapologetically linked to the Bay Area. By Charles Desmarais

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: HOW SULAMITH CHANGED MY APPROACH TO FOUND OBJECTS
anselm kiefer, sulamith, 1983
© Anselm Kiefer; Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; photo by Katherine Du Tiel

By Stuart Robertson

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PERSONAL FAVORITE: SEEING MY STORY ARTICULATED IN FINDING BALANCE
maría magdalena campos pons, finding balance, 2015
© María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Courtesy of Jorge M. Pérez Collection, Miami; Photo by Pavel Acosta

By Andrea Chung

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NOT EVERYONE SHOULD BE A CRITIC
dave hickey illustration
THOMAS EHRETSMANN

Dave Hickey and the problem of great art going unappreciated. By Jim Lewis

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Alta Picks: Off the Wall
lemon grove historical society
Lemon Grove Historical Society

California’s world-class museums and galleries are an art lover’s dream. But don’t stop there. Surprising displays of creativity are everywhere. From desert plains to small-town alleys, here are eight of our favorite places to experience art off the beaten path.

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