The Mysterious Ways of Joan Quinn..
On Saturday, Sept 10th, 2011 Joan Quinn’s great historical collection titled, “Mysterious Objects: Portraits of Joan Quinn” premiered to great critical acclaim at the Santa Ana College Main Gallery. Mysterious Objects gives aficionados, students of culture and historians an unique opportunity to encounter the work of over 80 renowned contemporary artists who express diverse interpretations of Quinn. The selected portraits examine each artist’s perspective about a woman who has been a major cultural influence, a collector and a progressive California taste-maker. Painter Mel Ramos calls Quinn “a living work of art”; David Hockney admires her zeal as a photographer; and abstract artist Charles Arnoldi notes “She has documented cultural changes in Los Angeles and around the world for the last 50 years…Joan always has her finger on the pulse of artistic momentum.” She is a hidden asset to culture, its artist and its region. I have found through this survery, a rare glimpse behind the social scenes which allows the viewer an opportunity to look at the art world of its time and its collection. Select Artists include, Charles Arnoldi, Don Bachardy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Tony Berlant, Kristin Calabrese, Laddie John Dill, Antony Donaldson, Marie Lalanne Elfman, Ian Falconer, Claire Falkenstein, Duggie Fields,Elsa Flores, Joe Goode, James Hayward, George Herms, David Hockney, George Hurrell, Jean Kazandjian, Antonio Lopez, Magu,Ed Moses, Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton, Mel Ramos, Zandra Rhodes, Matthew Rolston, Ed Ruscha, Samvel Saghatelian, Salome, Simone Gad, Alexis Smith, Alice Springs, Beatrice Wood, Sophia Gasparian, Tadanori Yokoo. Lloyd Ziff and Joey Krebs the Phantom Street Artist.
Quinn’s great narrative of supporting both the artists and arts for several decades will be celebrated by History personified. Her colorful histoire includes being the West Coast Editor of Interview magazine appointed by Andy Warhol, the Society Editor for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner (where she worked alongside with Richard Rouillard who was its publications Social Columnist for its column titled “Scene and Heard.”) and was also the longest sitting board member on the California Arts Council. Joan remains today a primary NGO delegate to the United Nations representing the Armenian International Women’s Association.
Joey Krebs the Phantom Street Artist says Joan is a Muse and true aesthete. The Phantom Artist defines Joan as the Du Jour, collector and tastemaker. The Muse in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature were the mythic goddesses who first confirmed, inspired the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered as the source of knowledge which was related orally for centuries by ancient culture. Muses like Joan are rare where souls like these arise every hundreds of years.
Guest Curators Amanda Quinn Olivar & J. Cheryl Bookout were the responsible for compiling such a noteworthy curatorial initiative. Quinn Olivar states “We are delighted to have been acknowledged as part of the PST by Getty approved Garboushian Gallery, and “Bookout finds this “a rare opportunity to see work one might not otherwise get to view without a trip to the museum.”
The formal qualities of the works in this exhibit are as varied as the artists who created them. What make this collection so distinguished are the timeline and the chronology of the artists’ careers who contributed their voices in this collection as well as the mutual and personal relationships with Joan and her husband Jack Quinn. This is the first time the public will have an opportunity to view a selection from the collection of almost 200 portraits.
On the Scene as the Unseen…
Phantom Street Artist
Lost Angeles, 2011
Joan Quinn show on flickr
art saves lives media 