Virginia Dwan, You Have a Lot to Answer For

Where: National Gallery of Art

When: through January 29, 2017

I realize I'm blogging about an exhibit that's already closed, but if you missed this one, count yourself lucky.

I had never heard of Virginia Dwan before, but it turns out she encouraged a lot of people whose art I do not like.  So thanks for nothing, Virginia!  She had two galleries: one in LA that exhibited NY and European works, and one in NY that exhibited works from LA.  I like the idea of providing people access to works they wouldn't ordinarily see; I just object to what those works were.

You start with abstract expressionism, which I think is just so ugly, and you move onto to Yves Klein and his ridiculous selling of the experience of throwing gold ingots into the Seine (literally: a fool and his money are soon parted) and Dan Flavin and his flourescent lights.  And let's not forget our friends, the monochrome painters.  A great big bunch of YUCK is the best way I can describe this.

Also on view, in the Library, was some materials from the Dwan Archives.  All I can say is that if one liked this art, one would be interested in the documents, but one does not.

Verdict: This sort of thing belongs in the Hirshhorn, where one expects to see it.