Three is the magic number

The Resnick Pavillon (or Pom Pavilion as I call it) at LACMA is, as of this week, an eclectic, gorgeous mix of three stellar exhibits that couldn't be more different from each other: Walter deMaria's superb minimalist "sculpture," the Ken Price show I've already raved about, and "Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy," which opens officially on Sunday.

The galleries housing the Caravaggios and his contemporaries are incredibly intense. It feels like a supreme privilege to see these masterworks up close (but don't try to photograph anything–severe scoldings will ensue, hence my crap image.) My strolling mate on the preview night, gallerist Charlie James, called them a "palate cleanser." I think I understand what he means–seeing these paintings wipes out all cynicism, inside jokery, and, as he said, "meta-factor" your art viewing eyes may otherwise be filtered by. These are true masterpieces. The word is correct.

Los Angeles, I urge you to check out the visual wonders housed in this building. And text me when you do--I'll join you.

Oh, and go at night if you can–the deMaria is especially luminescent and transcendent in the darkened hall. A delight.