Early visitors share their first impressions of LACMA’s expansive new building

The excitement was palpable on Sunday, the opening day of the David Geffen Gallery, LACMA’s new $724 million building that has sparked controversy since its inception.

Shortly before 11 a.m., a long line formed along the sidewalk of Wilshire Boulevard. A huge concrete structure hovering above the corridor, which some likened to a freeway overpass, shielded visitors from the bright sun.

Approximately 3,000 members visited the gallery during normal business hours that day. (An additional 950 people showed up for Sunday night’s reception, not to be confused with Thursday’s celebrity-studded gala.) The crowd included artists, educators, and at least one architect who hopped on a plane to California with the sole purpose of seeing the gallery.

new Erewhon Cafe In the Museum, which was announced last week, was a lively event. Around 1 p.m., lines stretched out the door and into the plaza, with many people drinking the chain’s famous $21 “strawberry glaze” smoothies and munching on $18 prepackaged Thai tofu salads.

For years, Angelenos have been talking about the building from afar. Too tall, too gray, too small (10,000 square feet smaller than the building it replaced, despite being the length of three football fields). On Sunday, The Times asked visitors what they thought after experiencing it. Members can get a special early look until May 4, when the David Geffen Gallery opens to the public.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Anna Garibay, 56, graphic design student from Koreatown

What do you think about the new building?

It’s very beautiful. I like minimalism. This is a great way for the world to see what we have here in LA.

What struck you while walking through the gallery?

What particularly struck me today was the diversity of the world. I tried to bring back some kind of collector mentality. It was well distributed. they did a great job.

Overall, is it a good or bad review?

good.

What was your favorite piece of the day?

What impressed me the most was an ancient Chinese calligraphy work from 1000 B.C. It looked like modern art. [because of] Freedom of calligraphy.

Stephanie Morales, 39, procurement manager from Mid-Wilshire

What do you think about the new building? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

beautiful! I love ancient Egypt, so I loved seeing it. [Egyptian antiquities].

What did you think about the wall color?

I’m used to going to museums, many of which have white walls and bright lights, but the darkness and contrast allowed me to appreciate the reliefs more and see the details of the sculptures more deeply.

Do you have an opinion on Erewhon opening at LACMA?

I didn’t expect it to come, so I’m looking forward to it.

Severin Valéry, 40 years old, architect from Zurich

What brought you to Los Angeles?

I’m in LA for 5 days just for LACMA. I’m an architect. I was previously working on that project [as an intern]. This was the first concept model sent to LA 15 years ago.

It’s really amazing to see it being built now. It was a very moving moment when I visited here for the first time yesterday. I was really fascinated by the project that the whole team worked on.

What was it like seeing there was art inside?

I would like to come again tomorrow. [when there] There will be fewer people and it will be easier to focus on art. [With] During the first two days, the focus is on [mostly on] The building itself.

Do you already have a favorite piece?

There are many interesting moments. I love the water pottery table. I really like the concept [of mixing] Cultural topics.

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

good. A thousand thumbs up.

What would you say to people who find this design controversial?

People are afraid of new things. This is the point. The new building is a new way of looking at the museum. I think it will take some time to appreciate this beauty. I’m sure people will come from all over the world to see it.

Katherine King, 83, former UCLA comparative literature and classics professor from Venice

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

It’s in the middle. I love the campus. I love the shape of the building. I love walking around and looking at the views from the buildings. At the outer level, [there’s] There’s a lot of light so you can see the art and read what it is. As you walk from place to place, you can encounter completely different eras and cultures. It’s all really fun.

However, I don’t really like the interior of the room. The Dutch masters had a lot of great art. [With] There’s only one wall, everything is too close together, and many of the interior rooms are still very dark. Maybe it’s my 83 year old eyes, it might be fine for someone younger, but I kept wishing I could go back to the outside window as the darkness overtook me.

Came here for a preview before the art goes in. At that point, the back room felt like a dungeon. Of course it’s better now.

What do you think about Erewhon?

Erewhon is near Venice. always crowded [and] I don’t know why I chose Erewhon because the price is too high. It just shows that they are catering to the needs of the super wealthy.

What kind of cafes are there inside the museum?

Elephone is fine as long as it is cheap. In the past, there were food trucks and very reasonably priced restaurants. Just a mixture.

Bria Hough, 28, a model from Mar Vista, and her mother, Lena McGee, 56, a management analyst at UCLA from Inglewood.

Is the thumb up or down?

Maggie: Good.

Hough: Yes, of course.

Maggie: When I walked in, I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got there, it was huge and filled with art from different categories. I went looking for One Piece, [Todd Gray]But I also found other fabrics.

Did you come here for Todd Gray’s “Octavia’s Gaze”?

Hough: Oh, that’s it.

Maggie: It was much bigger than I expected because it took up an entire wall.

Huff: It’s always great to see the artwork in person, rather than online or on LACMA’s Instagram, and the colors are so vibrant. scenery [from the gallery] It’s amazing. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows are also a great addition. It was nice to see the work in the sunlight.

What did you think about concrete?

Hough: That’s obviously not true. I had seen the David Geffen Gallery, but there was nothing there, so it felt very closed off. [in]it felt more airy and open. When you think of a gallery, you don’t think of cement or gray walls, but this is a great addition.

Maggie: There are beautiful views everywhere you look outside your window. The other side is not completely finished, but the view is not bad.

What do you two think about the decision to open Erewhon?

Maggie: I miss C+M. [the old cafe at LACMA].

Huff: There’s an Erewhon on the street by the Grove, so I was surprised that they would put it there. But LACMA draws a lot of tourists, and transplants love erewhon and smoothies, so why not grab one while looking at the art? That’s understandable.