See here: Skirball hosts “The Unauthorized History of Baseball in 100-Odd Paintings: The Art of Ben Sakoguchi”

April 1, 2016

https://i0.wp.com/www.bensakoguchi.com/pics/bb-sakoguchi-069-babe-ruth-tokyo-1934-japan-tour-baseball.jpgI wouldn’t mind having some of these on my bookshelf.

The “odd” could have a double meaning: yeah, there are 100-something items on display (the exhibit actually features more than 150 paintings). And yeah, some of them are pretty odd.

The LA-based Skirball Cultural Center will offer this exhibition by Southern California–based artist Ben Sakoguchi, who is known for his singular blend of art, activism, and humor.

Drawing from his background as the son of a grocer and avid baseball fan, the artist juxtaposes the iconic imagery of vintage orange crate labels with whimsical, eccentric, and at times scathing portrayals of one of America’s most beloved sports.

“The Unauthorized History of Baseball in 100-Odd Paintings” will be on display from April 7 through September 4, and is presented to complement the major exhibition “Chasing Dreams: Baseball and Becoming American,” which considers baseball as an intersection of sport, identity, race, and ethnicity.

https://i2.wp.com/2.bp.blogspot.com/-JbgaJcz5wxs/T7ixNYZRuEI/AAAAAAAALC4/ynJDNhg-BaM/s400/Ben+Sakoguchi+.png?resize=414%2C229Sakoguchi was born in 1938 in San Bernardino. During World War II, he spent his early childhood in a Japanese American incarceration camp at Poston, Arizona. After the war, his family returned to San Bernardino and, with considerable difficulty, reopened their small grocery business. There, Sakoguchi attended public schools, including San Bernardino Valley College.

Eventually moving to Los Angeles, Sakoguchi attended UCLA, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree, his teaching credential, and in 1964 a master’s degree. He then started teaching at Pasadena City College, where he served on the faculty of the art department until he retired in 1997.

In five decades as a professional artist, Sakoguchi has been a part of many exhibitions throughout the United States, at venues such as the Japanese American National Museum, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. He has been awarded numerous grants, including two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.

The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours: Tuesday–Friday 12:00–5:00 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays and holidays. Admission to exhibitions beginning March 1, 2016: $12 General; $9 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children over 12; $7 Children 2–12. Exhibitions are always FREE to Skirball Members and Children under 2. Exhibitions are free to all visitors on Thursdays. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit skirball.org.

 

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