LA MOCA’s Merchant of Bling

Much has been written about the state of LA MOCA, its stumbling exhibition program, and the forced resignation of its chief curator Paul Schimmel. But not enough investigative work has been done to determine how director Jeffrey Deitch’s commercial profile may be affecting his leadership of MOCA.

Cai Guo-Qiang Lights up L.A. in Search of Aliens

Cai Guo-Qiang, the Chinese-born artist known for orchestrating pyrotechnic spectacles, is in Los Angeles this week to create a trio of new works that will be part of “Cai Guo-Qiang: Sky Ladder,” his first West Coast exhibition, on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Geffen Contemporary from April 8-July 30.

Merchandise Mart to Launch Los Angeles Fair in 2011

Merchandise Mart, the company that operates the Armory Show, will launch a Los Angeles fair in late 2011, and has hired LA MoCA curator Adam Gross as director of the event.