Last weekend, we headed down to LA to celebrate JapanLA’s 7th Bday, the launch of JapanLA Clothing’s Kitty Party line, and also to take Manda to Disneyland for her graduation!
On our drive back home, we stopped by the Skirball Cultural Center to check out Gary Baseman‘s show “The Door is Always Open.” I’d seen a bunch of my LA friends post pics of the opening night on Instagram, plus when we had dinner with Onch and lunch with Amy on our trip, they both gave it a ringing endorsement!
On the walk to the exhibition, there were big cut-outs of some of his characters.
I always love when the outside is inside. Also I LOVE TOPIARY. Like crazystupidirrationally love topiary. At first I wanted Manda to take a pic of me gazing wistfully at the sky, then Hairy said, “How would Auntie Vivi pose?” and then this happened. I know. It’s bad. Oh well.
Manda wanted a photo poking around the bushes. There was a guard right on the other side of that fake window, and I wasn’t sure if were allowed to be on the lawn…
Inside was set up as if you were walking into Gary Baseman’s family home. The level of detail was really amazing, from the wallpaper, to the chandelier, to the pillows. Everything was Baseman’d-out. I can’t help but think of my 24-hr attempt to build Twinkie Chan’s house. No comparison, of course!!!
I saw some other people taking photos on the couch in the “living room,” so I nudged Manda to do the same with me!
In the “back yard” was a giant shrine, some crazy looking friends, and a bed sheet with a projector showing Baseman’s home movies from when he was a kid. My little brother and I definitely did that, too! Made home movies, that is. I would show you my masterpieces, but unfortunately, most of them have been lost to time. We had a sci fi series called “G-Force” or Galactic Force, and I made him and his friend Dan a spaceship cock pit out of cardboard. We also had a movie called “Alexander the Not So Great” inspired by Steve Urkel with lots of “DID I DO THAT?” 
If you get the chance to see the show, it runs until mid-August!
