Talk
The Un-Private Collection: Eric Fischl and Steve Martin
Overview
Please note that this program is in the past. For information about upcoming programs please visit thebroad.org/programs.
Celebrated painter and sculptor Eric Fischl was joined onstage by comedian, actor, art collector and Fischl’s longtime friend, Steve Martin. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Fischl helped reinvigorate the traditional medium of painting with contemporary relevance. His psychologically intense paintings, where extraordinary dreamlike scenes take place in suburban settings are some of the most memorable images of their era. In recent years, Fischl has expanded his practice to include portraiture and sculpture, always with an unflinching focus on human relationships and psychological dynamics. A pop culture icon, known primarily through his comedy work in television and film, Martin has been fascinated with modern and contemporary art nearly his entire adult life. He collects Fischl’s work, as well as major artworks by a wide range of artists, from Cindy Sherman, Pablo Picasso, Lucian Freud, Edward Hopper and Willem de Kooning to Franz Kline, and more. The pair will discuss Fischl’s memoir, Bad Boy, his early career in Southern California, and the inspiration behind his painting and sculpture.
Livestream
About The Un-Private Collection
The Un-Private Collection is an ongoing series of public programs The Broad began in September 2013. The series introduces audiences to the museum’s 2,000-work contemporary art collection by showcasing stories behind the collection, the collectors and the artists. Since launching the program, The Broad has brought together a variety of artists whose works are in the Broad collection in conversation with cultural leaders, including Mark Bradford with Katy Siegel, Shirin Neshat with Christy MacLear, Jeff Koons with John Waters, Takashi Murakami with Pico Iyer, Eric Fischl with Steve Martin, John Currin with James Cuno, Kara Walker with Ava DuVernay and architect Elizabeth Diller with Eli Broad, Joanne Heyler and Paul Goldberger. Talks have been held at venues throughout Los Angeles, making the programming available to audiences across the city. Conversations are live-streamed and full videos of past talks are available online. The Un-Private Collection series is part of the Broad collection’s 30-year mission to make contemporary art accessible to the widest possible audience.
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