Hammer Blog

On the title wall, Tea and Morphine pops out in turquoise lettering from a patterned, sepia backdrop. The exhibition, co-curated by Cynthia Burlingham and Victoria Dailey, highlights prints from the Elizabeth Dean Collection depicting women from all social strata in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the title suggests, the scope of the exhibition is framed by two extremes––the morphine addict, pressing a syringe into her thigh, captured in Eugène Grasset’s color lithograph Morphinomane (1897) and the sophisticated young woman staring off vacantly while at tea, observed in Mary Cassatt’s drypoint Tea (1890).

Last month, Hammer Director Annie Philbin, curators Anne Ellegood and Aram Moshayedi, and the Hammer Patrons gathered for a studio visit with L.A. artist Paul McCarthy. Paul is a featured artist in the Museum’s current exhibition Take It or Leave It: Institution, Image, Ideology on view through this Sunday, May 18.

With just over a week left to see Take It or Leave It, we present to you a very special Kruger-ified edition of Hammergram! Hammergram is normally our monthly round-up of our favorite visitor photos. But since so many visitors have made Barbara Kruger’s Untitled (Hello/Goodbye) lobby wall installation the backdrop for some seriously amazing photos, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight more of them.

Beijing artist Wu Xiaowu studied photography and Chinese traditional painting at the Modern Art Institute of Tianjin Art Academy. Telescope is pleased to present his first solo exhibition, entitled Reservoir.

With free museum admission and free activities for the entire family, The Hammer has all you need for a fun, carefree Mother’s Day! Join us on Sunday, May 11 for Hammer Kids programming, all-day brunch, store discounts, and more.