The play of words and images reverberates true in this exhibit of artists that compliment Magritte's work. "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" has come to represent so much more than Magritte ever imagined. The exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is beautifully designed by artist John Baldessari and incorporates themes from Magritte's work into the carpet (clouds) and ceiling (freeway overpasses), even the attendants wear bowler hats.
Inside, they've hung many of Magritte's famous works, and, accompanying these works, they've placed dozens of contemporary sculptures and paintings that rip off Magritte, making fun of him or paying homage to him or commenting on him, by using his work to make new work. The work that was most inspirational to me was a little accordian fold brochure entitled "Word vs Image" in which Magritte compares the relationship of words and images from a phenomenological perspective. It might be worth seeing this show twice.
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