This is probably worthy of an entire separate thread (art in restaurants,) but it’s just so tired and uninspired for Seline to be hanging a massive David Choe painting. He’s fine! But so blah and dare I say basic to just have his hotel bar style paintings up.
Also, Choe seems like a piece of shit. Tldr, I don’t like his art, I think it’s bland and I think he’s a tired act. Choose better art in your massively funded restaurants.
I know Majordomo has some Choe. (Thanks @J_L foe the correction.) Who else is showing Choe in their dining rooms?!
This really would be an interesting separate b/c I have no idea who Choe is and now feel like I need to figure out why he inspires such strong feelings (or such strong… apathy???).
lol i would be happy spearheading an art in restaurants thread but the thing is, I know nothing about art from like a theoretical or even historical standpoint. I just collect what I like / somehow come across.
Anyway, there’s a lot of literature out there about Choe. TLDR, he’s a Korean-American dude who made a bazillion dollars by famously taking stock at facebook for painting their murals. He is featured on Bourdain, is the only artist at Majordomo, etc. But he’s also done some shady sexual shit!
I think my issue with it is that at this point his stuff is so widespread as a sort of signifier: hip rich, but it’s like tech hip. This dude made his fortune doing art for Facebook. To put his stuff up in 2024 is to just admit that you’re going for a certain aesthetic rather than creating your own.
I remember going to Sushi of Gari and seeing these two huge wooden panels that a young local artist painted on and I liked them so much that I asked SoG if I could buy them once they closed.
They’re hanging in my dining room to this day!
Would love to see more art from locals displayed in restaurants.
Ahh fair enough. Jean’s studio is in sawtelle evidently. There’s a cool article about his place. My brother walked by one time when the garage door was open and was blown away.
I’ve always been a fan of the guy and gal drawings at Majordomo: David Choe Art at Majordomo — David Choe (lower right-hand corner). More so than the murals. Peony finds them creepy.
Michael’s in Santa Monica was the first restaurant to feature world class art. The Robert Graham sculpture in the garden is spectacular. Incredible contemporary art throughout the dining room.
