On Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 8:30 pm, CalArts President Steven D. Lavine continues an exploration of the role of creativity in contemporary culture. Joining Lavine in what promises to be a lively conversation at REDCAT are two influential figures in the contemporary art world: Michael Chow and Jeffrey Deitch.
Tuesday’s event will focus on the relationship between entrepreneurship and the arts. (The program follows On Cities and Creativity: A Conversation, held in April at REDCAT, in which Lavine hosted a panel discussion centered around the question: “What is the overarching role of artists in civic life and creative placemaking?”)
Chow, best known for his namesake restaurant empire, studied architecture and painting before becoming a key player and collector in the London art scene in the 1960s. He designed salons, boutiques and restaurants throughout the city, earning the attention of artists—such as Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Francis Bacon and Jasper Johns—and entrepreneurs alike. Giorgio Armani was so impressed by the architecture of Mr. Chow’s in New York that he tapped the restauranteur to design his Rodeo Drive Boutique in 1987 and the Giorgio Armani boutique at The Bellagio in Las Vegas in 1999.
Fast-forward four decades, and Chow has established himself squarely at the intersection of art, design, fashion, business and entertainment, though he’s currently refocused himself on his first love, painting.
Deitch is the founder of Deitch Projects, and has served as a gallerist, curator and most recently as the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA).
In a recent interview with Brooklyn Rail, Deitch talks about his—and the art world’s—next steps. “I’m trying to develop some structures that will use the commercial system in a new way to present art in a public way. I think the audience is so hungry for art that speaks to them, and that is framed in a way that is relevant to real life. People want to explore something in the arts that enlightens them in a more profound way about the culture they live everyday.”
The discussion with Lavine, himself a well-known arts patron, continues that thread, examining creativity’s application in a variety of sectors.