While it is quite difficult for all of us here at the Skirball to close the door, literally and figuratively, on the exhibition Gary Baseman: The Door Is Always Open, this Sunday will be the last day it will be on view in our gallery.
Over the past four months, it has been a joy to have one more whimsical place within the Skirball to welcome our visitors and encourage them to let their imaginations run wild. And it is no small perk that the artist is local. Gary Baseman’s regular presence in the gallery made for a unique experience and everyone from our two-year-old guests to the security staff has been won over by his playfulness and his talent. 
Visitors did not waste any chance to interact with Gary, whether face to face, or via the multiple options made available throughout the exhibition. I thought I’d take this chance to share a few that came across my desk.
Upon admission, visitors were offered a postcard to fill out and drop in Gary’s mailbox at the “front door” to the exhibition. The Skirball collected them and, playing mailman, is delivering them to the artist himself. This is just a small sample (click on the images to get a closer look):
In Gary Baseman’s studio space at the Skirball, sketchbooks were left out for visitors to unlock their creativity, show their artistic talents, and share their love for Gary. Here are a few examples I found (click on the images to get a closer look):
We also received many pictures of people posing in the exhibition on social media with the hashtag #basemanshome and posted them on a big bulletin board in the gallery (click on the image to get a closer look):
And last but not least, we put a call out on our SkirBlog for visitors to offer suggestions for a new place in L.A. for Toby (Gary’s best friend and travel partner) to visit. Thanks to Annabelle, Audra, and Renay’s suggestions, Gary and Toby chose to visit The Watts Towers!
