Calendar Letters: Architecturally speaking

Regarding “Boring Architecture? Yes, Please” [Nov. 19]: Go ahead and say it. Don’t be afraid. It’s Frank Gehry whose time has come and gone. Even the most powerful voices in architecture are reluctant to admit Gehry is passé because so many gullible institutions and cities have invested too heavily in his useless “look-at-me” folderol and froufrou. Gehry has left the building.

Eve Lichtgarn

Santa Monica

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Christopher Hawthorne provides a welcome discussion of a design direction that has been drowned out recently. The tradition of ‘unhurriedness’ is a long one, as represented by the work of Louis Kahn, Luis Barragan and Kengo Kuma, to mention only a few luminaries. These architects share a profound engagement with landscape. I hope Mr. Hawthorne will be able to delve into similar trends in landscape architecture in future articles.

Lisa Gimmy

Los Angeles

‘Mem-’ries’ of a difficult time

Regarding “No Challenge for a Deft Talent” [Nov. 18]: Charles McNulty is obviously not a widower. Having been widowed twice, I can assure you the words and lyrics of “Chasing Mem’ries” were not contrived to those of us who have traveled that path.

Dorothy Collins

Calabasas

LACMA’s fees are raising ire

There are many of us fans of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art who work there as volunteers and are terribly sad that director Michael Govan is raising admission fees [“LACMA’s Admission Prices to Rise,” Nov. 15]. What is not widely known is that many floors of the museum are closed to the public in preparation for new construction. This includes both the third floor of the Art of the Americas Building (Mary Cassatt and David Hockney exhibits) and the fourth floor of the Ahmanson Building (Art of the Middle East, Art of India and Art of Cambodia). The ticket buyers are not told this at the ticket booth. They don’t learn until they arrive at the various floors of the buildings. Something is very wrong.

Liesel Friedrich

Pacific Palisades

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This article minimized the fact that each year LACMA receives millions of dollars from county tax funds. The museum’s rates should better reflect that fact.

Compare: Admission to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is a “suggested fee”; a contribution in any amount will permit museum entry. Unlike LACMA, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Institute of Chicago are not primarily funded with taxpayer funds. The Art Institute of Chicago is free from 5 to 8 p.m. every Thursday.

If LACMA’s income from admissions only represents 10% of its income, the museum should reconsider lowering its punitive admission polices.

Irene Oppenheim

West Hollywood

Doubling down on Hawkins

Regarding: “The Envelope: Lead Actress Buzzmeter” [Nov. 16]: Sally Hawkins receives much love from the pundits for her performance in “The Shape of Water.”

Tell me, is it possible for a performer to receive two best actress Oscar nominations in the same year? Hawkins certainly deserves that recognition for her role in “Maudie.”

John R. Grush

Mission Viejo

Need more info with addresses

As someone who lives in Playa del Rey and hates driving in traffic, I find it frustrating that many of your event articles give the street address but list the city only as Los Angeles. While I would happily attend a show in Venice or Culver City on a weeknight [and often do], it would take something special to get me out to Pasadena. But when your listing merely says “Los Angeles,” I have no idea if the venue is in East LA, downtown or nearby Westchester.

Please do your readers for whom location matters a favor and at least give us more information, the neighborhood or ZIP Code in the address.

Mag Parkhurst

Playa del Rey

Not a fan of the photograph

Regarding “Hollywood’s Next Big Star” [Nov. 19]. Timothée Chalamet’s agent, manager or PR person who approved his picture on the front page of the Calendar section should be fired. He’s an incredible actor and deserves better.

Robert C. Thompson

Marina del Rey

Editor’s note: The photo referred to was taken by a Los Angeles Times photographer and was selected by The Times’ staff. The actor’s representatives did not have the option to approve or disapprove its use.

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