Showing His Colors : Bernard Lewin Helps Open Bowers Exhibit of His Mexican Art Collection

Ask German-born Bernard Lewin to tell you why he has collected hundreds of works by modern Mexican artists and he talks about his first trip to Mexico in the ‘50s: “I saw great art there, the work of masters, and I couldn’t believe they were not known around the world, or even in this country.

“I was so impressed, I began to seek it. I was fortunate to be the first one to enter Diego Rivera’s studio six months after he died in 1958. I bought four paintings.”

Since then, Lewin, a Jew who fled Nazi Germany, has collected hundreds of works by artists such as Rufino Tamayo, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Carlos Merida.

His love for the collection is difficult to put into words, the Palm Springs resident explained on Friday night at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art where the exhibit, Seven Decades: Modern Mexican Art from the Bernard Lewin Collection, was launched.

“It is something I feel in my stomach,” said Lewin, an octogenarian, drawing his right hand toward his cobalt-blue velvet jacket. “When I look at the color, texture and composition, I get a sensation here .”

The million-dollar question: What museum will be chosen to house the Lewin collection after he is gone?

The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is a possibility, Lewin said during a private party staged for exhibit underwriters by Sharon Jaquith (a trustee of the Leo Freedman Foundation that has donated $1 million to the museum). “I have thought about it, but I have not made a decision yet. There are many museums interested.”

Said his wife, Edith: “There’s a museum in Los Angeles that wants to build a building for our collection. But it’s too soon to talk about it.”

Guests of Jaquith--who included museum donor Fernando Niebla, exhibit artist Vladimir Cora and “Rain of Gold” author Victor Villasenor--mingled in the colorful Fluor Gallery, quaffing Cristal champagne and nibbling on red-corn taquitos, as they spoke of the exhibit.

“I am delighted,” said Niebla, who has a museum balcony named after him. “I think the whole collection reflects what we’re trying to do at the museum--relate to the community.

“It would be tremendous if we could have it here forever--but that is highly unlikely,” he said.

Lewin called the exhibit of about 100 of his paintings “sensational.” “It is unbelievable what I see here,” he said, mingling with a crush of about 80 guests. “I love this museum; it is just great.”

After the reception, guests--who included museum director Peter Keller----filed into the facility’s sleek Topaz restaurant for a beef and swordfish repast taken at tables draped in black cloths and topped with fresh anthurium and orchid bouquets.

During the festivities, Jaquith--stunning in a chili-red silk and lace cocktail dress--introduced Villasenor, saying that his book, a nonfiction saga of his family’s life in Mexico, had taught her what to do in an earthquake.

“He says they prayed and made love during an earthquake,” Jaquith announced, laughing. “I can’t think of a better way to handle a natural disaster.”

A smiling Villasenor stood and recalled the day when he visited Lewin’s Palm Springs gallery. “I saw a piece of art there, a carving, that I had to have,” he said. “Just looking at it made me happy. And I want you all to know that the art you are seeing here tonight, if you take the time to let it touch you, will make a difference in your life.

“It wasn’t until I went to Mexico and started seeing art that I began not to hate myself, feel inferior. For all of the Mexican kids who come here to see this exhibit, they will say, ‘Oh, my God, I come from somewhere. I can be somebody.’

“It will give them hope.”

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Wolfing it down at Wolfgang Puck Cafe: Veggie pizza, Louisiana shrimp pizza, smoked salmon pizza, prosciutto pizza--all were on the menu last week when members of the Center 500 support group of the Orange County Performing Arts Center attended the grand opening of the Wolfgang Puck Cafe at South Coast Plaza. Not to mention the linguini with Chicken Bolognese, the wild mushroom tortellini or the angel hair with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.

With wife Barbara Lazaroff (she designed the cafe) on his arm, Puck played host to about about 150 guests, shaking their hands and bringing them food from the kitchen.

Owner of the Spago restaurant in Los Angeles, Puck said he brought his scaled-down version to South Coast Plaza at the request of Macy’s. “We did one with them in San Francisco and they wanted a cafe next to Bullock’s here. I didn’t think it was the best location for a restaurant, but they talked me into it and now it’s very successful.”

(FYI: Puck confided he didn’t know who would be having an Oscar party at Spago, his famous Sunset Boulevard restaurant, now that super-agent Swifty Lazar is gone. Swifty had the only post-Oscar game in town for years. “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Puck said. “I keep asking myself: ‘Who should have it?’ The main thing is to find the right person.”)