PRE OSCAR EXHIBITIONS LOS ANGELES

MARK EVANS, AMANDA ELIASCH, GEORGE BLODWELL, AMANDA ELIASCH

GEORGE BLODWELL WITH ME AGAINST THE NORMALLY COLOURFUL URS FISCHER

GEORGE BLODWELL  AND AMANDA ELIASCH Marc Jacobs Jacket, Dress Petite Filles des Ecoles, Shoes YSL

There are so many exhibitions here in Los Angeles that I am wondering how I am going to go to them all and certainly no shortage of talent.
Richard Young had an exhibition of photographs in Stephen Webster's gallery of Elizabeth Taylor, her story. My favourite one was Richard Burton drunk, gregarious. The pair looked happy together. I fell in love with a diamond butterfly broach of Stephen's. Who wouldn't?. Saw lots of friends, Damien Harris and Julie Anne Rhodes among his faithful followers. Richard is the number one party photographer in England with access to all the greatest shows.  His photographs of Elizabeth are strong and very real, grainy in their truth. It is a fact that the photographers in this situation are your friends, she probably saw them more than her clan, definitely she didn't seem to mind,
Gagosian Gallery showing Urs Fischer, colourful works of the famous, were apparently all sold. George Blodwell and I adored them especially the Grace Kelly with a nut in front of them. Apparently Urs wanted the objects to be more important than the stars.  I understood, and indeed they could be as tasty.There was not the glossy crowd from last year, but the faithful art world. The big parties and budgets have been slashed as they should have been to give a more egalitarian feel.

GARY OLDMAN WITH JACK ENGLISH, AGAINST THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE PAUL SMITH EXHIBITION

My neon went into the auction of  "The Art of Elysium", the previous one was sadly smashed that I brought from London, "Handcuffed by desire". So I donated "Greed" one of my favourite pieces, my lucky creation.  I was inspired by  Tracey Emin, after all she gives women hope.  I gave them a piece to be auctioned in aid of children who are very ill, they in turn are given  stimulation with the arts. A wonderful charity with very charming staff.

GREED MY NEON AT THE ART OF ELYSIUM

KAY SAATCHI

JOHN BURNHAM AND KAY SAATCHI

 At Paul Smith's shop on Melrose an incredible exhibition was given for Jack English and Gary Oldman. Gary looked very sharp in his Paul Smith suit, I love their suits.  Both are talented photographers and Jack surpassed himself with his moody images of the actors on the set of Tinker Tailor. Michael Foulkrod, Alan Aldridge, Demian Bichir, Tarina Tarintino and Kay Saatchi were all guests.

JACK ENGLISH WITH RICHARD YOUNG

JACK ENGLISH BEING INTERVIEWED

KAY SAATCHI BEING CUTE

I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner afterwards, I could not have had a better time. Vogue covered it too and Purple covered Gagosian. With Terry Richardson who seemed to invite the underbelly of society in LA and Cindy Sherman's exhibitions, this town is hardly without culture. Cindy whose photographs of herself depicting every iconic ideal and everything that is not, fetch over three million dollars, a very heft sum.  She is clearly ironic and self deprecating.  I wish I had the idea first.  Another woman like Tracey who makes us feel proud to be femail.