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Longing – Episode 104

Our first Random Act that takes place in a past setting.  This one is New York City in 1986.  This moment will also pay off later during the conversation between and Bette and Peggy.  In the credits, they’re listed simply as The Artist and The Model, though the Artist will have her name revealed later in the episode as Carla Marie Freed.  Here, Artist is taking a photo of Model for a photo art piece.  After the photos, the Artist (Carla) kisses on the nude Model, working her way down, implying a relationship.

Title card.

Day 1 (Wednesday, February 25th, 2004)

Alice and Gabby are sleeping together and it’s morning.  This means Alice and Gabby have been an item for about a week now since the end of Episode 103.  A car horn is heard outside with Gabby waking up immediately flustered and Alice reminding her that she “snoozed” the alarm.  Gabby is now running late for her job at Reviva Clinic, which she does not like.  When asked by Alice about meeting up later, Gabby mentions having a “screening with Joanie, but I’ll call you.”  This drives home the notion that Gabby is working on getting her foot in the door in Hollywood’s film industry, along with the screenplay she is working on.  The receptionist gig at Reviva is simply there until she can finally break through.

Tim and Jenny’s bedroom (there is a 2nd bedroom, which could be just a guest bedroom at this point…it’s possible that 2nd room was originally meant to be Jenny’s writing studio until Tim decided to sacrifice the garage instead).  Jenny wakes up as Tim sleeps in.  Apparently there is no practice at CU this morning.  Jenny wakes up and is still torn on her emotions.

The Planet, with Jenny arriving to talk with Marina.  At one point, there is a coffee related menu on the wall in the background, but the blue text against the black board is a bit hard to read from the perspective offered.

The CAC, our first view of it since Episode 101/102 as we see a painting called The Flagellation, by Delmas Howe.  It shows several bound, nude men being flogged by other men, perhaps ceremoniously.  Flagellation can be or has been used for both religious and sexual/sensual purposes over the years.  Bette gives her description and interpretation of the piece to the CAC Board of Directors, which is also the audience’s introduction to them.  Bette quotes Richard Morrissey who refers to The Flagellation as, “a revelation.”

A tidbit about Delmas Howe.

First, he’s a real painter and even spent time in the Air Force before focusing more on his work.  He has an official website and the New Mexico Museum of Art has his 1978 work, The Three Graces on display.

The Flagellation is the final piece in Bette’s presentation that represents an exhibit known as Provocations.  Bette wants Provocations for the CAC’s Spring Exhibition.  Worth noting is that Provocations’ inevitable premiere will not be until May, 2004 which would mean late Spring and probably into early Summer (likely no later than July) as far as the exhibit being at the CAC goes.  This would mean that between Laurie Papou’s exhibit and the CAC, some significant time will have passed between notable exhibitions, no doubt linked to the stress of getting Provocations onto its tour schedule and also the public backlash that will be created by Fae Buckley, likely delaying Provocations’ debut.  Franklin brings up the Spring slot usually going to Impressions In Winter, their Spring Exhibition for “the last five years” according to Bette.

Like all L-Universe characters, Bette Porter is using a Macbook.  PC’s do not exist here, which must suck for Bill Gates.

Impressions In Winter will have been the Spring Exhibition at the CAC (California Arts Center) from 1999 to 2003.  Combine this with the frustrating elements of bringing in Provocations, plus its likely later than desired debut and what comes in Season 2 and it raises a pattern for Franklin turfing Bette (Episode 213) as he may feel it has become too troublesome to keep her on board.  But that’s later.

One of the other board members speaks out, concerned about the Impressonists being moved out of their now traditional slot.  That would be Xandra Rosenman.  Bette points out the CAC hiring her to “raise a new profile” for the museum.  This would indicate that Bette hasn’t been there long.  Her contract is likely to run from 2003 to 2007, with Laurie’s work being the first major swing of the bat, so to speak for Bette at the CAC.

Provocations is set to premiere at MoMa (Museum Of Modern Art) in New York City (Episode 107) and then will go to the CAC in Los Angeles (Episode 114) before heading off to the Walker (likely the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, which will have a major expansion in 2005) and after that, to Tate Modern in London.  The connection between London and Provocations will be made more clear as the narrative progresses, but basically Provocations is an exhibit from Peggy Peabody and Peggy has what will be obvious ties to both New York City and London, especially considering her daughter Helena (who will debut in Season 2) is British and is initially shown as living in New York.  The Minnesota connection to Provocations could just be Peggy being a fan of the Walker and wanting to help finance its expansion for the following year.

Franklin, the apparent owner or prinicipal owner of the CAC refers to Impressions In Winter as their “most popular exhibit, bar none.”  This will only add to the tension between Bette and Franklin.  Bette informs Franklin of setting up a meeting with the curator for the Peggy Peabody Collection, Gina Ferrara.  Bette makes references to MOCA and LACMA.

MOCA is the Museum of Contemporary Art, located on South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.  LACMA is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and confirming that the CAC is not its analog.  This, along with Bette’s connections to the art world and her being hired to “raise a new profile” raises the probability that the California Arts Center is considered minor league compared to LACMA and MOCA, the major players in Los Angeles.

Franklin wants Bette to “follow up” with Sheldon Tomlin at Hoyt (likely short for Hoyt Park Place, where Sheldon could reside, just South of the San Bernardino Freeway) in order to make sure the CAC doesn’t lose Impressions In Winter to one of its rivals (possibly LACMA and MOCA as well).  The board member next to Franklin appears concerned about all this.  As it turns out, Franklin has already booked Impressions In Winter, at least tentatively after a conversation with Sheldon and this presentation by Bette was for nothing.  Bette hates wasting her efforts.  Note Xandra’s expression as she joins in the applause.  Sheldon is likely the one responsible for booking Impressions In Winter from the exhibit side, or the curator.

This board meeting is taking place on a Wednesday.  In Day 1 of the narrative (Episode 101/102), Bette arrives at Dan Foxworthy’s on a Wednesday, having just come from a board meeting at the CAC.  When the CAC has a regular board meeting, Wednesday appears to be the usual day for them.

Back to The Planet where Jenny waits to speak with Marina.  Notice The Planet shirts from Episode 101/102 are long gone, along with The Planet’s look overall from there.  Serious renovation is serious.  As Jenny and Marina are about to talk, Alice and Shane arrive.  Shane’s “Tokyo 1964” shirt appears to be a reference to the 1964 Olympics, held in Japan.