The Big Review: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art ★★★½
While the swooping building is impressive and easy to navigate, the collection is patchy and the displays are at times “bizarre”
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, founded by filmmaker George Lucas, is a unique institution that blends Star Wars memorabilia with a vast collection of narrative art. Spanning more than 90% of its exhibits, the museum's collection primarily consists of Lucas's art collection, including original Star Wars artifacts like costumes, vehicles, and storyboards, as well as pieces from his comic book and manga collection.
The museum's categorization of "narrative art" aims to highlight works focused on character-building, storytelling, and myth-making, distinct from abstraction and other modern art innovations. This approach leads to a strong emphasis on works by illustrators and comic book artists such as N.C. Wyeth and Frank Frazetta, complemented by some surprises like the murals by street artists Banksy and JR.
The museum's striking architecture, designed by Ma Yansong of Mad Architects, complements its landscape design by Mia Lehrer, creating a canyon-like effect that contrasts with the barren plaza of Peter Zumthor's nearby galleries. While some critics question the museum's focus on white male artists and lack of context through wall labels, the collection boasts several impressive pieces, particularly in the Black artists' section and the Norman Rockwell gallery, which pairs his 1958 painting of a runaway boy with a 2014 scene featuring a Black boy and police officer.
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