Michael Govan is director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Before participating in a panel on how L.A’s art museums can thrive, he revealed in the Zócalo green room that he just might prefer to be a museum visitor to a museum director—and that he’s still pretty mesmerized by LACMA’s giant rock.
What item would you bid for on eBay?
I would find a secret great work of art.
What’s your favorite type of rock?
Isn’t that obvious?
What’s the last thing to expire in your fridge?
Rose’s lime juice.
What is your biggest weakness?
So many … too many to count.
Where would we find you at 10 a.m. on a typical Sunday morning?
Any part of the world is possible. I might be actually at LACMA early—before the public—on a quiet day, looking at the rock. That’s where I was last before I left.
What’s the best response to New Yorkers who hate on L.A.?
We don’t need to respond to New Yorkers that hate L.A. anymore. Is that a fair answer?
What profession would you like to practice in your next life?
I could graduate to being a museum visitor instead of a museum director.
What do you eat for breakfast?
Coffee and fruit. Espresso.
What book have you read the most times?
They’re all boring philosophy books. There was one that I just re-read last week, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote The Little Prince: Wind, Sand and Stars.
