The story of Pompeii is one you already know. Extravagant decadence meets sudden destruction, and beyond that, redemption and reclamation. But as I walked through the Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples exhibit at the LACMA this morning, the story of those frozen in time came to life in all directions.

I was particularly struck by a statue of Alexander the Great, riding his horse Bucephalus, his powerful sword missing from his hands due to the passage of time. The story goes that he was the only one who was able to tame this particular horse, and that the horse didn't seem to mind it - that Alexander was able to bend the outside world to his will, and not cause too much damage in the process. Not only do we share the name, but the goal as well (at least in a metaphorical way), since my horseback riding experience is what you might call minimal.

The Italians, you see, liked to collect Greek statues. They had villas along the Bay of Naples that contained all kinds of sculptures, paintings, and mosaics. "Pompeii was a place where art and creativity flourished," said LACMA CEO Michael Govan, "Where patrons and artists alike coalesced to form a thriving cultural hub--much like Los Angeles today."

One of the best parts of the exhibition is that you can put on a pair of headphones (free if you buy tickets to the show, $4 for members) and listen to stories about each piece. You can listen to curators Carol Matusch and Kenneth Lapatin as they discuss, for example, the gladiatorial helmet in front of you. Seeing the real thing, with intricate carvings of the story of Troy surrounding the massive plates of the helmet, you're taken out of Hollywood representation and back in time to the real place. Just thinking about the things that this particular helmet has survived, even beyond battles and volcanoes, is enough to blow your Los Angeles-based mind.

If you paired these artifacts up with a trip to Malibu's Getty Villa, you'd have a very good understanding of what things were like, pre-catastrophe. Some of the pieces are even replicated at the Getty Villa, a recreation of the actual Villa dei Papiri in what was the city of Herculaneum. In fact, they even sell "Make Your Own Volcano" kits in the gift shop of the LACMA exhibit, so you could make a whole day of it, laying pretend waste to whatever you can find in your house that you can use to represent what have become priceless works of art.

Now I'm preparing for a trip to the Venetian in Las Vegas, where decadence reigns, destruction is possible, and redemption is always just a blackjack hand or a stolen kiss away. I might even bring my new portable volcano.

THE DETAILS: Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples
LACMA
5095 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
http://lacma.org

Exhibition runs May 3 to October 4, 2009

Story by Alex Storch.

Photos © 2009 Museum Associates/LACMA