ArtistTerence Koh's gallery, Asia Song Society, mysteriously shuttered James Franco's multimedia explosion"High/Low, Rob Lowe" only five days after its August 6 opening. ASS declined to gointo detail with ARTINFO about the closing, only releasing the following vaguestatement:

"After opening theshow to much critical acclaim, it was brought to our attention that there maybe unresolved licensing agreements between James and those responsible for someof the original media that was reinterpreted for 'High/Low, Rob Lowe.' Out ofrespect for those artists we have decided not to continue showing 'High/Low,Rob Lowe' until these possible issues are resolved."

While we wait for concrete answers, we decided to speculate on a fivepossible explanations behind the exhibition's closure:

1. Rob Lowe'slawyers served up Franco and ASS with a cease and desist order after Lowebecame offended by the Franco piece "Road Trip," in which he reads fromthe '80s heartthrob's memoir, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography," while on a road trip.

[Note: ARTINFO has heard from Lowe's publicist that it's not the case, and that Lowe, who is aware of the exhibition, knew nothing about its closing. "It's certainly not coming from Rob," confirmed his publicist. In fact, Lowe is "very flattered that Franco obviously was such a big fan of his book." There goes that theory!]

 2. Either Warner Bros. got pissed when they realized Franco splattered clips from "TheOutsiders" throughout the installation, or the company that holds the rights to"Three's Company" didn't like that he used the '80s sitcom's laugh track.

3. Until readingARTINFO's article about the show, James Franco had no idea what the acronym ofTerence Koh's Asia Song Society was. 

4. The buildingsdepartment deemed the gallery's creaky stairs down to the basement unsafe.

5. Franco finallyrealized that the last thing the world needs is more James Franco.

To see images of pieces featured in James Franco's "High/Low, Rob Lowe" at ASS, click on the photo gallery at left.