Young Projects at PDC: Video art's home in L.A.

Courtesy of Young Projects

Excerpted from the Los Feliz Ledger:

Immanence: The Videos of Antoine Roegiers and Davide Quayola: Typologies, Strata and Nature at YoungProjects at the Pacific Design Center. Curator Paul Young features the video work of two European video artists. Belgium-born Antoine Roegiers references Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance painting traditions in his complex animated pieces. In his first West Coast show, London-based Davide Quayola presents a large scale environment for complete immersion in the project room.

Now through May 8th at:
YOUNGPROJECTS
@Pacific Design Center #B230 and #B210
8687 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90069
 323-377-1102

Civic Virtue via the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery in Barnsdall Art Park

Frank Lloyd Wright's OG drawings for  Hollyhock House

Excerpted from January 2012's Los Feliz Ledger:

Before LACMA and MOCA, there was the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) in Barnsdall Art Park.

Open now through Feb. 12th, the exhibition Civic Virtue: The Impact of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery and the Watts Towers Arts Center is a retrospective of art culled from more than 80 years of exhibitions and outdoor festivals at the park. Funded by the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time initiative, the wide-ranging show chronicles an important aspect of the city’s cultural history and took two years to research and organize.

Pieces range from architectural plans for Hollyhock House from Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio to historical photographs of Olive Hill to work by contemporary artists like Llyn Foulkes and photographer Julius Shulman. Among the curiosities are works from actor Vincent Price’s art collection, an Andy Warhol short and graphics by Sister Mary Corita, who had the first woman’s solo show at the gallery.

Even for someone who has spent much time on the hill, the impressive breadth of past exhibitions and cultural activities that occurred in the park is a revelation. From the mid-1950s until 1969, 140 exhibitions were held in a temporary pavilion designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. That was demolished in 1969 when the current Municipal Art Gallery opened.  The LAMAG has always been city owned and run; it continues to exist in spite of recent funding issues and numerous controversies dating back to Aline Barnsdall’s days. The LAMAG is open Tues. – Sun. from 12- 5 p.m.

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
4800 Hollywood Blvd., LA 90027
323/644-6269

Museums Link Up for Pacific Standard Time: Art in Los Angeles 1945-1980

Charles & Ray Eames @ LACMA

 [Excerpted from November 2011's Los Feliz Ledger]


A grand retrospective of post-war art to the 1980s—that also encompasses architecture, design, street and performance art and more—the Getty Foundation-sponsored Pacific Standard Time is well underway with dozens of exhibitions across town. As mixed media snapshots of an era, the exhibitions reflect differing emotions from sunny post-war optimism to the disaffection of the late 1970s punk rock era.

Take home a souvenir Barbie

At LACMA, California Design, 1930-1965: “Living in a Modern Way,” is a must see for fans and fanciers of mid-century modern design. The casual California way of life, where the gentle climate led to letting the outdoors in, impacted design and material culture.

There are some key contributions from Silver Lake residents such as furniture from both Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler. “Silver Lake was an incubator of ideas,” advises Bobbye Tigerman, the museum’s assistant curator of Decorative Arts and Design.

Interesting Silver Lake-made pieces include a prototype for a  “Camel” desk (so-called because legs could be altered) from the Neutra-designed VDL house and rarely seen Rudolph Schindler furniture, crafted for the un-built Shep house. So many works on display are very familiar, from the first-ever Barbie and Ken dolls to Heath Ceramic tableware to Eames chairs, demonstrating the lasting power of good design.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA hosts "Under the Big Black Sun" (named after an “X” album) that surveys California art from 1974-1981. Dark is the only way to describe the mood of the show, as the art explored reflects the tumult of the 1970s and the questioning of sexual identity and gender roles colored by disturbing geo-political events. Large screens click through historic snapshots—slideshows of chaos. Egyptian president Anwar Sadat’s assassination, the fall of Saigon, the Jonestown mass suicides are backdrop to work by Mike Kelly, Ed Ruscha and Robert Arneson’s famed but long-hidden ceramic portrait of San Francisco mayor George Moscone.

Archival pieces are added in for context including President Richard Nixon’s letter of resignation. In a far corner, a video loop from San Francisco’s Target Video showcases seminal punk bands of the era and artist Raymond Pettibon’s flyers for Black Flag form a colorful collage. [Extremely amusing to those who may have lived through that era.]

Happy camping: Ultra Light campers on Silver Lake Blvd.

Ultra Light campers

* Upadated 1/7/12: Daily Candy profiles Happier Camper too.

Driving along Silver Lake Blvd. you may notice two colorful campers parked in the auto repair shop that belong to Happier Camper's Derek Michael.  Available to rent or to buy (the orange one only) the fiberglass campers are made to be towed by a car (both weigh less than 1200 pounds).  Interiors are compact but the windows and solar-powered fan keep them airy.  Derek is super-enthusiastic about his travel trailers that he restored--he's driven them to Yosemite, Big Bear and to beach BBQs.  You can too!

Colorful Ultra Light campers

Derek shows off the solar-powered interior.

More information at happiercamper.com

Social smarts: Spacecraft’s nightlife designs

Back patio at Mohawk Bend

If you've been out in Hollywood in the last couple of years, then you’ve probably been inside a building remade by Spacecraft.  Founded by Kristofer Keith, the design/build firm is responsible for Hollywood spots like The Bowery, Kitchen 24, Stout and Boho, which recently moved to the third floor of Hollywood & Highland.

Excerpted from the September Los Feliz Ledger:

In August, Keith’s latest and most ambitious project opened: the 10,000 square foot Mohawk Bend in Echo Park. Owned by Los Feliz’s Tony Yanow and his wife Amy, the already wildly popular gastro pub features a crowd-pleasing menu with savory vegan and vegetarian specialties, and a changing selection of artisan cocktails from California spirits, craft beer--72 kinds--and wine on tap.

I beams frame Mohawk Bends' interior

Mohawk Bend now occupies a 100-year old brick building that once was the Estudio Theater—longtime locals may recall how it sat empty and decaying for 26 years. To use the building and meet current building codes, Keith essentially built a building within the vast space.  The exposed steel I beams framing the interior are not only a design element but meet a structural requirement.

Vintage beer signs at Mohawk Bend

Although there are retro touches, Yanow’s personal collection of vintage beer signs for instance, Keith purposefully avoided a fake nostalgic look. “I didn’t want something too slick either,” he explains. “So I went for something down the middle, an industrial but stylized direction,” he notes.  Custom built seating is made from plywood (also exposed); upholstery has a mid-century orange hue. The floors are concrete and the kitchen is open to view from the long polished concrete bar cast on site.

Dividing the back third of the vast room from the main bar and dining area is a 20’ high mosaic glass wall. The patterned glass wall also defines Mohawk Bend’s interior patio, lit by skylights and a concrete fireplace. The room’s exposed brick walls help create an urban, citified vibe. As Keith explains, he wanted the space to recall restaurants he’s visited in New York and Toronto that have taken over and enclosed a back alley.

Naya will emerge from Tantra space

Among Keith’s other commissions is an ongoing transformation of Tantra restaurant, also on Sunset Boulevard.  To be renamed Naya,  Keith is reconfiguring the Indian restaurant, creating an all white dining room and an adjacent lounge in regal colors. There will also be a back patio for dining.  As with all his projects, he stays away from theme-y type designs or a signature personal style that doesn’t necessarily translate to every assignment.  “I like to create a sense of place,” he confirms.

Mohawk Bend

2141 W. Sunset Blvd.

213/483-2337

Miranda July writes and directs "The Future"

Miranda July's "The Future"/Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Excerpted from the Los Feliz Ledger:

Opening today (August 5, 2011) at the ArcLight, Hollywood.
 
All romantic relationships evolve. When there’s a crisis, there’s also drama. Performance artist, author, blogger, screenwriter and director Miranda July’s second film "The Future" investigates one of those pivotal moments couple’s face: when the future seems pre-destined and mapped out. Her approach, mixing abstract and literal, with sci-fi elements and a very engaging talking cat that narrates throughout, results in an original film that’s hard to summarize but emotionally true.

Although some of the film’s pivotal scenes were filmed just south of Sunset on Parkman Avenue, July does not try to make the Silver Lake location or the city a character in the film. Rather, "The Future" stays internalized and focused on character. “I’m never a huge place person,” she said. “I can barely find my way around and I’ve been here for seven years,” said July, who lives in Silver Lake. She finds it telling that when the film’s location changes to Tarzana, “it could seem like another planet.  And that’s so L.A., and is so different.”

Inspiration for the film came from a sudden break-up and the utter devastation of being broken up with.  The desire to stop time was a feeling that July wanted to address. “While nothing in the movie is literally true, I was trying to capture the anxiety of those new feelings and the finiteness of time,” she said.

Perhaps the most fantastical element to the film is a talking cat named Paw Paw, whose predicament weaves the film together. Paw Paw is quite the memorable feline. Protected by her own enthusiasm, July felt pretty bold about her talking cat. “You can’t hide it or downplay it,” she surmises. “And now we have the cat in the trailer.”

Tim Burton at LACMA

Tim Burton's site specific animated sculpture for LACMA

Edward Scissorhands costume by Colleen Atwood: magnificent in its details

Balloon Boy by Tim Burton at LACMA

Film fans, this one is for you. Tim Burton at LACMA is a not to be missed exhibition of 700 works (models, drawings, costumes and more) from film director Tim Burton.  Extraordinarily creative, Burton is one of the few directors who has maintained his singular visual style throughout his many films. Among the highlights are: Johnny Depp’s costume for Edward Scissorhands (which showcases the talents of costume designer Colleen Atwood), models from The Nightmare Before Christmas and storyboards for Burton’s upcoming film Frankenweenie. Now through Oct. 31^st. 

Silver Lake meadow opens

Official opening of Silver Lake Meadow  4/2/11

I went to my first community meeting about the Silver Lake Meadow in 1999. It seemed rather far-fetched at the time that one day there would be walking paths and the long-closed open space--home to coyotes-- would open to people.  Happy to be there on Saturday to see the day finally come. Council member Eric Garcetti gave a special shout-out to the tireless efforts of the Committee to Save Silver Lake Reservoirs, now renamed the Silver Lake Reservoirs Conservancy.

Think Georges Seraut: the meadow is dotted with people immediately.

Still to come is the completion of the walking path on Tesla Ave. Locals have already weighed in on the meadow. It's a hit. Sunday saw bocce ball and croquet players, loads of families and posts that the park might stay poop free.

Silver Lake Meadow rules: no dogs, bikes or vending.

 

The far side of the meadow, closest to the reservoir, is indeed a quiet place.

Resnick Pavillion at Los Angeles County Museum of Art opens soon

Resnick Pavilion designed by Renzo Piano

Opening to the public on October 2, 2010, Los Angeles County Museum of Art's (LACMA) ultra-contemporary $53 million, 45,000 square foot Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion was unveiled to Los Angeles' media today.

An Olmec basalt rock monument

Three exhibitions fill the space. Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico features monumental prehistoric stone sculptures as well as smaller objects from Mexico's earliest civilization.

An Olmec Colossal Head 1200-900 BC

Fashioning Fashion is a rare chance to look into history's closet and has nearly 160 exquisitely made examples of  clothing and accessories from intricately embroidered silk and muslin dresses to tailored waistcoats to a rather sexy c. 1900 leather corset accessorized with fetish boots.

18th Century-style fashionistas

Eye for the Sensual: Selections from the Resnick Collection has more than 100 fine pieces of furniture, sculpture and decorative art (such as a pair of Art Deco lamps made from bronze cobras) that span centuries and reflect the couple's eclectic taste. The building's numerous skylights face north, so the entire space is flooded with natural light. The palm garden and surrounding landscaping is by Robert Irwin who also designed the Getty Center's landscaping. Check out the impressive new space, BCAM and LACMA's vast holdings for free during the inaugural weekend of October 2-3. Ticket info here.

LACMA's new Resnick Pavilion

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-857-6000

Dwell on Design to tour Eastside L.A.

June 24-27, the design and architecture conference Dwell on Design will come to the L.A. Convention Center. Home tours are included in the event.  The Sunday June 27 Eastside Home Tour (which starts in Larchmont--not even faux or near Eastside) features six modern homes such as Silver Lake's very fab Auburn 7.  Expect hills and hipster enclaves per the website: "This isn't a part of L.A. that many tourists get to see. We head East from Larchmont into Silver Lake and Atwater Village along their peaceful, leafy streets for anyone who dares to stop by. "

Tour if you dare! Screen shot is from the concurrent Mobius LA event.

Autry National Center's "How Women Made the West"

Forget the cowgirl, the demure Indian maiden, or the pioneer woman in a sunbonnet perched on a wagon buckboard. At the Autry National Center’s conceptual new exhibit “Home Lands How Women Made the West,” traditional stereotypes of women-out-west are replaced with a new narrative—one that puts women at the center as builders of home and community. “Seeing women in history makes history look different,” is the show’s opening statement and the Autry has done much to create an innovative and interactive exhibition that inserts real women into the American west’s saga.

Follow-up the exhibit with a visit to the bookstore and read my complete take on the exhibition at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park that runs through August 29.

Lance Armstrong above Sunset Blvd. courtesy of Shepard Fairey

Runners during Sunday's (3/21) L.A. Marathon can look up (and back over their shoulders) for inspiration: Shepard Fairey's wall-sized portrait of cyclist and Live Strong's Lance Armstrong is above Sunset Blvd on Studio One's exterior at the corner of Elysian Valley and Sunset Blvds. BTW Fairey's gallery, Subliminal Projects, is selling the official 25th anniversary LA Marathon screen print by Studio One's Cleon Peterson.





Defiance/Courage/Action is the title I presume.

Irving Penn's Small Trades at Getty Center

File this in the better late than never category: checked out photographer Irving Penn's "Small Trades" exhibition of 252 platinum and rich palladium prints at the Getty this week which closes Sunday 1/10. Penn worked with these negatives over 50 years creating intimate but revealing studio portraits of tradespeople in London, New York and Paris. These psychological portraits, set against a neutral background, are revealing decades later and emblematic of Penn's fascination with "dissolving cultures"and worlds that would disappear. Some of these trades are long lost: no need for coal or ice men these days or even chamois sellers.

The Getty Center is open until 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Parking is free after 5 p.m. on Saturday as well, otherwise it's now $15. Admission is free.

L.A. Arts Month

Howdy 2010! Postings were light at the end of the year: lots of conflicts such as paid work, family (Martin returned from six months in India!), the holidays, a biennial bout with some kind of flu and a new blogging gig for AOL TripVine: LA Suite Life where I cover all that's new, different and hopefully, interesting about SoCal hotels.

In anticipation of L.A. Arts Month (more at blogdowntown.com), I checked out the second half of MOCA's Collection: MOCA's First Thirty Years their comprehensive historical survey of the past 70 years of contemporary art at the Geffen Contemporary (with an emphasis on NY and Calif. artists). Felt like a trip to my own office as many of the artists showcased are among my faves and I look at their work everyday. Ok MOCA has the originals but it was a pleasure to see them given the grand museum treatment: Edward Ruscha, Barbara Kruger and Hiroshi Sugimoto's black-and-white photos of luminescent cinema screens. A number of John Baldessaris and Catherine Opie's still searing self-portrait are here as well. Looking forward to seeing the first half of the show at MOCA Grand Ave. soon.

Silver Lake: Fixies take over the streets.

Notice anything about the bike riders passing you lately? More than likely they are riding a fixie (see above) a snazzy fixed gear and usually no brake bike popularized by SF bike messengers, now the bike-du-jour. The teenage boys I know are fixated on them; if you saw Saturday night's Crank Mob fly by, you probably saw hundreds. My son's came via the Internet from Bikes Direct. We're already good customers of Safety Cycle since these bikes seem to require TLC.

Fourth Frogtown Artwalk this Saturday 9/19

Fourth edition of the Frogtown ArtWalk is this Saturday. More than 30 artists participate with dozens of open studios. Great combo of local art (images above are from 2008) and tacos (let's hope the taco lady and table returns to RAC Design Build). The boundaries of Elysian Valley (Frogtown) are the 2 freeway to the north, the 110 freeway to the south, the Los Angeles River to the east, and the 5 freeway to the west. The studios will be open from 5-10 PM. There's free street parking but I've ridden my bike in past years as the L.A. River bike path is one of Frogtown's borders. Party and music are at NOMAD at 1839 Blake Ave.

Silver Lake: The new library exposed.

Curbed LA (top photo from Curbed) got an exclusive sneak peek at the Silver Lake Library. It's looking rather clean, bright and modern; an homage in part to nearby Neutra houses and the Neutra Office building on Glendale. Looking forward to opening day which should be sometime in September though there's no official date. I wrote about the design back in 2006 for the Los Feliz Ledger. Here's an excerpt:

Coming in 2008 (that didn't happen) to the corner of Silver Lake and Glendale Boulevards: a new branch library that will not only be a community and cultural hub but also an inventive “green” building at one of the most traveled gateways to the area.

After investigating several alternate sites in the neighborhood, the city’s library construction department selected the vacant corner, once a gas station and most recently, the seasonal home to a Delancey Street Christmas tree lot. Previously, both Burger King and Walgreens had also considered the tract. In addition to the empty parcel, the adjacent mustard-colored auto shop will be demolished (that happened, thankfully), contributing 7000 square feet to the library’s future home.

Similar in size to the Edendale branch library, Silver Lake’s 13,200 square foot state-of-the-art library will include a public meeting room, a glass box reading room, welcoming plaza, and will be “green” – utilizing sustainable building practices such as solar power. (Panels are installed). Parking will be underground with the garage entrance lined up with Brier Avenue and Gingergrass’ main entrance. There will be no public driveway off congested Silver Lake Boulevard.

Architectural firm M2A Architects worked closely with the community developing the Silver Lake branch, their fifth library project. The Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library is one of their designs, as are the Allessandro Apartments in nearby Echo Park. “We tried to take architectural cues from modernist Silver Lake,” explains architect Barry Milofsky of the design. “There is a sense of light, air and space and an indoor/outdoor relationship.” Stone and glass will be the branch’s primary construction materials. A glass spine extends through the building that will provide natural light in the day and a dramatic glow to the plaza at night. Mature sycamore trees will frame the library’s entrance. Low planters, benches and landscape finishes to the curb are part of the plan from landscape architect Mia Lehrer.

Construction is expected take 18 months and is slated to start by the first quarter of 2007. (Start date was later; construction still ongoing). Budget for the building is $9.5 million, with funding from library bond funds. A non-profit Friends of the Silver Lake Library has been established to help further the library’s collection as well to support and generate enthusiasm for the long-awaited branch.

Interview Project @ David Lynch.com

I've been following film director David Lynch's career since "Eraserhead" hit college campuses back in the day: check out the vintage poster (above).  Presented by Hampshire College's "Films in Discretion" the packed screening was...wait for it...$1.  "The-lady-in-the-radiator" promises that "in heaven everything is fine."  Today, David Lynch.com launches "Interview Project," an online road trip that profiles people found at the edge of the highway. Evocative sound and music and up-close-and-personal profiles; the first portrait, entitled "Jess" is remarkably profound.  Maybe Jess' long-lost family will find him because of it. Check it out.

Downtown L.A.: Chaya downtown art + happy hour

   A wonderful combo platter of art and well priced happy hour is on the menu at Chaya Downtown Los Angeles. Thanks to Mattatouille for this great shot of Stuart Haygarth's imaginative chandelier created from the plastic flotsam of daily life. Reviewed in today's L.A.T., S. Irene Virbila couldn't help but notice the piece, a standout in any setting. Haygarth is based in London; typically his work is from found pieces, this one is not.
   Find yourself on the patio for happy hour. I went with Eating LA last month; missing on the menu was a happy hour sake but the manager promised to add it. Chaya Venice's happy hour remains a personal fave: always lively. Downtown's version is a bit more button down but comes with a city view.

Century City: Spiffy new photo showcase at the Annenberg Space for Photography

The newly opened Annenberg Space for Photography joins the list of premiere places in town to view and experience fine art photography that includes the Getty Center (where Paul Outerbridge and Jo Ann Callis exhibitions are on view until August) and the G. Ray Hawkins Gallery, Paul Kopeikin Gallery and Peter Fetterman Gallery.  Hours are Wed-Sun 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City. Parking on site is validated. At the press preview, I captured photographer Douglas Kirkland's on set photos (left) as well as Greg Gorman's elegant black and white portraits.