2016 LA Art Show and the Los Angeles River
One of the most important focuses of the recent LA Art Show was a dialogue about the Los Angeles River and its relationship to art, moderated by Marisa Calchiolo, with guest speakers Edward Hughes, curator of exhibitions at the Museum of Latin American Art, Mexican-born painter Victor Hugo Zayas, and author, landscape designer, and professor…
Out of Bounds: Prison Art Program Brings Pride, Rehabilitation
Although not as publicized in the mainstream as is perhaps needed, there are several prison-based art programs throughout the state of California. The Prison Arts Coalition website maintains a list of twenty-nine organizations with art programs ranging from theatre to literature which provide life-enhancing processes to inmates via the arts. Recently I had the opportunity…
MOLAA: New Exhibition Captures Tradition in Southern California Landscape Painting
On September 19th the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach (MOLAA) unveils a regional aesthetic of landscape painting, focusing on Southern California artists. “Somewhere Over El Arco Iris” presents works from the Chicano Movement, while simultaneously contrasting these works with modern-day street artists Man One, Vyal Reyes, and Johnny KMDZ Martinez. Coincidentally, “Somewhere…
Saber ” Too Many Names” Addresses Death by Cop at Long Beach Museum of Art
Graffiti artist Saber has created a bold piece of art to confront the topic of officer-involved shootings. Here is the background: Pow! Wow!, a graffiti and Pop Surrealism arts organization, recently worked with the Long Beach Museum of Art to help bring street art and graffiti into a museum setting, with Saber as a contributor. As Saber…
Pacific Rim State of Mind: Gajin Fujita at LA Louvre
In 1939, the World’s Fair in San Francisco, also known as the Golden Gate International Exposition, exhibited a transpacific unity that included West Coast modern design, Mexican and Asian artwork, and Pacific Coast goods. Stemming from xenophobic hostilities against Asian and Mexican minorities in California, the exhibition tried to bring awareness and understanding of outside…
The Transition from Graffiti to Fine Art: Exclave in Beverly Hills
The textbook definition of exclave is a piece of land which is politically attached to a larger piece but not physically conterminous with it because of surrounding foreign territory. According to Gerald Breaux Kelly, the curator of a new exhibition, “The Intro” at Exclave Gallery in Beverly Hills, the gallery takes its name from this…
“Beyond Graffiti 2,” On Environmental Change
One thing you can expect from a bustling metropolis is constant change. If you grew up in Los Angeles or have lived here long enough, you will come to understand the urban planning concerns that have plagued our built environment, specifically public works projects. Most of us Angelenos most likely agree that public transportation is…
