Cryptik Signs New Book at AS Issued in Costa Mesa
The recently opened AS Issued, at The Lab in Costa Mesa is a bookstore/art gallery hybrid bringing the Orange County area a fresh taste of contemporary artists currently making waves in the Southern California art scene. Street artist Cryptik–who recently released a book through Zero+ Publishing titled, Cryptik: Eastern Philosophy featuring photographs from his street…
“Ice Loves Rococo” – Van Arno at CHG Circa
Rock stars can have rare moments of honesty when it comes to explaining why they became musicians in the first place. “To get chicks” is a frequent refrain. Artists will be a bit more dodgy on the subject, tending to offer loftier motives than merely wanting to paint naked bodies. I think they’re hedging their bets. When…
Hello Kitty Takes Over Known Gallery
As a little girl, I thought Sanrio was toy heaven. Every mall trip, I begged to go inside. And when I did, I made sure I saw every inch of the store. I had to pick up all the trinkets, click every cutesy mechanical pencil and Sanrio-character-topped pen until one of my parents dragged me…
“The Macabre Show” Opens at La Luz de Jesus
Awe-inspiring. Jaw-droppingly, soul-moving beautiful works of art. Friday night I was faint with appreciation for what is the strongest, most focused group shows La Luz de Jesus has offered this year. Each artist in “The Macabre Show” exhibited coherent, cohesive, and unique visions that blended seamlessly, creating a powerful impact that left attendees uncharacteristically subdued…
“The Noise in the Basement” at WWA Gallery
Exhibit titles can be rather frustrating beasts for me. They tend to be oblique, esoteric things that rarely have any relevance to the art they’re intended to encapsulate. It may sound like a nitpicky, pet peevey gripe, but I’m prone to melodramatic bouts of anxiety over art as a general rule. However, when I find myself awake…
Everywhere at Once: “INTERVIEWS” at Curio by AFN
There’s something not quite right about Daniel Rolnik. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, everybody does, but I suspect something strange afoot there. Aside from his popular blog, he writes for a number of sites and publications that include Beautiful/Decay, Fecal Face, and LA Weekly, not to mention his work here at CARTWHEEL. He has…
“MAN/SON and the Haunting of the American Madonna” at Hyaena Gallery
The Tate/LaBianca Murders, also known as the Manson Family Murders, were a pivotal point in Los Angeles and U.S. culture, signalling the end of the happy days of hippiedom, proving conclusively to grown-ups, squares, and law enforcement that long hair, rock n’ roll, and drugs were bad, beyond bad, beyond the baddest; an evil combination…
Preview: October’s “The Macabre Show” at La Luz Highlights Grotesque Beauty
The word grotesque comes from the same Greek root as “grotto,” meaning a hidden place. It was in grottoes, either natural or man-made caves, on their sprawling estates where nobility would have artists create strange, fantasy-driven works of art to surprise, delight and disturb. By the 18th Century, the word’s usage, whether in English, French or…
L.A. Zine Fest workshop with CAFAM and Folk Art Everywhere
This Saturday’s free workshop with CAFAM and Folk Art Everywhere is rapidly approaching ! The October 6th workshop will give participants a brief zine history primer; instruction on folding an eight-page, no-glue-needed zine; and finish up with time for attendees to create their own themed zine based on a mixture of Dia De Los Muertos…
LA Skin & Ink at Craft and Folk Art Museum
Just inside the Craft and Folk Art Museum on Wilshire, a girl quickly unbuttoned the top of her pants to show off a small tattoo on her the inside of her hip. No exhibitionist, the girl simply showed off her ink design to gain admittance in the locale’s show “LA Skin & Ink.” On opening…
“Once Upon a Time…” Opens at Coagula, Rock Star Gets All Butt Hurt
Art thrives on controversy. The Pre-Raphaelites, the Impressionists, the Surrealists, the Cubists, Abstract Expressionists, Low Brows, and Pop Surrealists all created varying amounts of furor when they were first shown. Some caused riots, others a reassessment of concepts and collections. Aside from Deitch at MoCA there hasn’t been much of stir in the Los Angeles…