Preview & Save the Date: Opening of ICA LA with exhibitions “Martin Ramirez: His Life in Pictures: Another Interpretation”, Abigail DeVille: “No Space Hidden (Shelter)” and Sarah Cain: “now I’m going to tell you everything” – September 9th
Cartwheel Art and Cartwheel Art Tours new neighbor, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA) opens its doors for the first time, this weekend. Located on the western edge of the downtown Los Angeles Arts District, close to ROW DTLA, and the 7th street bridge, sitting directly across from the Greyhound station, it makes it’s move as a “lighthouse” in the area.
Welcomed to the community by Councilman Jose Huizar, ICA LA speaks to the core values of the Arts District and has been engaged with local and East LA youth. The next two weekends are filled with public programming, including tours, music, performance and workshops, related to the current exhibitions.
A new version of the Santa Monica Museum of Art, ICA LA, with Elsa Longhauser at the helm, she sees the space as a “beacon for the world, ourselves, each other,” and a hub for national and international artists.
Jamillah James, the curator, is looking forward to exhibiting “experimental, smart art,” with bold choices, as they aspire to be an inspiration for the community and exhibit “revelatory” works by international artists, along with public programming and community partnerships.
Transformed from an old clothing factory, this 12,700 -square-foot factory space was reimagined under the leadership of Kulapat Yantrasast, with a completely open framework in mind, including what would otherwise be the “back of the house.” The structure features large open spaces for art, the public and eventually a café and retail space.
ICA LA’s inaugural exhibition features works by Martin Ramirez, Abigail DeVille and Sarah Cain.
Longhauser organized the “Martin Ramirez: His Life in Pictures, Another Interpretation,” as part of the LA/LA exhibitions across Los Angeles in the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time exploration of the dialog between Latin American and Latino Art and Los Angeles. An “Outsider Artist”, Ramirez (1895-1963), born in Mexico, with work rich in visual stories and patterning dominated by the linear. Sometimes reminiscent of the Japanese scroll paintings, sometimes more like patterned tiles from the middle east, the works shown were created on found paper and supplies, eventually brought to him in the DeWitt State Hospital in Northern California, by the hospitals psychiatrist. After 15 years, Ramirez died there, having created over 300 works of art.
Choosing not to embrace the contemporary street art form, James had Sarah Cain create the “painting instillation,” on the outside wall entitled “now I’m going to tell you everything.”
Bronx based artist, Abigail DeVille graduated from Yale in 2011 and was recently an artist in residence at the Robert Rauschenberg Artist Residency. DeVille has created “No Space Hidden (Shelter)” in a project room, from Los Angeles found and sourced materials and objects. Depicting a black hole in space, this instillation reflects on Los Angeles, with skid row at its core. Created in a room, as you pass into the main portion of the gallery, the exhibit feels outer space like, with objects strewn and hung throughout, and a powerful funnel of a black hole filling the center space, reminiscent of the eye of a hurricane.
Exhibitions:
September 9th – December 31, 2017
Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 11 am to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm
Public Programming:
Saturday, September 9, (11 am to 6 pm)
Sunday, September 10, (11:30 am to 5 pm)
Saturday, September 16, (11 am to 4 pm)
Sunday, September 17, (2-4 pm)
Find more information on their website: https://www.theicala.org/en/programs
Address:
1717 East 7th, Los Angeles, CA 90021