SAVE THE DATE & INTERVIEW – “Above the Streets” with Angelina Christina at Art Share L.A. – CLOSING reception – Saturday, April 21st
On Thursday, March 22nd, Art Share L.A. hosted their annual fundraising event, Above the Streets which this year honored the fine artist and muralist Christina Angelina. The artist, also known as Starfighter, was chosen for not only her formidable talent in creating exceptional artwork, but also for her community outreach and for giving back to the public, as a guest speaker at numerous public events, and also through the creation of many public art murals throughout SoCal, from South Central to Venice, Slab City in the Salton Sea to the Arts District, as well as internationally.
Although officially in its fourth year, the concept of Art Above The Streets began 5 years ago, when Advisory Board Member of Art Share L.A.’s Board of Directors Rick Robinson (who works in the outdoor media industry) had a vision of bringing artwork to the public in an egalitarian and unexpected way. Sharing the vision with Art Share’s Executive Director Cheyanne Sauter that art should be accessible to everyone regardless of income, status or neighborhood, they decided to literally put art “above the streets” on billboards all over town. The first year, they placed art by several artists from the 7th Letter Crew on billboards. The following year they decided to refine the concept by highlighting a single worthy artist who they felt had made an impact on the art world, choosing the international poet, Robert Montgomery. The subsequent years became about local artists who had helped change the face of Los Angeles and featured renowned muralists Kent Twitchell and next, Augustine Kofie.
About this year, Sauter adds
“All of these artists were celebrated for different reasons, but are amazing artists who have created a voice for themselves. This year it was really important for me to honor a woman, and I have been watching Christina Angelina’s career for years. I feel like this event gives me the opportunity to meet my heroes. We also want to make sure that the selected artist has a relationship with Art Share, and has a need to connect with and support emerging artists. Christina Angelina gives back – she is community minded and very giving. She fit this distinction very easily.”
Angelina, or Starfighter as she is usually referred to, is a Venice –based artist best known for her large-scale realistic figurative murals that usually depict female figures. Growing up near the Boardwalk, she was inspired by the street performers, caricaturists, and local muralists painting the walls and alleys of the beach community. The interest fueled her teenage fire, and she began painting, selling her earliest works to friends and local collectors. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UCLA, studied animation at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and also photography at the Art Center College of Design. After graduating, she worked in a variety of media including drawing, painting and graphic design, eventually deciding that street art was where it was at, and adopted the public persona “Starfighter,” a name bestowed upon her one year at Burning Man, where she has painted often since 2004.
This is not the first time Angelina has been honored for her work. In 2016, she was a featured artist in the Google Art Projects Street Art Collection, and her 2015 collaboration entitled “Splash” with Fin DAC in Sao Paulo was cited by Huffington Post as one of the “Most Influential Acts Of Street Art Around The World.” Sleek Magazine called her “One the most innovative artists to watch,” following the year she completed an 80’ x 35’ mural entitled “Whitney Peak,” a commissioned work for the Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno, Nevada.
Some of the other notable projects Angelina has worked on include mural commissions from Nike, Nylon Magazine, Heineken, and Microsoft. In 2012, Angelina completed several paintings and set dressings for fashion designer Christian Louboutin’s windows at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, which have since become part of the department store’s permanent collection. She has also worked with multiple musicians, including creating the cover art for Rodrigo y Gabriela’s album Area 52, a live painting installation for Kaskade to promote his album Fire & Ice, and appeared in the music video “Eyes Like Pearls” by Van Hunt from the album What Were You Hoping for? But to see her most recent work, all you need to do is look up!
Angelina’s work is being featured on 24 outdoor advertising locations across Los Angeles, including large-scale billboards, digital billboards, bus shelters and benches throughout the month of March. In addition, her solo gallery show featuring her fine art is on view at the Art Share L.A. Gallery. To find exact locations of the art “Above the Streets” please visit this map.
This annual fundraiser is an important event for Art Share L.A. as it supports their continuing mission of bringing free and accessible arts programming to all. Their outreach includes approximately 150 free shows a year, including emerging art, poetry, new music, dance and more. Most importantly, Art Share L.A.’s complex includes 30 subsidized low-cost live/work loft units for artists only, on their second level.
“Proceeds from this event help further Art Share L.A.’s mission to support local and emerging artists by giving them access to a creative environment where they can create, reside, develop, and perform.”
The closing reception is free and open to the public. There is a cash bar, with free parking available in the lot across the street from their loading dock. Prints & T-Shirts will be for sale. MORE INFO HERE
All photos provided by Art Share L.A.
Special Event:
Closing Reception Saturday, April 21, 2018
7-11 PM
Address:
Art Share L.A.
801 East 4th Place
LA, CA 90013
Photo of a billboard
Photo of a billboard
Mural in South Central with Smile South Central