Art Walk Preview for May, 2009
Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The May Downtown Art Walk is upon us, and the monthly Thursday night self-guided tour of art and exhibitions carries on from noon to 9pm (with some shenanigans going later into the night).
There is something for everyone. The Downtown Art Walk can offer an evening in Old Bank District art venues, a full day off the Gallery Row path that has you also exploring Downtown's major museums, or just some time in a cafe to people watch.
The Annex LA: According to their new website, Bert Green Fine Art (BGFA), Deborah Martin Gallery, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, PHARMAKA, Phyllis Stein Art and Todd/Browning Gallery will rotate works inside the Farmers and Merchants Bank building at 4th and Main. During exhibitions, the space will be known as The Annex LA. First up is BGFA and Todd/Browning Gallery. They join forces to feature work that includes Jeff Gillette and Robert Horvath from Noon to 10 pm. For this show, The Annex LA will also be open Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, from Noon to 5pm.
Central Library / Getty Gallery: Ideas that never happened are included with personal musings sketched out by architect Richard Neutra. Those items, some never seen to the public, are on display in “Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings" and continues a string of strong exhibitions at the Central Library (635 W 5th).
"I always regretted that the Neutra collection has been seen by so few people. I felt it would be interesting to see if we could reconstruct his trajectory through his drawings alone," is what curator Thomas Hines told the LAT.
BGFA: Opening at BGFA are works by Dorian LaPadura and Marvin Jordana. The gallery opens at noon, and the artists reception will be held from 5 to 7pm. (102 W 5th St).
MOCA: Currently at the Museum of Contemporary Art is a retrospective on Dan Graham that examines "his entire body of work in a focused selection of photographs, film and video, architectural models, indoor and outdoor pavilions, conceptual projects for magazine pages, drawings and prints, and writings." It's also a retrospect on the development of minimalism and conceptual contemporary art (250 S. Grand).
Fifty24SF: The Dark Tower looms in Los Angeles. The exhibition is curated by Cauleen Smith is named after American Poet Countee Cullen's poem of the same name and mood. Early PR states that the artists chosen in this group show have works that "tumble within a quantum of space, and warm to the heat that travels to us as light from stars that guide our way." Its open from Noon to 9pm at Fifty24SF (125 E 6th). Other Group Shows: Always popular, the Hive Gallery Group show offers its May installation of artists and performance.
7 + FIG Art Space: Joining Brookfield Properties's visual art exhibition "Building Paradise" is a free performance piece "object lesson: house of song, walled garden, island in the sea" by Liz Glynn and Mariechen Danz. It will be held at 7+FIG Art Space, (735 S Figueroa St).
As for "Building Paradise," the group exhibition is curated by artist Kyungmi Shin and uses photography, video, multi-media, drawing, and animation from four collaborative teams to explore what makes utopia. "Building Paradise" runs through May 29.
Company of Angels Theater: As galleries begin to close at 9pm, "LOL / A new comedy show" begins. Its produced by Company of Angels Theater and Karen Anzoategui, and held inside The Black Box theater space at The Alexandria (501 S. Spring, 3rd Floor). Show begins at 9pm, and admission is $8 (cash only).
Los Angeles Center for Digital Art: The LACDA 2009 "TOP 40" was selected by an international jury where the "digital processes of any kind were integral to the creation of the images." L.A. Center for Digital Art will exhibit the works until June 6, before it travels. An artists reception will held from 7-9pm during Downtown Art Walk (107 W 5th).
Crewest Gallery: A gaggle of graf artists recycled their spray cans and made them into art pieces; mini sculptures that are at once witty and satirical looks at themselves. The self commentary is contained in an exhibition called "canceptual [v.3]"(110 Winston).
Alan on May 14, 2009, at 11:14AM – #1
also a very cool event is happening at the downtown independent theater on main st:
http://www.downtownindependent.com/events/may-art-walk
connect with Chinatown? on May 15, 2009, at 01:34AM – #2
It's a shame that there isn't an easy way of connecting where most of Art Walk is concentrated with Chinatown because the art thats shown in Chinatown galleries tends to be of a much stronger caliber. There are many who go to Art Walk just to walk around and drink free bad wine but they dont really care what they're looking at. That's fine. But there is a contingent of serious art goes who have been consistently wondering what all the fuss is about when they're presented with too many lazily curated survey shows. I'm sure the usual gallerists will attack me and defend their businesses and curating skills but sorry, the serious Los Angeles art community isn't buying it. It's great for bringing in people to eat and drink to the area -- sure, we all love that but wondering how we can up the critical ante here, as it only serves to better educate the art seeking public.
Russell Brown on May 16, 2009, at 11:46AM – #3
We have actively had this conversation in the DLANC arts committee, within the HDBID economic development committee and the gallery owners metings. Give me, Bert or Shane a call and we will be glad to get you involved. Always looking for ways to improve the ArtWalk.
We are all very aware that if the galleries are not succesful at selling art and paying the bills, there will be no galleries for the ArtWalk.
Russ 213-999-0379 DLANC and HDBID