June Art Walk Wrapup

Eric Richardson []

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I had written up about 80% of my post on the last night when a firefox focus bug decided to bite me and close that tab. And so my report got delayed until this morning. Oh well.

Yesterday was the June edition of the Art Walk, and after almost forgetting that fact (my new roommate came over to my room and asked, "What's this art walk thing I'm seeing?" I went, "Oh yeah, that's today."), I did manage to hit ten of the galleries. I think that might be a high for me.

When you have a gallery in your basement, and it participates in Art Walk, I think you're sort of obliged to start your tour there. I do, and so I did at Modern Art Downtown. Lots of different artists represented. I really enjoyed Paul Whitehead's work, as I did when he had a show at 626. I think the submarine piece was my favorite.

Next, and across the street, was . They're showing ART about NOTHING by Robert Cendello. Most of the pieces are wood, with a lot of scrap bits and driftwood fashioned into pieces. Not exactly my thing, but worth seeing.

Over at is (among other things) some interesting photosculpture by David Meanix. The effect is one that would perhaps be easy to obtain via digital means, but there's something more compelling about the fact that his pieces happen physically. If you click through to Bert's site you can find a description of how Meanix composes his work.

Across the street at there's one big stringed instrument occupying the rear of the space. I don't really know what you would call it, but the two people there playing it when I walked through were good at getting from it some pleasing tones.

Next door, is showing a collection of very stark black and white photography from an old penetentiary in Philadelphia. Very cool urban decay type work.

Over at Spring Arts Tower this was the first Art Walk for new space/screening room . The christening show is a collection of cameraphone works. Some are printed, some are displayed on framed flat screens hung on the walls, and some are constructed into video montages projected and set against music.

Also new this month is Art Murmur, a space that will be doing their first real show next month but wanted to get a little art on the walls and open up for this month's walk. Located in the ground floor of the Santa Fe building, the space is very raw but there's a lot of it. Their aim is to focus on contemporary art from eastern Europe.

Speaking of big spaces, (pictured above the jump) is huge. Definitely the feel of an art party, more along the lines of create:fixate than a gallery.

has a cool concept going. The front of the space is your normal open room with art on the walls, but back in the back are a collection of divided studio spaces. Artists are able to pay a bit of money to get some space to work, and in the process get a sort of built in showing process.

My final stop was , where the river model is really getting full. If you haven't been over there in the last month or so, they built a 32-foot long model of the LA river and then invited people to show up and build little bits and pieces of projects along its path. They estimate that around 300 people have participated in the building project so far.

My calendar says that the second Thursday of July will be 14th, so go ahead and plan ahead now to make it out next month.