My first stop was a gallery called Tiger Strikes Asteroid - Los Angeles (TSALA), located in the heart of the jewelry district in downtown Los Angeles. Erin Harmon, a native of Southern California and currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, displays an interest in the organic plant life that surrounds and covers the landscape. The works act as lure to the viewer. The collages are expertly made of cut paper and are alive with bright colors. The works reflect a gardener's care, creating new landscapes and panoramas that are exciting and invigorating.
Next door is a group show called "I Think I See..." at The Property. The group show features work by Justin John Greene, Dustin Metz, Becky Kolsrud, and Adam Novak. This is a thought provoking show where the artists present an alternative to reductive abstract painting of today. The four painters use various styles to connect to the viewer. I like works whose purpose is the present the viewer a narrative, or part of a narrative structure that connects and brings something more than the mere picture. I enjoyed both Erin Harmon's work at TSALA and the group show next door at The Property.
Once I left TSALA and The Property, I headed North to Eastside International, located at the Brewery off the I-5 Freeway. where there was a two person show entitled "Time Time Form," curated by Manual History Machines, featuring the works of Ian Pines and Alli Schmeltz. These two artists are diametrically opposed to each other. Pines is an abstractionist whose work is free form, organic, and painterly. Schmeltz's work is a sculptor whose work create structures and formations that are both orderly and reflect a craft aesthetic. This opposition is what made this show brilliant. There is a tension that works well and a dialog that is both contentious and complimentary. It is too bad that this show was closing that night. I truly I wanted to see more. I was then off to Secret Recipe.
Secret Recipe is an artists run space off Sunset Boulevard in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles. The exhibitions only run for one night. So I was lucky to see an excellent solo show by painter Natalie Smith. Entitled "Blue Ridge," Smith is heavily influenced by Matisse and the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970s. Smith explores both color and the organic in her paintings. Smith observes the plants and objects and then allows the both paint and composition to create the formations.
I left Secret Recipe with the sense that the Los Angeles art scene is more that its major galleries and big name shows. There is a thriving and dynamic art scene that can found anytime; even on a Friday night.
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1. Erin Harmon
Tiger Strikes Asteroid (TSA) Los Angeles, 440 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013; Hours: Sat/Sun: 11am-5pm; Questions: tigerstrikesasteroidla@gmail.com
2. "I Think I See..." A Group Show
featuring the work on Justin John Greene, Dustin Metz, Becky Kolsrud, and Adam Novak.
The Property, 440 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013; http://theproperty.gallery/
3. "Time, Time, Form - Ian Pines and Aili Schmeltz", curated by Manual History Machines.
Eastside International, 602 Moulton Ave. (In the Brewery), Los Angeles, CA, http://www.eastsideinternational.com/
4. Natalie Smith
Secret Recipe,1123 N. Benton Way, Los Angeles, CA
http://www.secret-recipe.org/
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Erin Harmon
Tiger Strikes Asteroid (TSA) Los Angeles
"I Think I See..." A Group Show
featuring the work on Justin John Greene, Dustin Metz, Becky Kolsrud, and Adam Novak.
The Property
"Time, Time, Form - Ian Pines and Aili Schmeltz",
curated by Manual History Machines.
Eastside International
Natalie Smith
Secret Recipe
2 comments:
Thanks for the post Mario!!!
Natalie
Thanks for the post Mario!!
Natalie
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