Every now and then the internet surprises us with a new little gem. Wikipantings.org is an idea so basic and useful, we’re only amazed it took this long. This is pretty much exactly what you’d expect it to be- a public repository for art.
This is still in Beta and only has a few dozen artists, so no need to throw out all your art history books just yet. But we’d hope that people who love art and want to share that love will contribute and make this what it could and should be- an easily accessible art education.

Barcelona born artist Yago Hortal has shown in Europe since 2005. His work will show for the first time in the states right here in Los Angeles at the Scion Gallery. In conjunction with Rojo Barcelona, the group show begins 09.18.2010.

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I’m not sure exactly when aesthetics became linked to style which in turn became linked to commerce, but a good example of this is the resurgence of analogue photography. In the late Nineties it was rumored that film would eventually go the way of the Dodo. Probably the one company that is working the hardest to bring analogue back to the mainstream is Lomography. This company, nominally a camera store with locations in nearly every major city (they recently opened in Los Angeles) is keeping their end up for lovers of film everywhere, with a focus on cheap plastic Medium Format Cameras Such as the Diana and Holga, as well as Russian cameras like the venerable Lomo. I would argue that their biggest success has been at selling analogue photography as a lifestyle product.

Lomography has a “code of conduct” which it purveys to its customers:

1. Take your camera everywhere you go
2. Use it any time – day and night
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it
4. Try the shot from the hip
5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible
6. Don’t think
7. Be fast
8. You don’t have to know beforehand what you captured on film
9. Afterwards either
10. Don’t worry about any rules

I got involved with Lomography by accident while on a trip to Holland. I had seen an interesting Photo Exhibit at a museum and my curiosity was peaked. Until this point I had never been excited by photography, but I had a week to myself in Amsterdam and I found myself at a store that sold Lomography products (along with spray paint, skate boards and other accoutrements of the street culture). The things that I like most about the analogue camera devolution are the infinite variety of styles of images and the relative ease that even amateur shutter-bugs can start making really stunning pictures. I found that I started to look at light in new ways, and with each picture I took new ideas for how to work became apparent to me.

Analogue photography has a great deal to offer over digital, especially when you consider that instant “vintage quality” of film. There’s a certain “creaminess” that digital pictures can’t capture. Making the switch to analogue will instantly open you to an entirely new world of creation. (Plus, there’s something badass about walking down the street with a vintage top-down view-finder camera like a Seagull).

Everybody and their mom wants to be a street artist these days. There’s a scant few however that can match up with Tant, Unga, Deso, Kip from Broken Fingaz Crew. More crazy amazingness after the jump.

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Roger Gastman is a man of many talents.  The day I caught up with him he was a curator, prepping the day before his show “ROOMS” would open at Scion: Space in Culver City.  Roger is a mover and a shaker in the American art community.  He founded two critically successful art publications, While You Were Sleeping and Swindle (co-founder with Shepard & Amanda Fairey).  Today he is the Creative Director & Founder of R.Rock Enterprises, a multi-platform, boutique media agency that specializes in being one step ahead of the game.  Clients include Coca-Cola, Harper Collins, Saatchi & Saatchi, Volkswagon, HBO, and Urban Outfitters.  He’s constantly working on the very envelope that the others are “pushing.”

The Bethesda Maryland native came up doing graffiti and participating in the straight edge punk scene in the DC area.  He turned his passion for the sub-cultures loose on the world and thanks to his documentation and research, published several excellent books showcasing American graffiti.  One of the best documentaries on the same subject, Infamy, also has Roger’s stamp all over it; he served as Supervising Producer.  He is very successful in bringing street art to the mainstream and bridging the very specific style with the business of media.  In the art documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop , the adventures of Banksy and Mr. Brainwash (Thierry Guetta) are chronicled and lead up to the epic “Life is Beautiful” show MBW held in Los Angeles in 2008. At that point, Roger is introduced in the film as the man brought in to save the show.  His curatorial expertise was clutch for the very large exhibit and it’s really a tribute to the kind of instinct and judgement that Roger can bring to any kind of project.

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If you ever wondered what Etsy would be like if you could walk around inside it, Unique LA probably comes pretty close. Bringing together LA’s most talented artist, crafties, and DIY’ers, Unique LA is the place to get limited edition art, jewelry and all sort of other goodies before they make it into Urban Outfitters (and cost twice as much). There’s also a fun time to be had with DJ Booths, Food trucks, and your fellow beautiful people. This is a fun treat for Angeleno’s that’s not to be missed.

Rosmarie Fiore creates stunning paintings from the use of fireworks. This ingenious method is the result of ligthing firecrackers (and other small exploding things) under cans with a small amount of paint. As the action starts it pushes the can around the canvas with some pretty wondrous results.
appropriately via BOOOOOOOM

More after the jump…
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Readings of the participating writers will be held at the opening reception.
Friday, March 26, 7:00 PM.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue.

Los Angeles — ARTifice, of the Art Institute of California-Hollywood, is pleased to present their annual gallery exhibition, this year entitled Interstates. Curated by faculty advisor Miah Jeffra and Marie Kinnell, the exhibition features works by a diverse group of writers and artists, professionals and students, focused on creating a collective portrait of the mythological city in which they all live.

Utilizing multiple voices, Interstates attempts to examine the relationship between textual and visual representations of the Los Angeles experience.  The participating writers have composed portraits of their particular LA, with no restrictions on form or content.  Visual responses to the literature were then created by the artists in their various chosen medium.  Layer upon layer, these collected ‘portraits’ aim to help “Los Angeles find a ritual to join its fragments” – Jim Morrison.

TempoRoyale is located at 2619 Wilshire Boulevard, in the Wilshire Royale building. Gallery viewings are by appointment. For more information, please contact Miah Jeffra at 323.350.9176, or temporoyale@gmail.com.

Long time friend of Neu Black Souther Salazar did an interview as part of hos involvement in Scion’s Installation 5 tour. Maybe it’s just modesty, but one thing Souther neglects to mention is that he literally almost never stops drawing which probably has a lot to do with being really talented.

The inaugural Art Los Angeles Contemporary is being held this weekend at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The fair presents 55 top international blue chip and emerging galleries from around the world, with a strong focus on Los Angeles galleries.

In addition, the fair hosts a comprehensive programming series, including world class artist talks, panel discussions and an artist film screening series all on site at the Pacific Design Center.

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION:
Thurs, Jan. 28th 8:30–10:30pm ($30 admission)
Pacific Design Center
8687 Melrose Ave in West Hollywood

The fair runs through Sun, Jan. 31st – check site for hours/details:
http://artlosangelesfair.com/

Purchase tickets for the opening night reception here:
http://artlosangelesfair.com/opening-night-tickets

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