Mari Inukai will be exhibiting her work at the Copro Nason Gallery in Santa Monica. Also at the gallery will be work by Luke Chueh and Chet Zar. Opening Reception Saturday May 10, 2008 8:00-11:30 pm. Show runs through May 31.

Copro Nason Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave. T5
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.829.2156

Sat, April 19th, 6:30-10PM
GR2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd in Los Angeles / 310.445.9276
“Deharavath: Zombie Children” featuring new works from Dehara X David Horvath + Sun-Min Kim
(On view through May 14th)
www.gr2.net

Sat, April 19th, 5-7PM
Richard Heller Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave, Space B-5A at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica / 310.453.9191
“Mapping The Great Hush” – new works from Randall Sellers
(On view through May 17th)
www.richardhellergallery.com

Sat, April 19th 4-8PM
Monkeyhouse Toys and Art Gallery
1618 ½ Silver Lake Blvd in Los Angeles / 323.662.3437
“Having Fun With Animals” featuring new works from Douglas Alvarez, Paul Torres, L. Croskey, Jeremy Szuder, Walt Hall, Catherine Brooks and many more
(On view through May 4th)
www.monkeyhousetoys.com

Sat, April 19th, 7-10PM
Project:
8545 W. Washington Blvd in Culver City / 310.558.0200
“Familiar Friends” featuring new works from Lisa Alisa, Cherri Wood, Erika Yamashiro and Lindsay Cambell
www.projectgalleryla.com

Via Sour Harvest

Sat, April 12th 7PM
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N La Brea Avenue / 323.969.0600
Herakut
http://www.carmichaelgallery.com/future.html

I got a chance to meet up with German art duo Herakut Wednesday afternoon to check out some amazing installation-in-progress before their American debut show opening this Saturday night at the Carmichael Gallery in Hollywood.
Both talented artists in their own right, Jasmine Siddiqui (Hera) and Falk Lehmann (Akut) referred to they way they work as a conversation in pictures, as one starts a piece that the other will finish. I was excited to catch this work in progress, because as the couple paints one layer over another, the piece may change completely five or six times as one work covers up the last. Taking inspiration from the immediate world in front of them influences color palettes that reflect the warm tints of a sunset in Greece, the cold feeling of a German morning, and characters could include anyone from the family dog to the odd Hollywood denizens wandering in off of La Brea Boulevard.

Herakut was born in the world of street art and still does installations at graffiti festivals as well as the back alleys of local cities they where ever they travel. They told me they want to put a piece on the big mural wall in Venice beach, if you have info on who to talk to be sure and post it in the comments section.
This street heritage translates into the gallery setting as Herakut’s paintings sometimes move from the canvas straight on to the wall. It gave the feeling that if someone hadn’t slid a canvas in front of them the entire piece would be on the wall and there’d be nothing for patrons to take home. “I hate white space,” confesses Siddiqui, “and the canvas is actually a small area for spray paint. I like a wall because I can use broad strokes”This is made apparent as she stands up a cardboard cut out (after the jump) that is nearly ten feet tall.

Read the rest of this entry »

Before I left my house for this opening, I peeked at Ryan’s website. My first impression was that the images were dark and there was something very frightening happening. I couldn’t figure them out right off the bat, and I almost didn’t want to because something about them made me uncomfortable. When I got to the gallery, I walked right up to the first painting, Communion, and became mesmerized. There was a very personal moment between these animals and me! I was suddenly drawn in and completely enamored with his technique and amazing talent. The animals and the dead trees they inhabit stood out in the absence of any background. The white paper he used provided a starkness that shed light on a meaning that I was barely grasping before. What seemed scary to me was in fact, scary. The animals were involved in a struggle in their habitat. They were holding onto what they could in their home – somewhere that had been encroached upon, somewhere that was barren to them, and somewhere that they needed each other to survive in.

All the paintings have a common thread visually in the use of a bear made out of foliage that consists of little leaves and vines. The bear is shred to pieces in many of the images. However, parts of it are used for a nest in Expecting, and even as a home, as seen in Accommodations. Another stirring portrait of survival is its use by a pair of moose who are pulling at the vines with their mouths, each trying to get a piece, hence the title, Rochambeau. The bear brings sensitivity to the paintings. Its fragility mirrors that of the environment and the animals’ existence that is often overlooked when neighborhoods are expanding or cities are encroaching. The bear almost seems like a big, soft, helpless teddy bear that is coming apart at the seams. A favorite of mine, Perimeter, shows a group of deer on the outer edges of this dying forest, with one feeding on the remnants of the foliaged bear head. In the rear is a majestic longhorn that looks onto them a bit concerned, and distanced in his corner. It’s as if he has been pushed back, away from his environment. The painting is sad and beautiful. The realism is remarkable thus making you question the changing environment and your role in this eco-system that is shared by all.

More photos after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

We got a few photos of the Panopti(con) opening at the Bank gallery in downtown LA earlier this month. Aside from the openings, Bank is usually by appointment only because it’s one of those tiny downtown galleries with really incredible work by amazing artists for serious collectors. If you’ve got the dough to throw down go ahead and make an appointment. Otherwise getting on their mailing list for the next opening is you best bet for a look inside.

The current show Panopti(con), is a group exhibition curated by Los Angeles based artist Martin Durazo. This exhibition presents the work of 17 artists working in painting, photography, drawing, sculpture and video that engage in theories centered around power structures. Panoticon, from the Greek words for “all” and “sight,” refers to the ingenious late 18th and early 19th century architectural construction British philosopher Jeremy Bentham devised that became the ultimate surveillance machine (and ideal prison). Designed as a large circular building with a watch tower in the center, the Panopticon allowed the observer to observe at all times without being seen, creating the most invisible omniscient authority.

For more photo’s from the opening check out the flickr feed

Thurs, April 3rd
Munky King Melrose
7308 Melrose Ave in Los Angeles / 323.938.0091
Marka27 will release the new MG2 MEXICO (edition of 200) plus new original paintings, custom toys, and prints
www.munkyking.com

Fri, April 4th 8-11PM
La Luz De Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles / 323.666.7667
New works from Yumiko Kayukawa
(On view through April 27th)
www.laluzdejesus.com

Sat, April 5th 6:30-8:30PM
Robert Berman Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave, Space C2 in Bergamot Station in Santa Monica / 310.315.1937
“Brad Benedict’s Sideshow Part 2” with Van Arno, Attaboy, Anthony Ausgang, Colin Christian, Sas Christian, Ron English, Lori Field, Andrew Foster, Gregg Gibbs, Colin Johnson, Chris Peters, Mark Dean Vecca, Eric White, Robert Williams and more!
(On view through April 26th)
www.robertbermangallery.com

Sat, April 5th 8-11:30PM
Copro Nason Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave, Space T-5 at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica / 310.398.2643
“Blight” from Jeff Gillette + “The Start; or Where We Begin” from Noferin
(On view through April 26th)
www.copronason.com

Sat, April 5th
DDR Projects Gallery
1532 E. Broadway in Long Beach
“18 K Jungle” solo show from Hannah Stouffer
(On view through May 3rd)
www.ddrprojects.com

Sat, April 5th 8PM – 1AM ($6 at the door)
Hive Gallery
729 S. Spring St in downtown Los Angeles
3 Year Anniversary Show – The Denzians of Hiveland with featured artists Ken Garduno, Joshua Clay, Michelle “Mia” Araujo, Naomi Nowak and Dan Bigelow plus tons of add’l artists in the monthly group show and live performances, live painting, burlesque action and more
www.thehivegallery.com

Sat, April 5th 7-10PM
Kinsey / DesForges
6009 Washington Blvd. In Culver City / 310.837.1989
“From Fur To Bone” new works on paper from Ryan McLennan
(On view through May 10th)
www.kinseydesforges.com

Sat, April 5th 7-10PM
Melt Gallery
7522 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles / 323.851.7223
“Gag Me With A Toon” - Come out to the opening to check out all the celluoid inspired art
www.meltcomics.com

Sat, April 5th 8-11PM
Subliminal Projects
1331 W. Sunset Blvd in the Echo Park region of Los Angeles
“Art Is Not Peace But War” featuring new works from Blek Le Rat
(On view through May 2nd)
www.subliminalprojects.com

I first heard Tabla music while searching for new music online. I found a group called Tabla Beat Science and got their album Tala Matrix .I was pleasantly surprised to find TablaCentric at Machine Project in Echo Park during our ritual Sunday breakfast in Echo Park/Silver Lake.
TablaCentric is a month long project around Tabla, the traditional drums of North India that includes performances, film screenings, lessons and more.We had a chance to chat about Tabla with Robin Sukhadia and to catch him play for us for a minute or two. If you have a chance this week stop by and check it out, a Robot will be playing Tabla Thur April 3rd.

via The Groop

We just got an update from our friend Rachel Sumpter who is apparently going to take over the illustration business. We love Rachel’s work and it seems quite a few gallery owners and magazines share our opinion. You can check out her site or any of the following places-

McSweeney’s Issue 24

Ye Cave Dwellers Print

This weekend in NY, via Richard Heller Gallery

Hosfelt Gallery NY, April 11 - May 31, 100 Stories

Sunday LES, NY, Tenderly, May 29 - June 29, 2008
Aaron Baker, Ed Blackburn, Erik Bluhm, Martha Colburn, Carl D’Alvia, Edward del Rosario, Echo Eggebrecht, Joel Gibb, Brent Green, Kirk Hayes, Asuka Ohsawa, Ruby Osorio, Ryan Pierce, Hills Snyder, Rachell Sumpter & others
Reception: Thursday, May 29, 6-9 PM :

Society of Illustrators Los Angeles: Illustration West 46 Juried
Exhibition
March 29-May 6 2008
Reception Saturday March 29, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Junc Gallery
4017 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029
Web site: http://www.juncgallery.com
www.myspace.com/juncgallery

SI-LA Presents new work by established and emerging artist chosen for Illustration West 46 competition. Selected by renowned editorial, book and gallery painters and illustrators: John Hendrix, Josh Cochran , Mark Matcho, Noah Woods and Tim Egan the exhibition places established pros along side exciting newcomers giving viewers the chance for the first time to see the next generation of illustrators who are just beginning to make a name for themselves The exhibition is made possible with the support of The Society of
Illustrators Los Angeles .

Saturday Mar 22 6pm-10pm
Lab 101
8539 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 / T. 310 945 5974
Photography by Ashley Tibbits and David Horvitz
http://www.thelab101.com

Sat Mar 22
Chung King Project
936 Chung King Rd / 213.625.1802
For her debut solo bow in the United States, French artist Anne-Laure Sacriste shows new large-scale paintings at Chung King Project.
http://www.chungkingproject.com/

Sat Mar 22 (6-9pm).
See Line Gallery
1812 Berkeley St / 310.829.1727
New York artist Edgar Heap of Birds employs crude language, scribbled in pastel, to relay his sometimes cryptic messages.
http://www.seelinegallery.com/birds08pr.html

Sat Mar 22 (8pm-midnight)
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N La Brea Avenue / 323.969.0600
In the group show Anything Could Happen…, five international artists get together to celebrate the vibrancy of contemporary street art.
http://www.carmichaelgallery.com/future.html