944

A Snapshot of the Creative Culture that is LA

Artful Destinations

Resnick Pavilion

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art got a new look when it opened the striking Broad Contemporary Museum last year, designed by Renzo Piano. This month, it opens the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion, named for patrons Lynda and Stewart Resnick, who donated $10 million in art. At 45,000 square-feet, the building is the largest naturally lit museum space in the world.

5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | 323.857.6000 | lacma.org

Light and Wire Gallery

This web-based gallery views art non-traditionally. Young and under-represented local artists including Heather Cook, Candace Nycz, Greg Wilken, Jill Spector, Emilie Halpern, Chris Lipomi and Michael Smoler are displayed.

lightandwiregallery.com

See Line Gallery

See Line is an exhibition space dedicated to supporting LA-based contemporary artists in all art mediums. Owner Janet Levy says that interesting LA-based artists to keep an eye out for are Todd Gray (Michael Jackson’s personal photographer in the '80s), Ebony G. Patterson, Karen Loforen and Matt Lucero, who will show in November.

8687 Melrose Ave., Ste. B274, West Hollywood | seelinegallery.com

Wonderland Gallery

The Wonderland of Kat Von D’s invention is indeed a twisted one, but the infamous LA Ink star makes just as strong of a case for the legitimacy of her brand-new West Hollywood contemporary art gallery as she does for the body art that made her a household name. Situated adjacent to her legendary High Voltage Tattoo Shop, Wonderland Gallery will feature revolving exhibitions curated by Von D herself and marked of her distinct artistic vision.

1257 N. La Brea Avenue, West Hollywood | wonderlandla.com

Eighth Veil

A contemporary art exhibition and publishing house, Eighth Veil supports artists by providing the much-needed studio space to produce their work in. Eighth Veil supports saving printed media, noting its importance to artists.

7174 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles | 323.645.6639 | eighthveil.org

Artist Close-Up:

Jun Cha, Tattoo Artist

944: How did you start tattooing?
Jun Cha: I started tattooing at about sixteen years old. I was basically exposed to it by a couple of friends of mine, and I grew up in West LA where there is a very strong tattooing presence because you have Venice Beach nearby. I didn’t take it that seriously at first, but once I got my hands into the art it kind of snowballed.

944: What makes you unique as a tattoo artist?
JC: I know plenty of great artists that work really, really hard and I follow that ethic. But for me, in terms of tattooing, I always try and push beyond what’s possible and what’s been done. I try to see tattooing as a whole, holistic culture. And because tattooing has kind of expanded in a weird monstrous way, in my opinion, I really like to focus on the foundations of where it comes from — which is art — and I think that’s unique.

944:What is your personal definition of an artist?
JC: I would say that anyone that can communicate and create a dialogue out of nothing is an artist, and those that can do it elegantly are great artists.

Steve Roden

Roden is a Pasadena-based artist who has amassed an international following in a 20 year career, and is now being honored in his hometown with Steve Roden: In Between, a 20-Year Survey at the Pasadena Armory Center for the Arts through January 2011. Check out the artwork of a local up-and-comer before he becomes even more famous. On October 28 at 7:30 p.m., Roden is doing a free performance of his sound art using found instruments and old records.

145 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena. | 626.792.5101

Helena Gullstrom

Helena Gullstrom is fresh off her solo exhibit at the Continental in Downtown LA. “The exhibit I just finished had a very urban feel to it,” says Gullstrom. I live Downtown and my work was very inspired by downtown living and the textures and materials that're in the area.” Right now, Gullstrom is finishing up new pieces for her next exhibit. She supports the Downtown Art Walk, which she has seen develop over the past years, “I support any movement which produces art which is foremost an original expression and not a result of a passing trend,” she says

helenagullstrom.com

EXHIBITS NOT TO BE MISSED:

10.30.10 - 12.18.10

Andy Warhol Camouflage
Honor Fraser Gallery
2622 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles | 310.837.0191 | honorfraser.com

10.02.10 - 10.31.10

Street Beat with Dray Willmore, Scott Thur, Scott Horton, and more!
Jeanie Madsen Gallery
1431 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica | 310.393.7436 | jeaniemadsengallery.com

10.12.10 - 11.07.10

Nature LA: Tom Wright
G2 Gallery
1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice | 310.452.2842 | theg2gallery.com

PRIME ART NEIGHBORHOODS:

Culver City

These historic streets have graced the silver screen more than a few times in its day and continues to inspire film, TV and the arts well into today. With studios scattered across the city, this district proves to constantly enrich creative minds daily.

Susanne Vielmetter
6006 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles | 310.837.2117 | vielmetter.com

Blum & Poe
2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles | 310.863.2062 | blumandpoe.com

Scion Installation L.A.
3521 Helms Ave., Cluver City | 310.815.8840 | scion.com/space/index.html

Platine Bakery
10850 Washington Blvd., Culver City | 310.559.9933 | platinecookies.com

Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City | 310.559.6300 | royal-t.org

NoHo

NoHo, also known as the newly emerging Art District of Los Angeles brings together all forms of art from dance and theater to music and cuisine. With a diverse assemblage of indoor and outdoor galleries and progressive venues, this community delivers art to the greater population of North Hollywood with ease.

Cella Gallery
5229 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood | 213.291.7908 | cellagallery.com

The NoHo Arts Center
11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood | 818.508.7101 | thenohoartscenter.com

Shop Art

Blood is the New Black

Mitra Khayyam set out to accomplish three goals when she started BITNB in 2004. First, she wanted to display the works of emerging artists, designers and photographers. Second, she wanted to introduce both fashion and the arts to her followers. Finally, she wanted to create a stylish yet comfortable line of T-shirts.

bloodisthenewblack.com

Ten Women Venice

This Venice boutique boasts 10,000 square feet of space devoted to local female artisans who paint, make jewelry and knit. The woman ringing up the exclusive artwork you buy might have created it. On October 2, Ten Women celebrates Dia de los Muertos.

1237 Abbot Kinney Blvd.| 310.452.2256 | tenwomengallery.com

John Baldessari Interactive App

The first ever app created by a contemporary artist, In Still Life 2001-2010 done by Los Angeles famed artist John Baldessari allows users to devise a fresh spin on his rendition of 17th century Dutch still life.

Available on iTunes or foryourart.com

Pepin Moore

Nestled in the heart of LA’s Chinatown, surrounded by neon-lit, pagoda-style facades housing kitschy gift shops and dive bars, stands Pepin Moore, the newest addition to the throng of unassuming gallerieson back-alley Chung King Road.

“We really wanted a space in Chinatown because of the art community that has developed there over the past decade,” says co-founder Genevieve Pepin. “We were fortunate enough to be offered the space in which the very first gallery in Chinatown, [the now-defunct] China Art Objects, opened over ten years ago.”

Preceded by a successful soft-opening with a guest-curated group show, Pepin Moore’s inaugural solo-exhibition, featuring Emily Halpern's photography, video, sculpture and slide installations, is currently on view through October 22, and will be followed by the work of photographer/illustrator/musician Justin Cole from October 29 to December 5.

In addition to its program of solo-exhibitions, the gallery has launched Second Story, an ongoing presentation featuring artist-made multiples, ranging from limited edition prints to small sculptural objects. “The concept of Second Story is to provide a space for artists to present works that otherwise would not be shown in an exhibition context, and provide budding as well as seasoned art collectors with accessible works, both in scale and cost,” Pepin says.

After a two-week launch in the main space, Second Story has made its permanent home in the upstairs, open-air loft portion of the gallery, where it will run alongside the regular program. In tandem with each solo-exhibition, featured artists will create an edition specific to the show itself to be sold alongside the various other editions.

944 Chung King Road, Los Angeles | 213.359.6157 | pepinmoore.com