After two weeks being spoiled by the LA sunshine, ArtAttack is back in London and back on the blog! For those who haven’t traveled to the City of Angels lately, I’m happy to report that the art scene is booming. To give you an idea of the diversity and depth of LA’s art world, here are three of our favourite shows from this most recent visit.
1) Otis College of Art & Design, MA Graduate Show
As you’ve probably noticed already, uni shows are a soft spot for me. I find few things as exciting as discovering emerging talent, and school exhibitions are of course some of the best places to do so. This particular show took place in the Otis College graduate students’ own studios, so the vibe was casual — works in progress mingling with completed pieces, and tables filled with candy, food and drink lining the hallways. Like any show, I did not love everything I saw, but the thing is, the pieces that did stand out to me, are still at the forefront of my mind almost 2 weeks later — that’s definitely a testament to the talent in the room. Here are a few of these works:
*Apologies for the lack of credits here, but it was a bit confusing to figure out who was who. If this is your work, or you know the artist, feel free to comment and I will amend.
2) ‘Rob Reynolds: Vanishing Point‘ at LAXART
This exhibition is quintessentially California. From a giant sans-spines cactus ushering you in at the entrance, to a majestic hanging landscape of mountains and sky cutting through the main room, to the small, almost kitsch rainbow perched solo on a giant white wall. This show really is Cali — blue skies, stunning nature, a relaxed attitude and a respect for fun. It feels like artist, Rob Reynolds’, ode to the golden state and is definitely a must for anyone visiting between now and 30th May.
3) LACMA ’50 for 50′
Marking the Los Angeles County Museum of Art‘s 50th anniversary, this exhibition, themed “gratitude,” showcases 50 gifts recently pledged to the institution by various donors. Including exciting works by David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Claude Monet, as well as more obscure pieces like an 18th c. Guinean headdress once belonging to Henri Matisse, this show is beautifully varied and takes you on a ride through multiple periods, styles and genres. Because of the diversity of work on view, you never really settle into the exhibition — you might find a James McNeill Whistler drawing next to an enormous wooden surfboard — so you really have to keep on your toes! This makes for a pulsing and truly living atmosphere not often found in such an established museum.
– India Irving
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