A new site-specific sculptural installation is opening at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont on November 13th. Artist Brandon Lomax combines fine art and scientific horticulture in vividly motion-filled sculptures. His art in the garden is beautifully designed to fit the environment. Immersive experiences tied to natural cycles are the thematic components of many of his many sculptural and installation works. Empathetic and encompassing, Lomax reminds viewers and exhibition participants of their place in the universe.
In this exhibition, Lomax’s sculptural works will be shown at various stages of completion, from fully fired clay works as durable as stone, to unfired clay pieces more vulnerable to the weather and natural garden elements. Guided by garden horticulturists, Lomax has embedded some works with native plant species. During the exhibition, which will run until June 2022, these unfired works will disintegrate and rejoin the soil, their once solid forms replaced by new plants.
The work is designed to reference many meanings about place, restoration, and diversity, reminding viewers that we’re all vital contributors, and instilling the hope that human beings can celebrate our own biodiversity. Lomax’s wish is for us to work together to create a more positive symbiotic relationship with each other and the earth itself. Lomax himself is currently completely a master’s degree in ecology at the Burren College of Art in County Clare, Ireland.
His works here suggest the impermanent transience of population diversity within a given place. Some pieces, just like plants and people, last far longer than others, with the fired works serving as monuments to sustainability, and unfired pieces representing the natural cycle of selection and species dominance.
On opening day, Lomax will be onsite at the California Botanic Garden for some public workshops. While space is limited, viewers can participate in a public installation using unfired clay infused with native plant seeds to create small sculptures. These will be added to the artist’s own large-scale installation. Participants are encouraged to return periodically to the site over its 7-month span to see how their own sculptural works transform to native flora. To check availability, visit https://www.calbg.org/events-programs/events
Garden hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members; tickets: https://www.calbg.org/
Looking for a place to spend the night? Well, you can’t stay overnight – at least not yet – although that may be in future plans, but you can, and should, spend the evening Elsewhere at The Madcap Motel.
Located in DTLA’s arts district, the immersive mix of walk-through theater and clever art installation might remind you a bit of Meow Wolf’s immersive offerings, and also reminded me, at least, of the 2019 film Bad Times at the El Royale, but it’s entirely unique.
Motel “guests” check-in at a comfortable lobby and wait their turn to enter, entertained by an improv-prolific maid who serves as de-facto leader of small groups of motel guests into another waiting room, a motel-suite.
From there, you’ll meet a mad, or semi-mad, scientist, various walking shrubbery, mysterious maids and other staff, and explore a wide range of surreal and super fun room installations.
You’ll travel into a storyline that is all about time travel, alternate dimensions, and the mysterious disappearance of one J.D. Sando, the motel’s original owner. You’ll uncover weird worlds and a variety of possibly illicit relationships in the bargain.
There are plenty of photographable moments for your social media sharing of choice, as well as lively improvisational performances, super cool miniatures, and a clever path through one door into another room and into another time.
Along with the elements of a missing person and assignations – noir aspects that brought to my mind the Jeff Bridges-starring El Royale film, there is of course a distinct hip art vibe coupled with Alice in Wonderland.
From the minute dioramas…
…to the oversized, step-inside TV and giant chair, guests enter one White Rabbit hole after another.
It’s a lot of fun and has a more intimate feel than other installation experiences, involving its “travellers” interactively with character encounters as well as experiential rooms.
Yes, a smoke effect may transport you into space, a beam of light lure you down a distant corridor, and a visit to the very “alive” greenery-filled courtyard encourage you to sit awhile.
You’ll also be privy to false doors and magical mirrors, an enormous blue/green coral reef, vehicles trapped inside walls and others filled with a jungle of plants.
There’s groan-worthy broad humor, lively performances, and abundant art and design, but above all else, your stay comes with a special kind of room service – a willing transcendance of disbelief into a magical throwback of pure fun.
You’ll find rooms at a slant and floating furniture; strange emerald green plants alight in terrariums; miniature desserts and towns and undersea life caught inside incandescent portholes, and more.
The experience takes somewhere around 90 minutes, and guests of all ages will enjoy their mini-vacation. We sure did!
Like any good traveler, if you want to bring home a souvenir from your trip, you can do that, too.
Tickets are $40 for adults; $30 for kids; 3 and under are free. Purchase in advance online.
Saturday and Sunday Halloween weekend, the Bendix building rooftop became an awesome party spot with High Beams #5 Night Moves.
Exciting and radiant against a backdrop of DTLA skyline, exhibiting artists showcased art that glowed, moved, spun, or simply dazzled in its own right.
Exhibiting artists included:Eugene Ahn, Ismael de Anda III, Ilona Berger, Chelsea Boxwell, Nicolas Cienfuegos, Elizabeth Folk, Leslie Foster, Ricardo Harris-Fuentes, Iva Gueorguieva, Jamie Hamilton, Ariel Huang, Ben Jackel, Kellan Barnebey King, Sharon Levy, Kim Marra, Justin Michell, Robert Moya, Jorge Mujica, Hagop Najarian, Larissa Nickel, Liz Nurenberg, Laura Ricci, Molly Schulman, Karim Shuquem, Christina Shurts, Mitch Temple, Josh Vasquez, Andrew Wingler, and Surge Witrön. Curators Carl Baratta and Katya Usvitsky of TSALA and Dani Dodge and Sean Noyce of Durden and Ray brought together artists from their collectives, as well as from 515, CACtTUS, Last Ditch, LAST Projects, Monte Vista Projects, Museum Adjacent, and San Francisco Artists Alumni
There were kinetic sculptures, projected images, sculptures – including a climbable and thrilling net hammock, banners, paintings, and audio work. If you missed it, you snoozed. Plus, attendees came in costume and the city glittered, as well as the red neon Bendix sign towering not-that-high above.
There was drone and interactive computer magic from Eugene Ahn, Ismael de Anda III…
Jorge Mujica and Gerardo Romero offered a deep blue blaze of glory aligned with the skyline, below.
Light danced on a mirrored city by Nicolas Cienfuegos…
Justin Mitchell and Kellan Barnebey King spun revolving, riveting color.
Karim Shuquem created the black-box magic of the motion of atoms (per the artist) in his glowing sculptural installation, below.
It’s a bird, it’s not really a plane but a wonderful, playfully curated sculpture from Ben Jackel, below.
Jamie Hamilton’s nylon and steel climbable “Net.”
Robert Moya’s beautifully detailed wood panels survived winds at installation…
Chelsea Boxwell delighted with a glittery textile passageway, above and below.
Pulsating with light, the cocoon of Laura Ricci’s “Ones Left Behind,” images below.
Elizabeth Folk and Mark Brobo offered “A Desert Spritz” of fun performance art and projected image.
Ariel Wang, below; above, collaborative magic from Last Projects by artists including Ilona Berger, above.
Black light made this gorgeous piece vibrate from Ricardo Harris-Fuentes.
Ephemeral work from Iva Gueorguieva, below, suspended on wire.
Golden work from Mitch Temple, bathed in red light, above.
A collaboration of artists connecting through “Zoom Connecting.” Among the creators were Hagop Najarian and Leslie Foster, above and below.
Auditory sculptural experience from Liz Nurenberg, below.
Each artist and the event curators created stellar work and a costumed art party that served the perfect blend of spirits for All Hallows Eve.
Subjective calendar list for the next two weeks ahead — subjective as in what interests me that’s opening and running, plus a listing of other shows that grab me via Heather Lowe.
Did we miss something? Please drop up a comment or email and perhaps we can add – make sure you have location and opening/closing dates! NOTE: If it says “Don’t Miss” below listing info, it means I have seen the show, or I am acquainted with past iterations of it and highly recommend. If I do not write those words, it only means I haven’t visited yet.
ENJOY – get out there – wear a mask – get a booster – support artists!
Night Moves at Bendix Rooftop – High Beams
High Beams Collective, Halloween Edition #5 “Night Moves” Bendix Building Rooftop, 1206 Maple Ave. October 30th and 31st 8-10 p.m. Costumes suggested, masks required Facebook.com/HighBeamsArt; www.HighBeams.art DON’T MISS
Aimee Mandala “Get to Work” Studio 347 San Pedro 347 W. 7th Street November 4 – 30th
Linda Sue Price, Debbie Korbel, and others in group show Homesick Aliens 564 N. Larchmont Homesickaliensart.com November 6th opening, ongoing
Group Show, “Structure” (Mela Marsh, HK Zamani, Chelsea Dean, Stevie Love, other artists) MOAH (Museum of Art and History) Lancaster, CA www.lancastermoah.org through December 26th AND MOAH Cedar “Perceive Me” Group Show curated by Kristine Schomaker through 12/12 DON’T MISS EITHER ONE
Ghost Visions, Joy Ray
Joy Ray “Ghost Visions” Shockboxx Hermosa Beach (IRL and online) ShockBoxx Gallery info@shockboxxproject.com 636 Cypress Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Closing event October 31st. DON’T MISS
Leonardo Bravo Big City Forum Stairwell LA Gallery space open Thurs-Saturday text/email 213.700.0700 or stairwellgalleryla@gmail.com November 7- December 5
“Synesthesia” – Wonzimer at the Los Angeles Athletic Club 431 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014 Victory Ballroom, 4th Floor 3D VIEWING ROOM ‘SYNESTHESIA’ wonzimerinfo@gmail.com October 7th – 28th DON’T MISS
Sacred Waters at MASH
Haleh Mashian “Sacred Waters” MASH Gallery 1325 Palmetto St Ste 130, Los Angeles, CA 90013 through December 1st
Brendan Lott, Pascal Shirley atWalter Maciel 2642 s. La Cienega, LA 90024, info@waltermacielgallery.com November 6th- December 23
More cool openings and closings
Megan Francis, “Canopy of Dreams”
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 30, 2021, 10am-5pm
Gallery 825
825 North La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Opulent Mobility 2021 curated by A. Laura Brody and Anthony Tusler
Closing reception Saturday, Oct. 30th, artist talk 10 a.m.-12 p.m; exhibit space open from 1 – 5
Wingwalker Brewery, 235 W. Maple Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016
DON’T MISS
from Opulent Mobility, listing above
Bob Burchman: New and Recent Paintings
As Is Gallery, 1133 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90015
October 30 – December 18, Artist’s reception: Saturday, October 30, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Eugene Daub: Monumental Artist Talk and Exhibition Tour
Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
November 3, 2021; Talk: 10:30am – 11:30am, Exhibition Tour: Noon
Also at PVAC:
Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? Revelations!”Bernard Fallon, Bondo Wyszpolski, and live music by Brad Webster
November 6, 2021, 2pm – 4pm Register at Eventbrite
Kelly Akashi, “Faultline”
Ghebaly Gallery
November 5 – December 4, 2021; Opening Friday, November 5, 6 – 9pm
2245 E Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
3 Solo Shows: Anne Libby, Paul Heyer, Elizabeth Jaeger; Also: Grant Levy Lucero
Night Gallery
2276 East 16th Street LA, CA 90021 November 6- December 11, Tuesday – Saturday, 11am-6pm
UPCOMING:
“A Century of California Women Artists”
Saturday November 13th from 6-9pm opening; through January
Brand Library and Art Center
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale CA 91205
THREE SOLO EXHIBITIONS: NICOLAS GRENIER, EDRA SOTO, LAURA KARETZKY
Nov. 13- Dec. 22; opening Nov. 13 3-7 p.m.
Luis De Jesus
1110 Matteo St., LA, CA 90021
Alison Raggulette, “Liminal”
Diane Berger Gallery at Mt. San Antonio College
Opening reception: November 18, 5 p.m.; through December
Building 1 B, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut, CA 91789
DON’T MISS
Betzi Stein, “ART WORLD FRIENDS AND STRANGERS”
November 17 – December 11, 2021; opening: Nov. 20, 4-8 pm
Tag Gallery
5458 Wilshire Blvd LA, CA 90036
DON’T MISS
Below, compiled by artist Heather Lowe:
June Edmonds “Joy of Other Suns” Luis de Jesus 1110 Mateo Street, L.A., CA 90021 ends Oct. 30th
Leigh Salgado “As the World Turns” Launch Gallery 170 S. La Brea, L.A., 90036 ends Nov 13, 2021 DON’T MISS
Michelle Robinson “You Are (Not) Here” Keystone Art Space, 338 S. Ave. 16, L.A. 90031 “Origin” (group show) new gallery in Keystone Art Space, IDOLWILD Gallery, #A4 both end Oct. 31
“LA Painting” curated by Saloman Huerta ART BUG Gallery 2441 Hunter Street, unit B, L.A., CA 90023 ends Nov. 20th
“The Scribes” Group Show Roswell Space, 3050 Roswell Street, L.A. CA 90065 ends Nov. 7th DON’T MISS
“Funhouse” RDFA, Rory Devine, 3209 W Washington Blvd., L.A., 90018 WED-SAT 12-6 ends Nov. 20th
“Creative Exchange” Group Show SoLA Contemporary 3718 W. Slauson Ave., L.A. 90043. Thurs-Sat 11-4 ends Nov. 6 DON’T MISS
Robert Gunderman Diane Rosenstein Gallery “The Quiet Beliefs” 831 N. Highland Ave., L.A. 10-6 Tues-Sat. ends Dec. 4
Genie Davis; Heather Lowe – photos provided by gallery
