FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ARTS & CULTURE

Welcome to the Presence Almanac.

Immersing myself in arts & culture and embracing public spaces is where I feel inspired and discover artists within our community.

I see the world through an aerial, cartographic lens and curate these chronicles to serve as beautiful maps for you to explore.

Life flows from the happiest, most natural version of you.

Yet “not enough time” becomes a scapegoat for neglecting your dreams and entertaining worries that erode your spiritual foundation.

Thus, these weekly chronicles are published as a gift of time & space - to vision, to listen to your intuition and to let your mind wander.

On each page, high-res photos of artwork and ambient images of events will allow you to witness a level of detail reminiscent of my true experience.

The artists featured in this First Chronicle are sourced from three galleries in Los Angeles, California.

In January, I traveled to the Culver City Arts District and visited Blum & Poe. My brother joined me during this reception, and visitors filled each floor for the opening of Friedrich Kunath’s, “I Don’t Know The Place, But I Know How To Get There.”

Standing within inches of a massive painting and peering at the details is when I feel an artist’s presence — one of the many clues that lead to designing this almanac, and sharing what it’s like to be here... right now.

In March, I developed a fondness for Kohn Gallery in Hollywood. My first surprise? This bright space existing two miles away from my current neighborhood of five years.

During my first visit, I appreciated Ilana Savdie’s work and began chatting with Livia Bowman about the gallery’s programming - leading to my attendance of Nir Hod’s and Alicia Adamerovich’s shows.

Yet it was Ricardo Cabret‘s abstract paintings that depict memories of Puerto Rican landscapes in Un Nuevo Manglar that affirmed Kohn Gallery as a dependable favorite.

They’re currently showing Martha Alf’s Opposites and Contradictions (closing August 5) and most of these works were made in the 1970s.

And lastly — ever since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve been drawn to the streets that make up Downtown.

I naturally recall each district’s map, and love documenting beautiful moments in the Historic Core, Arts District, Chinatown, South Park, Westlake, Skid Row, and more.

The Fashion District has become a particular favorite, and my first time visiting Luis De Jesus was on a Saturday afternoon.

Parking on Mateo St and seeing the sun set behind the Downtown skyline was another clue of how I would select recommendations to share with the rest of the world.

Throughout 2023, their exhibitions continue to impress - Jean Lowe’s Light and Space striking a chord, and work by Chris Engman, Carla Jay Harris, Vian Sora and Erik Olson’s current show The Mountain and the Sea (closing August 5) cementing Luis’s gallery as a reliable space to discover talented artists.

Weekly features are selected to amplify people and places that aid the advancement of arts & culture. Eventually, I’ll showcase more of my own work too.

To begin, here’s a map I painted over the weekend of the neighborhoods you’re about to explore.

Enjoy :)

Sincerely,

Elliott Desai