LA ART NEWS Section B Volume 3 No.10 laartnews.com find us on Facebook February 2016
HOW DO YOU CREATE?
Q: WHY DID THE ARTIST CROSS THE STATE LINE? By Dani Dodge
The L.A. artists streamed across the Arizona border in Mazdas and late-model Hondas, in Toyota Siennas and at least one pretty Porsche, loaded with abstract paintings, conceptual photos and haunting videos. They passed the hours snacking on tangerines and doughnuts, Kit Kat bars and Lay’s potato chips, all washed down with coffee from Starbucks stores that dotted the highway from beginning to end. They carpooled. Drove with spouses. Took to the road solo. Thirteen in all. Destination: Tempe. “The desert looked like a moonscape in a good way,” said Kireilyn Barber, an artist focused on photobased media. “The light was filtering through the clouds and it was so soft and changing, even in the dusk you could see detail. It was so serene.” Twelve hours there and back (at the very least.) In between, two nights in a motel. “I love getting out and sharing my stuff with the world,” said painter David Spanbock. For a chance to show their work. For three hours.
Kio Griffith an artist and member of Artra Curatorial, takes a break from the road on his 7-hour drive from Tempe to Los Angeles the day after the show. Photo by Dani Dodge
This is the MAS Attack model. One night only. No sales allowed. Artists must be present. If the exhibit is outside of L.A., local artists are invited to show as well. MAS Attack X took place Jan. 23 at Fine Art Complex 1101, the gallery of former L.A. gallery owner Grant Vetter. “Maybe some people might not think it’s worth it,” mused Sijia Chen, a painter and photographer “But it’s a chance to meet artists from Arizona, to have real conversations with other artists from L.A.; it’s a chance support and expand your circle. “ Artra Curatorial has been hosting MAS Attack events since about 2013. (MAS stands for Mutual Appreciation Society.) The size of the shows have range from more than 200 artists in a Los Angeles show to about two dozen artists at out-of-state shows in places such Albuquerque and Tempe. The Artra Curatorial team, Max Presneill, Colton Stenke and Kio Griffith, came up with the idea while drinking tea at Presneill’s kitchen table. “We wanted to try to re-establish a sense of community and networking and to do that we wanted, to stay away from sales,” Presneill said. “No pressure. And it had to be one night. The most important aspect was it was the social aspect: making friendships and building relationships.” Griffith explained, “No one is competing.” Artists are chosen from Facebook nominations. Artra doesn’t even select the art. Artists just show up with their work in hand. continued on page 23
ROBERT WILLIAMS HONORED AT LA ART SHOW Artist Robert Williams was honored with a lifetime achievement award at this year’s L.A. Art Show, January 28. Williams pioneered what is now commonly called pop surrealism. At a time when realism in art was considered second-rate, he showed that he and other artists could paint realistic subjects with a narrative, and paint them well, in ways that drew on the imagination and touched viewers’ experiences, dreams and longings, and left windows open to interpretation. The award was presented in the “Littletopia” section of the Convention Center Show, a curated area for galleries and artists from Los Angeles and beyond who subscribe to Williams’ sensibilities. Williams was “recognized for his great contributions to creating a bigger better art world for all of us to enjoy.”
Artist Robert Williams and Littletopia co-curator Gregorio Escalante
The art of Robert Williams at Littletopia
Robert Williams and Littletopia co-curator Gregorio Escalante with Williams’ life achievement award designed by Jeff Gillette