Jan 182014
 

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Karen Apollonia Müller– Images from the show Far Out

Müller’s photos, currently at Diane Rosenstein Fine Art, are made by altering raw data taken from NASA/JPL.  These abstract images present a new way of looking at the universe and our place within it. There are three series within the show- Citylights, Worldlights and Starlights.

This show closes on 1/18.

Jan 102014
 

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Phranc at Craig Krull Gallery

From the press release:

Phranc, best known as The All-American Jewish Lesbian folksinger, is also a self-described “Cardboard Cobbler,” who fashions cardboard, paper, gouache, and thread into life-size, three-dimensional replications of everyday objects. As a teenager, Phranc attended The Feminist Studio Workshop at The Woman’s Building in Los Angeles, but she traces her obsession with cardboard back to childhood. She says, “From the time I sat in my first refrigerator box submarine, I knew the cardboard sea was for me.” Her first exhibition at Craig Krull Gallery, Phranc of California (Summer of 2011), consisted of hand-crafted beach paraphernalia, such as swimsuits, inflatable rafts, umbrellas and beach balls. For her new exhibition, Winter, Phranc will exhibit painted paper and cardboard snowshoes, ski sweaters, ski pants, lift tickets, and even a shiny new red sled! In these trompe l’oeil re-creations of nostalgic winter items, Phranc remarks upon the reconstruction and idealization of memories.

These whimsical cardboard constructions are great. This show is on view until 1/11/14.

Curious about Phranc’s music?- check out this video-

 

Jan 102014
 

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John Divola– from the series- Dogs Chasing My Car in the Desert

At the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, another part of the John Divola show, As Far As I Could Get, currently also at LACMA, is open until 1/12.

The Dogs series was shot from Divola’s car as the dogs in the desert chased him while he was photographing abandoned buildings (these images make up another section of the show). According to Divola (when he spoke at LACMA), despite their menacing appearance in the photos, many of the dogs were friendly and mostly just excited to see someone new.

A separate show of Divola’s work called Echo Chamber is at Gallery Luisotti in Bergamot Station until 1/18.

Jan 042014
 

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Arthur Rothstein– Gee’s Bend, Alabama (Artelia Bendolph)

At the Window: The Photographer’s View is also at the Getty Museum until 1/5. It showcases various famous photographers (including Gregory Crewdson, Éugéne Atget, Walker Evans, Shizuka Yokomizo and Uta Barth, among many others) who used windows as their framing device.

Jan 042014
 

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Images from Abelardo Morell: The Universe Next Door 

Morell’s camera obscura images are incredible. His current show at The Getty Museum closes this weekend (1/5).  The Getty site provides a lot of information about his process and his other works in the show.

If you miss this, he also has a show at Rose Gallery in Bergamot station until 1/18/14.

Jan 032014
 
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Kent Twitchell– “Elizabeth”

LAMAG’s current show contains a wide range of works in various forms of media. If you are headed to Barnsdall Park, make sure to check it out. It closes this weekend on 1/5.

 

Jan 022014
 

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Karen Carson– Big Job (Case International Combine)

Karen Carson’s paintings of farm machines are dramatic, beautiful and at times, huge (the ones on unstretched canvas are between 9 and 12 ft high). Her current show at Rosumund Felsen Gallery, will have you looking at tractors in a whole new way. It is on view until Saturday, 1/4.

Dec 312013
 

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Mark Stock- “HOLLYWOOD: UNCOVERED”

Currently at Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Mark Stock’s show is built around a film noir-like story. Images of famous Hollywood figures are embedded in paintings of the Hollywood sign; a woman is seen digging up a mysterious box; and trompe l’oleil paintings of postcards and notes taped to chalkboards are on another wall of the gallery.

Mark Stock has his own connection to Hollywood- his paintings have appeared in films and he also created a poster for the Telluride film festival.

Dec 212013
 

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Jordi Alcaraz- Ideas of Sculpture

The works in Altered States, Jordi Alcaraz’s current show at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, consistently challenge viewers perceptions. The glass frames surrounding drawings, paintings and sculptures are often broken or warped, where objects may have tried to get in or out. In others, it is the object itself that is being altered.  The works get more intriguing as you progress through the gallery.

The show closes 12/21/13.

Dec 182013
 

Len Lye’s A Colour Box (1935)

If you missed the show at Roberts & Tilton, here is one of the works from it. This piece, by New Zealand artist Len Lye, was the first direct film screened to a general audience. Set to La Belle Créole by Don Baretto and his Cuban Orchestra, it was made by painting directly on the celluloid.