Aug 10, 20175 min read

Maiden LA: No Summer Doldrums – August Art Happenings

Maiden LA. Eastside International. Photo Courtesy of the Artist(s).

Maiden LA: No Summer Doldrums –

August Art Happenings

By Genie Davis

Co-organized by Salomeh Grace and Molly Schulman, Maiden LA is a rich, county-wide canvas of art events. Taking place in galleries, alternative spaces, and throughout the city itself, the vast panoply of art events is as inclusive as it is eclectic. There are poetry readings, art workshops, glass blowing, films, photographs, performance art, even a faux bed & breakfast that culminates in a brunch from Katz’ Deli.

The program’s founders emphasize that their “egalitarian program…eschews corporate backing and is accessible to artists who find it difficult to navigate the art world’s various social and fiscal constructs.” In short, the wonderfully open exhibition is not only terrific and often experiential viewing, it serves as potent antidote to the crass, corporate political culture of our time and its effect on established arts organization.

The exhibition’s name is a riff on the Hammer Museum’s biennial “Made in LA.” The programming is designed to provide artists participating with complete autonomy. So the programming on tap, a strong mix of outside-the-box artistic endeavors and more traditional art exhibitions, is completely the choice of the artists. So much to see, so little time: August is no longer the month to take a long summer vacation. For a full listing of events, visit the Happenings section of the Maiden LA website, http://www.maiden.la/calendar2017/

Here’s a sampling of events.

Maiden LA. Diane Cockerill. Santa Fe Art Colony. Photo Courtesy of the Artist(s).

Last Saturday, August 5th, a group of 20 some Santa Fe Art Colony artists opened their doors for a self-guided art walk, snacks, and conversation.

Artist Shelly Heffler opened her Inglewood Studio for a look at her latest works; Independent curator Sagi Refael also opened his private residency initiative exploring Israeli Art inspired by Los Angeles, celebrating the conclusion of Rakefet Viner-Omer’s one month residency with a site-specific installation.

This Saturday through August 18th, Illuminating Threads, curated by Lydia Maria Pfeffer features the work of four artists, Megan Mueller, Vivi Fragou, and Alyss Estay with Zach Storm take on the visual subjects of time, plant life, and existence in a provocative group exhibition that deals with both the personal and nature itself. The Dalton Warehouse location is at 447 E. 32 Street.

In the evening, a number of more traditional art openings are on tap: Wares: Ceramics Traditions in Contemporary Practice features the work of Emma Echenique, Jo-hsin Chen, Grace Eunchong Lee, and Katy Krantz at Eastside International at 602 Moulton in Lincoln Heights; located in the Bendix Building, the art collective Tiger Strikes Astroid presents the lush Verdant Loop with Devon Tsuno, Hung Viet Nguyen and Erin Harmon. Also at the Bendix Building find an evening open studio with Jamie Hamilton. The Bendix Building is at 1206 Maple in DTLA.

Early evening on Sunday, the raw and exciting performance art of Encounter is on tap at Human Resources, 410 Cottage Home Street. Monday brings the first in three Monday performances at the diminutive Elevator Mondays. The cocktail to end all cocktails, Laura Salmon’s Havana Intoxication features a 40-gallo mojito made with Havana Rum. Elevator Mondays is located at 1026 Venice Blvd. – inside a converted freight elevator.

Thursday, August 10th, The Pasadena Central Library at 285 E. Walnut hosts a screening of Seth Lower’s film Tours of the Arroyo: Flowing Water, Fruitful Valley a documentary about the Arroyo Seco tributary of the Los Angeles River.

Friday the 11th, Ashma Champagne is at LAAA with a live Sumi in painting demonstration at 731 Moulton Avenue in Lincoln Heights. In mid-city, at Muzeumm, 4811 W. Adams Blvd., Lena Moross exhibits her large-scale impressionistic ink and water color paintings.

On Saturday, there’s a double bill at the Torrance Art Museum, 3320 Civic Center Drive in Torrance. Elena Roznovan starts the afternoon with an immersive dance performance that includes live-streamed GoPro footage. Stay at the museum for The Rad, Bad, and Sad Show, a comedy-infused discussion of LA architecture.

Sunday August 13th, Shoebox Projects presents an afternoon reception for artist-in-residence Mike McLain, as he researches family history, race, and the American past. Shoebox Projects is located in the Brewery Art Complex at 660 South Avenue 21 #3 LA Ca 90031 .

Maiden LA. Mike McLain. Shoebox Projects. Photo Courtesy of the Artist(s).

In the evening the Downtown Dance & Movement at 1144 S. Hope Street offers a sampling of works in progress from Los Angeles choreographers from ballet to hip hop. The following weekend, at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, 4100 S. La Cienega, artist Syney Croskery sets up a pot luck picnic for female and female-identifying artists. At Matousek Glassworks and Pine Needle Basketry and Gourd Art, the open studio August 19th and 20th runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and offers a display of glass art and a microwave kiln class for visitors to shape small fused glass pieces for jewelry. The studio is located at 10352 Glory Ave. in Los Angeles.

Across town, Friday August 25th the Getty Museum at 1200 Getty Drive hosts an evening performance of Friday Flights with Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Scott Benzel, & Psychic Ills. A live score accompanies site-specific piece.

Another performance takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. until midnight at One House Art Experience Museum at 5342 McCulloch Avenue in Temple City. Forest is an exhibition featuring 120 artists age 2.5 to 14, who have transformed the exhibition space into a forest of art.

Maiden LA. Home LA. Photo Courtesy of the Artist(s).

HomeLA runs Saturday in the early evening at a Larchmont location that will be disclosed to those requesting tickets. The Way Light Moves Through is a timed entry performance at a private home that focuses on the visual quality of light and a durational performance. HomeLA provides a platform to independent dance, body-based, sound, and intermedia artists at various stages of their careers to develop new works and one-of-a-kind performances in response to the architecture and ethos of Los Angeles homes.

On Sunday, at 3307 W. Washington Blvd., Katz’s Deli Residency brings a month-long Bed & Breakfast to a close with a noon to five deli brunch and a discussion on hosting an embodied exhibition practice.

Maiden LA. Bed and Breakfast. Photo Courtesy of the Artist(s).

Also on Sunday beginning at noon, Molly Schulman & Sarah Vandersall host Afternoon Tea in Two Rooms: Sweety-Sweets and Chatty-Chats or Ephemeral Death Rituals or Both!! at 5507 Santa Monica Blvd. Ste. 6 in Los Angeles. The artists host an afternoon tea in their East Hollywood Studio, offering tea sandwiches and several rooms of dialog and performative space.