Kim Abele's Review by Shana Nys Dambrot in THE Magazine
Currently we have one exhibit installed at our Downtown Title Guarantee Space. We do not plan to have exhibits in Downtown LA until late Fall.
Current Phantom Galleries Summer 2009
Long Beach 15 locations
Miracle Mile 1 location
Upcoming May
Chamane
"Cactus World"
French artist, Chamane, will debut his collection Cactus World at his first solo
exhibit in the US.
Curated by Faraci Art
Contact Person:Christine Faraci at
Faraci Art + Design
310-490-6650
christine@faraciart.com
Faraciart.com
Location: Pacific Electric Lofts, 610 S. Main Street, Los Angeles
Dates:
Artist Reception: Saturday, May 9th from 7:00 - 11:00pm.
Open for the Downtown LA Art Walk May 14, 2009
Having emerged out of Europe's underground art scene, Chamane's work has responded to the growing demand for modern urban-expressionism. With Cactus World Chamane uses the cactus as to symbolize the human being as varied in individual expression but still rooted to the society in which we each live; shaped by our education, culture, and community.
Chamane’s collection is his commentary on the rising political and social changes in the world. Each painting depicts a central cactus combined with universal symbols that dominate our modern society. The cacti represent icons in art, pop culture, and politics emoting his sentiment which ranges anywhere from a positive interpretation to a rebellious response.
In an homage to his recent move to Mexico City, accompanying the cacti collection will be a series of painted skulls which represent Chamane’s interpretation of the Mexican Day of the Dead culture where the skull represents the soul. True to his urban, pop aesthetic Chamane blends the traditional with the modern, incorporating elements of lucha libre wrestling masks into the painted skulls. Chamane pictures himself as a pacifist warrior. His brushes and his colors are his weapons, his characters his army.
The exhibit is curated by Faraci Art + Design and produced in collaboration with Phantom Galleries Los Angeles. Music for the opening reception will be provided by WaxOn WaxOff Recordings.
Current Downtown LA Exhibits
Cyril Helnwein
Closing Reception Sunday, April 26, 2009 2-6pm
"Downtown"
new photographic works
Curated by
Edgar Varela
Opening: Saturday, April 11, 2009 7-10pm
Hosted by Danny Masterson
Open for the Downtown Art Walk April 9, 2009 6-9pm
Open by appointment
Artist Contact:
EdgarVarelaFineArts.com
www.CyrilHelnwein.com
Location:
610 S Main Street, PE Lofts 90013
Sponsored by PAMA, Hpnotiq & Honest Tea.
Past Downtown LA Exhibits
CARBON STUDIES
One of three solo exhibitions by Arts District Artist
Kim Abeles on view in LA
A selection of Abeles’ Smog Collectors and Signs of Life
Curated by Liza Simone and Edgar Varela
Artist Reception: March 1st 4pm - 7pm
Dates: February 12 – March 6, 2009
Phantom Galleries LA @ The Continental Building
408 S. Spring Street., Los Angeles, CA 90013
(corner of Spring and 4th)
Artist Reception March 1, 2009
4-7 pm
February 12 – March 6, 2009
Hours:
Saturdays + Sundays, 11-4 or by appointment: 213 494-7608
Open during CAA:
February 23- March 1, 11 AM-7 PM
Media Contact: Liza Simone 213.626.2854
Funded in part by The Art's District Los Angeles River Business & Artists Association
Carbon Studies is one of three concurrent solo exhibitions featuring the work of Kim Abeles during February/March in Southern California. Each show has a thematic context, made possible by the prolific nature of this artist. The work is always ambitious in approach, socially relevant, and reverent to hand-constructed art forms.
Carbon Studies explores her Smog Collectors (paintings made from the smog in the air), and Signs of Life series that identify the trees of Los Angeles, one by one, in the form of model trees and aerial mappings.
The exhibition refers to the poetics of carbon, its relationship to life and death, our memory of life forms, and our relationship to the current environment. Along with the images made of smog and the tree plottings, the show includes photographs of the dioramas at the Natural History Museum, digitized views of the human body, and Criss-Cross, a video-wall featuring pedestrians and vehicles in Hanoi as they harmoniously maneuver the streets without traffic lights.
Other solo exhibitions by Abeles, also on view during Feburary/March:
Location Studies
January 24 – March 21, 2009
Torrance Art Museum
3320 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503
Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday, 11-5
Opening Reception:
Saturday, January 24 7-10 PM
Gallery Walk-Through With the Artist
Wednesday, March 4 6:30 PM
MAIN GALLERY: Kim Abeles: Location Studies
Location Studies is comprised of installations, sculpture, and prints exploring a variety of locations where Abeles has participated in residencies and exhibitions, including Hanoi; Bangkok; West Bromich, England; Niagara Falls; Sun Valley, Idaho; Mirenice, Czech Republic; and Southern California.
Nature Studies
February 9 – March 6, 2009
Feldman-Horn Gallery
Harvard-Westlake School
3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave
North Hollywood, CA 91604
Hours:
Monday-Friday 8-4
Saturday 11-4
or by appointment: 818 487-6596
Reception:
Wednesday, February 18, 6-9
Gallery talks:
Wednesday, February 18
9:30 AM and 6:00 PM
Environmental works by Abeles and new works created from 5 days of the school’s trash, collected, washed, ironed, and constructed without the knowledge of students or faculty.
The Arts district is located south of Little Tokyo near the LA. River. The Los Angeles River and Business Association recognizes the contribution Arts District Artist has made to the burgeoning art scene of Downtown Los Angeles and the world. The Art’s District is the home and manufacturing hub of many of Americas best artists and artwork.
 
Edgar Varela Fine Arts is dedicated to bringing new and exiting emerging artist to the spotlight. EVFA has a showroom space located on Alameda Street between 5th Street and 6th Street at the corner with Palmetto Street. Parking is located in front of the building and on the surrounding street. The gallery space is open by appointment only other than the day of the opening. For more information call Edgar Varela at 213-494-7608, e-mail at info@edgarvarelafinearts.com or visit www.edgarvarelafinearts.com.
Past Gallery
“What’s the Matter with Mommy? "
The Hang-Over
Curated by Shana Nys Dambrot
“What’s the Matter with Mommy? - the Hang- Over” is a multimedia appreciation of unconventional feminine role models, curated by Shana Nys Dambrot, featuring photography, painting, installation, sculpture, video, performance, and spoken word, based in a previous installation at Salon Oblique, currently being revived and expanded as a joint with Edgar Varela Fine Arts and presented by THE Magazine.
Opening Reception:
Thursday, January 8, 2009, 6-9pm,
During the Downtown Art Walk - http://downtownartwalk.com/
Artists:
Allee Willis, Marion Lane, Lindsay Brice, Kwaku Alston, Augustus Goertz, Nicole Cohen, Ashley McLean Emenegger, Jennifer Vanderpool, Jaime Scholnick, Britt Ehringer, Marischa Slusarski, Ping Ping, Lilli Muller, Rick Robinson, Gretchen Rollins, Swinda, Mark Allen, Grace Zabriskie, Amy Kaps, Milo Martin, Jim Marquez, Diana Hobstetter, Mrs. Hobbs, Steve Irvin, Sabine Gebser, Kevan Jenson, James Gilbert, Matteo, Grace Oh, Archie Scott Gobber, Paige Wery, Robert Reynolds, Robert Vargas, Eve Wood, Lulu Stewart, Ivo Vergara, Richard Kessler, Norton Wisdom, Rick Mendoza
Artist Contact:
http://sndx.net/The_Hang-Over.html
Location:
Phantom Galleries LA at the PE Lofts
610 S Main St,
Downtown LA 90014
Past Downtown LA Exhibits
Shalon Goss and Alexandra Breckenridge
New photographic works
Link to photos of the show
Curated by:
Edgar Varela Fine Arts
Contact:
Edgar Varela Fine Arts 213.494.7608
EdgarVarelaFineArts.com
Closing Reception: Thursday October 30, 2008 6 pm-9pm
Meet the artists
Opening reception hosted by Michael Weatherly
Saturday October 18th, 2008 from 7 to 11pm
Location:
Phantom Galleries LA at the PE Lofts
610 S. Main Street, Los Angeles CA, 90014
Exhibit runs
October 9th– October 31st , 2008
Gallery Hours: Open by appointment.
Edgar Varela Fine Arts is proud to present artists, Shalon Goss and debut artist Alexandra Breckenridge in a dual solo show of new photographic works. Goss and Breckenridge bring forth in black and white photography, the experiences of their lives in a noir style, which has their unique voice imprinted upon them.
Sponsored in part by POV Print Studios, Hpnotiq, Pama and Agua Luca.
http://www.hpnotiq.com/
http://povevolving.com
Special thank you to the new local restaurant Blu LA Cafe for providing cupcakes for the opening.
Press release
About Shalon Goss
Shalon Goss was born in Glendale, California, she spent many years in front of the camera for her artistic mother, but finally found her own comfort zone behind the lens. And so it was, with her first camera, her love of photography was born. Every picture tells a story, and Goss¹ intensely original point of view and her willingness to stretch the eye beyond a two dimensional surface, makes her work standout.
Goss is loyal to shooting the old fashioned way, and mostly uses film to capture her visual renderings. She says, ³I love the honestly of film and the untouched quality of a final darkroom print, even if it has been touched. To create a world made of illusion and raw imagination, and then bring it forth to be devoured by the eye of strangers, takes certain artistic courage. Few have it, Goss does. Having followed bravely into the world of art in her brother’s footsteps, Goss began shooting in her early teens.
Goss¹ search for the right compositional material for her photographs is a continuing journey. She takes us, the viewer, into the deep, dark, underbelly of black and white photography, a terrain that is even more complex to work with than is commonly understood. Being a woman, one automatically assumes there is a complete understanding of the female form, however, not all photographs are created equal, and not all photographers create equally. View Goss¹ work and you will see naked and semi-clad representations of women, yes, but more importantly you will find yourself participating in the composition; one of the highest honors given to the viewer. Look closely at the intimate photographs taken by the artist and you will see what she sees through her eyes.
Some of Goss' collectors include Jason Lee, Laura Prepon, Danny Masterson, Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson), Piper Parado, Stark Sands, Soleil Moonfrye, Jeff Vespa (Wireimage), Chris Masterson, Shawn Pillar (The Dead Zone/Wildfire/Greek), Rob Weiss (Entourage writer/producer) and others. www.ShalonGoss.com
About Alexandra Breckenridge
Breckenridge has also been working in the art form of photography and has established a look and composition all her own. She is debuting her photography along fellow photographer and friend Shalon Goss for the first time with Edgar Varela Fine Arts and Phantom Galleries Los Angeles, an event hosted by actor Michael Weatherly.
Alexandra Breckenridge was born in May of 1982 in Darien, Connecticut before moving to California when she was 12. Breckenridge first got an interest in acting at 13 when she performed in local theater productions and soon moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. She has appeared in hit television and films such as "Dawson's Creek", "Freaks and Geeks", Big Fat Liar, Orange County,"Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Family Guy", She's the Man, Dirt and in the Ex List, which is premiering this October.
Exhibit runs
October 9th– October 31st , 2008
Location
Phantom Galleries Los Angeles @ PE Lofts
601 S. Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles CA, 90014
Gallery Hours: Open by appointment. Please contact Edgar Varela Fine Arts, 213.494.7608
Sponsored in part by POV Print Studios, Hpnotiq, Pama and Agua Luca
Edgar Varela Fine Arts is proud to present artist, Meeno Peluce in “Cuba Now” which will have over 20 large scale photographs of modern Cubana life as documented by the unique eye of Peluce.
Big breasts, decaying American metal 8's, chickens in pots, the stolen electricity of street carnivals, a reverence for the daily news and health care and education and the human beauty that's "turned out on conveyor belts" as Graham Green said. All of it as seen in Meeno's squares. As if they'd all been pushed like rice into latex gloves, or ghosts into empty department stores or the plush velveteen of color into a favorite easy chair, which is, mind you, is an amazing emblem of personal possession, and played out in baseball games with a taught bag of knots for a ball, and everywhere color and the decay of color into other colors, into the warm natural reclamation by nature, as if you front lawned your horse, or blued your slacks and Tata, as if you were house bound an slow and still beloved by your President C. and your deity Ch.... All of this as seen by Meeno. Cuba.
Edgar Varela Fine Arts is dedicated to bringing new and emerging artists to the spotlight. EVFA showroom is located at 542 S. Alameda Street (at Palmetto St.) in Los Angeles, between 5th Street and 6th Street.
Open by appointment. For more information please contact Edgar Varela at 213 494 7608 -info@edgarvarelafinearts.com or visit www.edgarvarelafinearts.com
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