黑料不打烊

John Paul Jones聽was a giant in printmaking nationally and internationally in the 1950s and 1960s. The enigmatic and mysterious images of the late artist have been receiving heavy exposure here in his former Orange County home, with this museum show encompassing etchings, lithographs, paintings and sculpture from 1948 to 1997, following shows at CSU Fullerton and other venues last year. Given how well the work holds up, this retrospective of an exquisitely disciplined modern and romantic sensibility should be a view of more to come. The earliest etchings, such as 鈥�#607鈥� and 鈥淪uspension鈥� are mutely colored works in the 鈥淩enaissance cubist tradition.鈥� Soon, 鈥淪elf Portrait鈥� and 鈥淒ouble Portrait鈥� etchings reveal early more figurative explorations. By the 1960s and 鈥�70s Jones focused more on the figure and landscapes in oil, pencils and lithography, noteworthy examples being 鈥淏ackland,鈥� 鈥淪panish Woman鈥� and 鈥淲elsh Goalkeeper.鈥� 鈥淧aradise Gates鈥� (lithograph, 1980) represented a return to geometric forms in a less cubist manner, and employing an economy of line. This piece segued to finely wrought, architectural sculptures in wood that Jones concentrated on for more than a decade. With titles as 鈥淎ngel Wings,鈥� 鈥淛elly Cutter鈥� and 鈥淎lbee鈥檚 Mirror,鈥� these are the most lighthearted works in the show. In the 鈥�90s, the last decade of the artist鈥檚 life, he returned to painting, much of it abstract, but still bearing the air of mystery that provided an element of continuity from his earliest works.

The content is largely autobiographical, which in聽Sean Duffy鈥檚聽case is fun, playful, and good humored. Duffy grew up with a dad who raced his Land Cruisers in several important races. Being a together family, Duffy鈥檚 mom and his three older sisters painted the cars with zebra stripes and customized each vehicle. Entering the museum, visitors are greeted by one of those Searcher Land Cruises, by now a bit worn and a bit nostalgic, but duded up with an overall black and white stripped design. Racing was a family affair and so were vintage vehicles. Duffy regards the automobile culture, particularly in the era he grew up, and all that is associated with it, as a distinct art movement. Certainly, the phenomenon of drag racing and crowded freeways have been and are very much a Southern California experience. The impression that comes to mind is a term coined by聽Art in America聽鈥� Provisional Art, where artists work in a temporary uncrafted style. In the show, there are several sculptures made from hefty car parts, braced together, not welded, and each mounted on a wood crate, definitely a temporary and uncrafted style. The most inventive works are Duffy鈥檚 collages where he razors through layers of art magazines, bringing out colors and shapes in the most adept way, creating a three-dimensional collage. Most appealing though are his sculptures made from large red or white gas cans. Duffy assembles these with electric cords for lighting, security, and a linear effect. The black handles and black round tops, the cords and the ever-present ziptabs turn these mundane objects into glowing magical creatures. Duffy brings art and the automobile together, deconstructing art magazines and gas cans, turning them into something totally unexpected and wonderful. While the quality is inconsistent, there is much to enjoy and think about, especially the unpretentious intimacy of Duffy鈥檚 thought processes and how they lead to these personal creations (both exhibitions,聽Laguna Art Museum, Orange County).
Lis Goldner (Jones) / Roberta Carasso (Duffy)

James Welling's curatorial take on聽"The City Proper,"聽be it Los Angeles or its surroundings, is not the ordinary vantage point. In this large group show of photo-based work Welling combines new and old: familiar faces and unknowns. The exhibition flows together as connections are made through Welling's discerning eye. Some artists focus on expansive views 鈥� for example Catherine Opie's images of Mini-Malls or Anthony Hernandez's 1978 image of skid row. Others scrutinize the details. Mark Wyse isolates the "Cartier" logo; Zoe Crosher observes airplanes through hotel windows. While the majority of the work is traditional, an actual photograph of a real place, Frank Gohlke's black and white images of isolated structures from the 1970's, digital technologies do contribute. Brandon Lattu, and Amir Zaki alter what the camera originally framed. Lattu's work become minimal sculptures where most of the image is obscured, becoming a field of color. Arthur Ou blackens significant parts of his black and white images, creating blurred abstract shapes. Zaki changes the vernacular architecture of Los Angeles by subtlety removing elements, including signage inspiring one to wonder what is not quite right in this seemingly familiar image. The black and white conceptual and documentary work from the 1970's juxtaposed with more the recent color images of the city of Los Angeles not only offer a thumbnail record of how this city has changed but opens up new avenues for interpretation. What in the past might have been overlooked as commonplace, now becomes sacred. The city proper becomes the city anew.

鈥淭he City Proper鈥� and the concurrently running聽鈥淏edtime for Bonzo鈥�聽overlap their tasty sampling of recent L.A.-based work from both the usual suspects and newer voices at two nearby galleries. Zoe Crosher's 鈥淟AX鈥� series (at Margo Leavin), curtain-framed views looking out toward LAX from the Embassy Suites and Courtyard by Marriott, offers suite scenes that are both wittily wry and just a little bit melancholy. Arthur Ou's screen test series (on view at both at Leavin and at M +B) are black & white urban- and beach-scapes, respectively, that appear to have been shot with strategically-placed black-out clumps across the lens - a little Ken Josephson and a little bit punk-rock. Mark Wyse, also included in both shows, documents the peripheries of paradise. His 鈥淯ntitled Landscape,鈥� where the manicured meets the wild, is a particular highlight. Andrew Bush's driver鈥檚-side portraits (at M+B), immortalize drivers at whatever speed they're going in complete stillness. One man in a Porsche looks a bit perturbed glancing back at the camera. Another is sunk into his boat of a sedan, a red ball-cap on his head, his hands safely placed at 10 and 2 (鈥淭he City Proper鈥� at聽Margo Leavin Gallery, West Hollywood; 鈥淏edtime for Bonzo鈥� at聽M+B Fine Art, West Hollywood).
Jody Zellen / Michael Shaw

Jorge Albertella听补苍诲听贬补肠别谤听are paired in 鈥淔ACE to FACE on METAL,鈥� a collection of paintings and sculptures that collectively feature a cool and crisp aesthetic. Albertella鈥檚 two-dimensional paintings line the gallery walls as Hacer鈥檚 sculptures fill the interior space. The relationship between the two bodies of work forces the viewer to bounce back and forth, which benefits our read of each artist. The paintings are minimal and require much more effort from the audience than the sculptures, which are playful and immediately accessible. Albertella鈥檚 geometric inspired compositions celebrate their rigidity through the use of bright colors and the illusion of depth. His background in psychology and interests in writing are apparent in his symbolically latent designs. In contrast, Hacer鈥檚 large-scale origami sculptures take the form of animals (birds, bears, and dogs). A young bear cub is painted a bold green and instantly evokes a playful curiosity and recollection of childhood. Hacer鈥檚 background as a street artist is apparent in the way the surface of the folded metal sculptures is treated. However, the distortion of size and the heavy metal materials contradict what we know about this art of paper folding. While each artist favors the minimal, they use visual language in very different ways that are indicative of their respective education and background (ADC Contemporary, Downtown Los Angeles).
G. James Daichendt

The Date Farmers聽- Armando Lerma and Carlos Ramirez 鈥� are an Indio-originated duo who implement Pop, graffiti, and Mexican folk art iconography to fresh and defiantly un-slick effect. Working primarily on found metal panels, often signs that they've rescued on road trips to Mexicali and Oaxaca, Lerma and Ramirez demonstrate an impressive knack for scavenging, and marry their own gestures to the finds with a deft touch that harnesses Manuel Ocampo, Margaret Kilgallen, Barry McGee, and graphic Mexican sign painting in roughly equal measures. At their best, they take the most profoundly mysterious, tossed off signage and somehow find a way to amp up its potency. And yet, their best works seem to be the least folksy. A series of portraits that are also included, on metal and wood panel, the most memorable of which, 鈥淐hildren of God (3 of 3),鈥� features a spectrum of plastic cigarette lighters glued to its base, each with its own streak of burnt residue. The Date Farmers have so well-digested their sources that, in several works, they manage to exhume their own found icons (Ace Gallery Los Angeles, Miracle Mile). 聽聽
MS

While the five color, terror-alert system established under George W. Bush鈥檚 reign is under attack for being too vague,Claudia Parducci鈥檚聽capable employment of color and other visuals, combined with words, captivates viewers who are intent on examining the seductive paranoia surrounding survival tactics. An avid collector of Morse code communications, survival pamphlets, emergency supplies, etc., Parducci brings 鈥淥xygen Deprivation,鈥� her series of red gouache drawings of gas masks to life with her absurd, three-dimensional installation, 鈥淪urvival Tent.鈥� Fabricated mainly from hand dyed cloth stretched over a wood frame to mimic an oversized gas mask, it shelters a short video of the artist dancing, dressed in a black garbage bag gown, her face obscured by her own gas mask. The quietly ephemeral messages in Parducci鈥檚 lovingly finished 鈥淪ky Writing鈥� paintings stand in stark contrast to the brash, crowded hand lettered and stenciled instructions for survival collected in an absurdist series that includes 鈥淓MERGENCY, Keep on Fridge.鈥� If you read every word, the odds of having fresh aloe on hand when there is a forest fire or remembering how to turn urine into water in case of biological warfare, increase in your favor (Garboushian Gallery, Beverly Hills).
Diane Calder

Many galleries bring together myriad artists for holiday exhibitions that tend to merely celebrate gallery inventory. In聽鈥淪mall Works鈥�聽works by many of the gallery artists are presented alongside many who are not. The entry wall begins with a sequence of paintings - first the back of a head by Salomon Huerta, followed by Kim Dingle's unruly and playful baby girls, with the sentence of paintings punctuated by Christopher Murphys portrait. There is a grid of sinister wind-up toys expressively painted by Mike Tracy. The imagery migrates from the figure to the landscape to the still life, consistently showcasing precious gems by artists both old and new. The works demand close scrutiny; that they pack content and technique into small packages cannot be denied. Its a fantastic show, well curated and beautifully presented. A surprise must see (Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Santa Monica).
JZ

For the third year running, Bob Self of Baby Tattooville pays homage to the great pop surrealist Robert Williams with an annual exhibit featuring lowbrow artists influenced by Williams鈥� decadence and outrageous style. Michael Hussar鈥檚 dementedly delightful 鈥淪ing Like Sinatra,鈥� a monstrous oil of an obese, multi-pierced woman with fire hair and hands belting out a tune (鈥淚 did it my way?鈥�) takes center stage, and his morbidly grotesque bleeding clown housed in a chunky ornate black frame is terrifyingly terrific. Underground comics are also on hand, being a backbone of lowbrow: Johnny Ryan鈥檚 鈥淎ngry Youth Comix #8 Cover鈥� of two less-than-happy heads on pikes is humorously brutal. William Stout鈥檚 鈥淗ellbillys!,鈥� a family portrait of zombiefied southerners complete with a large breasted bimbo, Civil War uniforms, moonshine and a still, is darkly clever. Other artists of note include Van Arno, Spain Rodriquez, Anthony Ausgang, Coop, Ron English and Williams himself, whose incredibly detailed hyper realist scenes are fraught with humor and social commentary.聽鈥淐alifornia Kustom鈥�聽offers an impressive array of hot-rod culture, apocalyptism, culture jamming, punk and psychedelia (Riverside Art Museum, Riverside).
Stacy Davies

The photographs of聽Max S. Gerber聽draw attention to quirkiness, provoking a bit of humor, appreciation, and sadness for groups generally referred to as geeks, dweebs, and nerds. Geek is not the negative tag it once was. It鈥檚 a term that transitioned from social outcast to one that characterizes those who are proud of their unique outlook on life, a badge of honor. Celebrating devotion or commitment to a topic often considered outside the mainstream, geeks typically associate themselves with a immersive sub-culture (think fantasy role playing, video games, and historical reenactments). Gerber鈥檚 photographs capture two specific types of geeks: scientists and speedcubers. The images of scientists recall stereotypes of the absent minded genius but it鈥檚 the presentation of speedcubers that provoke a memorable tension between celebration and awkwardness. Speedcubing refers to individuals that solve Rubik鈥檚 Cube puzzles as fast as possible. While their talent cannot be discredited, one must wonder why this is important and what these folks have sacrificed in order to become so adept at this skill. A young overweight middle school boy sheepishly displays his accomplishment, a solved Rubik鈥檚 Cube. But it鈥檚 his coy smile, unusual balance, and rosy cheeks that represent the contradiction that is the 21st century geek. The black and white backgrounds highlight the individuals and remove them from a context that would encourage sentimentality; instead they are left for display (Bunny Gunner, Pomona).
DJD

鈥淢essy exuberance鈥� would be the wrong way to describe聽Willy Heeks鈥�聽newest abstract paintings, because those words imply childishness or carelessness, and these paintings are anything but. Rather, with ten large paintings from this year, Heeks shows that he is a masterful colorist and capable of incredible compositional control. While referencing old school abstract expressionism, these works still feel refreshingly up-to-date and reflect a contemporary arsenal of techniques 鈥� meaning that anything goes, and does, with oil and acrylic. In 鈥淭ug鈥� repeated black and white stencils are overlapped by heavily worked smears of brown, black, and blue, which fade into a gray stain. Towards the bottom left, a salmon blob is restrained by scribbles of green and yellow. The blaze of sprayed white in the top right corner refocuses the eye and provides the rest needed to reenter the painting; as Heeks has said, he creates 鈥減laces to be鈥� 鈥� and it鈥檚 worth your while to be there with him (Scott White Contemporary Art, San Diego).
Jeannie R. Lee

In 1972, when Richard Nixon opened up diplomatic channels with China and Andy Warhol converted chairman Mao Zedong into an international pop icon, the Communist Party had been consciously using popular culture to spread its message since at least the beginning of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Gigantic propaganda posters and a variety of more intimately sized images featuring Chairman Mao were everywhere, from Politburo walls to toys, teapots and toasters in ordinary households. Organized to demonstrate ways in which political ideologies and cultural values are transmitted via everyday objects,聽鈥淐hina Modern: Designing Popular Culture 1910-1970,鈥�聽begins by looking at the roots of graphic culture in late Qing Dynasty New Year woodblock prints. From there, this colorful, diverse exhibition goes on to examine the influence of western style modernity on Chinese cinema, fashion and advertising embraced by the elite in centers such as Shanghai during the Republic Era. In contrast, even the smiling, working class, pink-cheeked children represented in the Communists鈥� 鈥淗undred Flowers Campaign,鈥� as perfectly beautiful as those chosen for Beijing鈥檚 recent Olympic ceremonies, couldn鈥檛 keep the Cultural Revolution鈥檚 reforms or reformers alive. Macdonald鈥檚 opened in the early 1990鈥檚 and Shepard Fairey parodied political propaganda with his Mao 鈥淥BEY鈥� poster in 2002, when China鈥檚 rapid economic surge was well underway. Among the hundred plus objects on display, there鈥檚 something here for audiences of all ages, especially those intent on examining the ongoing impact of graphic imagery on a complex and influential Chinese culture (Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena).
DC