Robbie Conal's Cabinet Of Horrors

The country is in bad shape, with the worst administration ever, and Robbie Conal isn't having it. And neither should we. There are new political posters up near the French Market from Mr. Conal, featuring the distorted, sad faces of the people in the Cabinet who are currently ruining our country.

Robbie Conal's Cabinet of Horrors is his new show launching on October 13, 2018 at Track 16 in downtown L.A., where it will be on view until December 8, 2018, with a special artist talk between Conal and my friend, Shana Nys Dambrot on October 25th.

Someone wrote over one of the posters on Abbot Kinney, saying something like "Why make art ugly? It's demoralizing to us." I ask, how can you NOT make these people ugly? Their rotten souls come through and can only be depicted as one views them. Thank goodness for artists who use their work and voices to mark these times in history ... lest we forget.

The timing for these Conal works is great ... please remember these faces when you go to vote next month in the midterm elections. And VOTE THEM ALL OUT.

Thanks.

The 2015 Very Fun LA Art Show

It seemed as though half of Venice made the trip downtown for the opening night party of the L.A. Art Show. Everywhere we went, we'd bump into another Venetian (many, like us, guests of Paige Petrone and the fine folks at L.A. Arts Online), making me so happy that we're all still so much about art.

The L.A. Art Show is massive. I don't know how long it would take to see it all, but most likely more than a weekend, never mind a night (when you're all also partying and schmoozing). This thing is about the art. The ART! Everywhere art. So much, so many kinds, it would all be a bit overwhelming if it wasn't so just plain awesome.

We were talking about how even if price was no object, it would be hard to pick one thing, with all the variety and sheer volume of works. Paintings, photos, sculptures, dresses, wooden planes ... you name it, it can be found here.

From crazy stuff that you have no idea who the purchaser could possibly be (but having said that, there is something for everyone, and someone for everything) ...

... to the old classics that everyone knows ...

... to things that seemed to be created just for this event, like the very long-lined Circus Tent peep show, the L.A. Art Show has it.

When we first arrived, I asked a friend who'd been there a while what was a do not miss, as there's so much to see. She said "Dali and Warhol". I assumed she meant works by them, but nope. She meant practically the real deal.

It wasn't hard to find them, as there was a big crowd around these fellows the entire party. So realistic, it was both beyond impressive, and kinda creepy. It was so packed I never even found out who the artist was ... and can't seem to find online. But, good job, Artist!

There were plenty of works featuring other world icons, like Abe Lincoln ...

Or Bob.

A great thing about the L.A. Art Show is that it features galleries from all over the world, not just L.A., so you're really getting a good sampling of what's going on in the art world in all corners of the planet (that can afford to get and be there, that is). A true highlight for me each year is seeing what's going on at our friend Noah Antieau's Red Truck Gallery ("Pretty, pretty art works") in New Orleans. A wonderful surprise this year was to find out that Antieau had curated a whole section of the show called Littletopia. It's NO surprise that it was the very best part of the whole thing.

I was happy to see Antieau again, and extra-happy to see all the great things coming out of his gallery.

His Mother, Chris Roberts-Antieau is the real star of the booth to me.

I love everything she does, from her wonderful quilts and folk art pieces ...

... to the hilarious murder scene snow globes (Yes, murder scene snow globes)...

... to one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen. It might be my favorite piece of the whole show, if I'm honest.

Red Truck is also the home gallery to Jason D'Aquino, who is a tattoo artist, that also does the most exquisite works - on the inside of matchbooks. Tiny. Talented!

There is SO much talent, everywhere, that it's almost daunting. Like standing in front of the oil on steel piece by Young-Wook Han, that was just incredible and left you standing there going, "How in the world did they do that?! How are they human?!"

There are also plenty of works that made you say, "HOW much for that thing?!" and "My kid could totally do that." (To which John Waters famously answered, "Then they should.")

I found a lot of beautiful, feminine pieces this year too. In addition to Roberts-Antieau's splendid one, there seemed to be a trend of works on dresses, or works that reminded you of dresses ...

... Things that you wished were dresses ...

... And gorgeous friends in gorgeous dresses too.

There were a lot of characters walking around all evening, some art installations themselves. Wild hair-dos, masks, crazy hats, sequins, and even a guy walking an armadillo (Fake. I think.)

The opening party is pretty scenester, so you get folks like James Franco, Travis Barker and Amy Adams walking around, as well as the art world luminaries they were here to see, like David LaChappelle.

There was work by people I didn't even know were visual artists, like Bernie Taupin.

There was work that was overtly political, and for the People ...

... As well as things that were just beautiful to look at.

There were pieces to Save The Elephants ...

... And pieces to save the Children.

Most of all, there was a whole giant convention center of people coming together to celebrate Art. You can read all the lofty essays describing the artist's vision and intent, and those are great, but the bottom line is you like what you like, and how it makes you feel, or remember, or love.

 It's expression. It's what moves you. It's a racket. It's a business. It's a blast. It makes you think. It makes you smile. It provokes emotion and questions. It's Art.

And it will be there all weekend, as well as Photo LA (featuring the work of Paul Gronner in Booth #526!), next door at the LA Mart.

Art. ENJOY!!!

Shark Toof and SPARC's 35th - A Venice Saturday Night

It has been all about the art lately in Venice, and this last Saturday night was a big one for it. C.A.V.E. Gallery on Abbot Kinney had the opening of renowned street artist Shark Toof's Ping Pong Show AND it was the big celebration for SPARC's 35th Anniversary. A full night of greatness.

My dear friend, Shana Nys Dambrot, wrote the introduction for Shark Toof's new and completely gorgeous coffee table book, and we discussed Shark Toof's fine art works on canvas with the man himself.

Shark (I'm gonna call him that, as I have a hard time with the f) opined on the state of sexual taboos in the world that gave his show its name.

"Ping Pong" does not refer to the hooker trick of yore, but rather the sex industry mores of Asia vs. here in the U.S.

Bright fluorescent stripes on the walls caromed about and around the paintings, giving the whole gallery an installation feeling, picking up the colors exploding off the art. The gallery was packed with collectors and hipsters, locals and even a couple tiger face-painted babies that could have climbed out of one of the paintings.

Shark is best known as a street artist, and his work has shown up on exterior walls all over the world, often featuring sharks.

With this new, crucial book, and gallery shows like this, Shark has taken his outdoor pieces inside, and successfully bridged that gap previously crossed by folks like Shephard Fairey and Banksy. "Post Art Bills" reads the box that houses his book. Yes.

The show is bright and profound and you can check it out on Abbot Kinney now through November 11th.

I raced from C.A.V.E. over to the SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) affair at its headquarters in the old jail on Venice Boulevard. The entire building was lit up, with murals hanging from every inch of it.

The back parking lot had been transformed into a Big Fish style outdoor party, with lights strung up everywhere and music blasting from the stage, courtesy of Venice's own Tom Schnabel spinning his KCRW brand of world beats, and later jazz and blues legend Barbara Morrison and her band getting everybody up and dancing.

SPARC was founded by Judy Baca, Christina Schlesinger and Donna Deitch in 1976 with their first project, The Great Wall of Los Angeles. It is the longest mural in the world, taking the viewer through important moments in our history all along the L.A. River bank. They offered tours of the massive mural (all done by volunteers and at-risk youth), led by Baca. I couldn't attend the mural tour, but encourage everyone to get down there and see this true wonder of the world as soon as you get the chance. It is truly massive, and makes abundantly clear the importance of art as a tool for social expression and teaching history.

Awards were given, speeches were made, and there was an air of jubilation over the entire affair. It was a delight to see so many neighbors all out and having a good time under the stars, dancing, drinking (theme drinks like "The Mural"), and eating delicious fare from the booths set up by Hal's, Casa Linda, and Ben's BBQ.

You could participate in live mural painting on one of the back walls, and it gave you a sense of the camaraderie and effort that goes into creating the more massive pieces that adorn our fair city.

Every surface was adorned with a mural illuminating important cultural characters and events. Even in the bathroom. In a time when street artists (folks like Shark Toof) get busted and jailed for beautifying spaces, and murals are under attack by small-minded building owners and corporate advertising, this was an especially satisfying evening in homage to the importance of art's role in social justice.

Once all the donation pitches and speechifying was complete, it was time to simply party. Barbara Morrison and her excellent backing band tore it up, and people kept dancing even as the event was being cleaned up around them. A great cause, a great night of wonderful art, and another exclamation point on the SPECIAL! place that we call home.

As SPARC's saying goes, "BE the Spark - to bring the past into the present to inspire the future."

Shark Toof
The Ping Pong Show
C.A.V.E. Gallery
1108 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Through November 11th

SPARC
685 Venice Boulevard
Hopefully Always