18th Street Arts Center

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By rlopez, January 7, 2011 7:45 pm

International Month of Exhibitions Features Artists from Iran, Tibet, South Africa, Korea and the United States

Public Reception is on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 7:30pm – 9:30pm

Han Sungpil & Yvette Gellis, Open Water, photo based mural & mixed media, 2010

18th Street Arts Center is proud to present four exhibitions highlighting their award-winning International Visiting Artist Program.

Beginning January 7- 28, 18th Street is featuring exhibitions from Iran, Tibet, Korea and South Africa. The public reception for these exhibitions will be held on Thursday, January 20, 7:30-9:30 pm.

In the 18th Street Gallery a provocative and groundbreaking exhibit, Postcards from Tehran, a collaboration with the Aaran Gallery of Tehran, Iran, curated by Nazila Noebashari will be presented. Breaking down the barriers of political prejudice, the show will be the first Los Angeles exhibition of works by seven Iranian artists in conjunction with works by two artists from California who migrated from Iran. Both political and prosaic, Postcards from Tehran is a unique view of contemporary Iranian artists whose dissenting viewpoints may prove to be eye-openers to many Americans whose main knowledge about Iran is typically derived from corporate cable news channels. The artists include Arash Fayez, Siamak Filizadeh, Hadi Nasiri,  Behrang Samadzadeghan, Behnam Kamrani, Barbad Golshiri and Jinoos Taghizadeh. They are joined in this collaboration by Iranian-American artists, Ala Ebtekar and Amitis Motevalli, both well-known West Coast visual artists.

Norbu (Nortse) Tsering, (detail, 1 of 40), "Hidden Mantra", mixed media on paper, 14.2" x 22.8", 2010

In the Pasillos Gallery 18th Street will feature the Los Angeles debut of Tibetan artists Tsering Nyandakand Norbu Tsering. American audiences are familiar with conventional notions of Tibetan art, but will have the opportunity to experience the vibrant new representational narrative painting and mixed media installations coming out of Tibet’s contemporary art community.

18th Street is also thrilled to present videos of South African performance artist MLu Zondi. Mr. Zondi’s provocative performance videos will be on display in the Project Room and a live performance of his work will take place on February 19, at 8:30pm at Highways Performance Space located at 18th Street Arts Center.

Korean artist Han Sungpil has collaborated with Los Angeles painter Yvette Gellis to create a dynamic mural, Open Water, which will cover the facade of 18th Street Arts Center. Individually, the two artist have produced major installations in a number of public spaces. Han is known for his massive wrappings of buildings in diverse cites worldwide; and Gellis, a painter known for her huge canvasses, has recently expanded her work into installations of three-dimensional abstract paintings.

During the opening reception on Thursday, January 20, 2011, 18th Street Arts Center will also present a special preview of videographer Ben Caldwell’s interactive video installation which was commissioned as a public art piece at the new Santa Monica Place shopping center. The installation entitled ”Untitled” invites interactivity as it projects the work of several artists onto the floor of the Colorado Avenue entrance.

18th Street Arts Center is a long time alternative arts organization based in Santa Monica, California, whose mission is to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Ronald Lopez at rlopez@18thstreet.org, or go to www.18thstreet.org.

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By rlopez, December 14, 2010 5:28 pm

Han Sungpil & Yvette Gellis, Open Water, photo based mural & mixed media, 2010

International Month of Exhibitions Features Artists from Iran, Tibet, South Africa, Korea and the United States

Public Reception is on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 7:30pm – 9:30pm

18th Street Arts Center is proud to present four exhibitions highlighting their award-winning International Visiting Artist Program.

Beginning January 7- 28, 18th Street is featuring exhibitions from Iran, Tibet, Korea and South Africa. The public reception for these exhibitions will be held on Thursday, January 20, 7:30-9:30 pm.

In the 18th Street Gallery a provocative and groundbreaking exhibit, Postcards from Tehran, a collaboration with the Aaran Gallery of Tehran, Iran, curated by Nazilla Noebashari will be presented. Breaking down the barriers of political prejudice, the show will be the first Los Angeles exhibition of works by seven Iranian artists in conjunction with works by two artists from California who migrated from Iran. Both political and prosaic, Postcards from Tehran is a unique view of contemporary Iranian artists whose dissenting viewpoints may prove to be eye-openers to many Americans whose main knowledge about Iran is typically derived from corporate cable news channels. The artists include Arash Fayez, Siamak Filizadeh, Hadi Nasiri,  Behrang Samadzadeghan, Behnam Kamrani, Barbad Golshiri and Jinoos Taghizadeh. They are joined in this collaboration by Iranian-American artists, Ala Ebtekar and Amitis Motevalli, both well-known West Coast visual artists.

In the Pasillos Gallery 18th Street will feature the Los Angeles debut of Tibetan artists Tsering Nyandak and Norbu Tsering. American audiences are familiar with conventional notions of Tibetan art, but will have the opportunity to experience the vibrant new representational narrative painting and mixed media installations coming out of Tibet’s contemporary art community.

18th Street is also thrilled to present videos of South African performance artist MLu Zondi. Mr. Zondi’s provocative performance videos will be on display in the Project Room and a live performance of his work will take place on February 19, at 8:30pm at Highways Performance Space located at 18th Street Arts Center.

Korean artist Han Sungpil has collaborated with Los Angeles painter Yvette Gellis to create a dynamic mural, Open Water, which will cover the facade of 18th Street Arts Center. Individually, the two artist have produced major installations in a number of public spaces. Han is known for his massive wrappings of buildings in diverse cites worldwide; and Gellis, a painter known for her huge canvasses, has recently expanded her work into installations of three-dimensional abstract paintings.

During the opening reception on Thursday, January 20, 2011, 18th Street Arts Center will also present a special preview of videographer Ben Caldwell’s interactive video installation which was commissioned as a public art piece at the new Santa Monica Place shopping center. The installation entitled ”Untitled” invites interactivity as it projects the work of several artists onto the floor of the Colorado Avenue entrance.

18th Street Arts Center is a long time alternative arts organization based in Santa Monica, California, whose mission is to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Ronald Lopez at rlopez@18thstreet.org, or go to www.18thstreet.org.

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By ajones, December 1, 2010 5:01 pm

December, 2010 – January, 2011

Tsering Nyandak is the first Tibetan artist to be in residence at 18th Street. He lives and works in Llasa, Tibet, and is part of a dynamic community of contemporary painters and visual artists. During his residency he developed new paintings, but also shared his knowledge of the Tibetan contemporary arts scene, which is generally under-represented in the West where we tend to think more of their traditional culture.

Norbu Tsering (Nortse)

Nortse was born in Lhasa in 1963 and from 1980 to 1991 studied art at various schools, including Tibet University in Lhasa, the Central Arts Academy in Beijing and the art academies in Guangzhou and Tainjing. His early artistic expression as a stage designer coupled with his academic training can be seen in his striking mixed media works. Included in his oeuvre are profound photographic statements as well as portraits in oil on canvas. His work deals with issues which are as relevant to London as Lhasa: global warming, environmental degradation, overpopulation, alcoholism among the young, and the desire to form one’s own identity in a world of mass media and the erosion of culture and tradition.

His work has been exhibited in Beijing, Colorado, Konigswinter, London, Lhasa, New York and Santa Fe and is held in collections worldwide.