A "space" for photography

I am not ashamed to admit, I am a total architecture geek. Therefore, I could not wait to get over to the new Annenberg Space for Photography IRIS NIGHTS lecture series for a discussion about renown architectural photographer Julius Shulman.

Rotating photography that I was not supposed to photograph in the space for photography.

Here is an admittedly fuzzy photo of Wim de Wit (right), architectural historian and the head of the Getty's Department of Architecture and Design, along with Juergen Nogai (left), Shulman's professional collaborator discussing one of Shulman's most iconic and timeless photographs. Shulman and Nogai have revisited many of the homes Shulman photographed in black and white decades ago to shoot again in color. This is one of the new color photographs taken for the sale of the iconic Kaufmann house in Palm Springs.

Side note: A friend commented how ironic it was that we were listening to a lecture about design and architecture in a room where only the folks in front could actually see the slide show. The rest of us had to bob and weave to see any of the slides. I also thought it was ironic that we were not allowed to take photographs in the "space" for photography. The photos for this blog were taken guerrilla-style.

The Annenberg Space for Photography still has a few kinks to work out. Much like a Hollywood night club, friends and I made reservations for this lecture more than a month ahead of time, arrived early, and were still hassled at the door and put on a wait list. We were told we should have received an email with a ticket which we were supposed to print out and bring....apparently I made my reservation before that process was put in place, so my reservation fell into a black hole.

The recurring 'iris' theme throughout the facility is a nice touch.....from the different iris flowers in planters and vases to this shutterbug iris ceiling in the lecture space.

Charles Mingus talk at Barnsdall Gallery Theater

The Barnsdall Art Park is truly a hidden jewel in East Hollywood that I have driven by a million times and have intended to visit for as many times. Recently I had the good fortune and excuse to attend a Zocalo Public Square Lecture Series event and reception at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater on the grounds of the art park; Remembering Charles Mingus. Mingus was a formidable jazz bassist, band leader and composer who built a remarkable legacy that in many ways is second only to Duke Ellington. Charles Mingus was classically trained, grew up in Watts, and taught many other musicians in his Jazz Workshop. Charles Mingus was also a passionate activist for racial equality. He was a perfectionist, and as known for composing pulsing rhythms as for having a pulsing temper.

One of many beautiful vistas at Barnsdall Art Park.


Architectural detail of the famed 1920's Hollyhock House, designed in the late 1920's by Frank Lloyd Wright on the Barnsdall property.

More Hollyhock House views.

Music LA students from Art in the Park's Lalo Guerro School of Music provided reception entertainment in front of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery on the Barnsdall property.

One of several sculptures in the Barnsdall Art Park.

One of many craftsman-style lamp posts on the property.

Another interesting sculpture in motion.

Me with Eric Mingus, son of Charles Mingus - also a musician.

The Zocalo panel was moderated by Oscar Garza, Senior Editor, Los Angeles Daily News and included music producer Hal Willer, writer Emory Holmes II, Eric Mingus, and William "Buddy" Collette, a personal friend and contemporary of Mingus' who supplied us with many witty and compelling anecdotes about his life and continuing legacy. The entire enlightening and fascinating panel discussion can be viewed here.

A meeting in the ladies room

SheSays LA is a worldwide (London, New York and now L.A.) professional group aimed at supporting women's creative digital marketing and advertising career development. Tonight the L.A. chapter hosted the Ms. Gamer event at IPG Emerging Media Lab to enlighten women about careers in the gaming industry. I learned a lot about casual gaming versus hard-core gaming, various gaming platforms, the critical role women play in the marketing of games, the costs involved in producing some games....and so much more.

Kim Hoang - tonight's MC and manager of SheSays LA chapter.

Cozy gaming area at IPG Emerging Media Lab. One could play games all over
this place, literally everywhere you turn there is a console and monitor of some sort beckoning you. We were encouraged to play to our hearts desire.

One of the panelists, Tameka Kee - West Coast Correspondent of ContentNext Media Inc. speaking about careers for women in the gaming industry.

IPG Emerging Media Lab is "equal parts think tank, research facility, and change enabler." Its a creative space that encourages independent thought as well as communal discussion.

Based on what I learned here, the number of female gamers is consistently flourishing. I came to realize that women play a powerful role in the gaming industry. Each time we send something to a Lil Green Patch or play a movie quiz on Facebook, buy a Wii or some other game console as a gift for someone we are impacting the gaming industry. I am woman, hear me score!

Only in Silver Lake, only on Earth Day

Here's another reason to be proud that I've eliminated every single solitary plastic shopping bag from the arsenal of useless crap shoved under my kitchen sink. I'm driving on the hipster side of town on Earth Day and I must say, even I was slightly alarmed by this giant animated blob of plastic bags shuffling towards the curb.

Not to get all preachy but if one person really uses about 500 bags per year, where do most of those bags end up? I mean, even if we do reuse them. How many times are we reusing them? Once, twice tops. And then what? I mean when you think about it, they never REALLY completely disintegrate and go away. Is it possible that even your bag inevitably contributes to that massive plastic vortex in the Pacific Ocean? (groan alert) "You betcha!" I couldn't resist stopping by and seeing what this was all about.

A little bit of knowledge can be a powerful thing....

The Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce Green Committee and volunteers organized this event at Triangle Square in Sunset Junction intended to raise awareness about plastic bag usage. Basically the point is this: bring 'em, they will be used to create a giant ball, and in exchange you get free canvas ones. Simple as that. Yeah yeah, giant ball, I know. Just remember this is Silver Lake, there is a creative purpose to this...which I'll get to in a minute. Several local businesses vowed to stop giving out plastic shopping bags to customers, they are listed on the front of the canvas shopping bags exchanged out.

Back to the ball...the giant ball will represent the over 6000 single-use plastic bags used by Silver Lake businesses in one year. The volunteers are creating a giant Earth Day ball as an educational tool. Once the giant ball is completed it will be available to any local school or group for environmental teaching purposes. Next year the committee will unravel the giant ball and use it for something like a woven shelter or a school yard. Brilliant!

Humble beginnings of the giant Earth Day 2009 ball. Now if I can only remember to bring my canvas bags into Trader Joe's....

Brewery Art Walk and a little parking rant

Despite it being the first day of a blistering heat wave, I had a swell time exploring The Brewery Art Walk. The Brewery is in Downtown L.A. and according to the announcement its the the world's largest Art Colony....and I believe it. The hundreds of live-work spaces were converted from a former Papst Blue Ribbon brewery and bottling plant. It is now home to over 300 artists and arts-related businesses. All manner of painters, sculptors, photographers, craftsmen and designers of the Brewery Arts Colony open the doors of their studios to the public to sell art at studio prices twice a year. The i-5 Gallery is also on the property and open to peruse.

The front of the many live/work spaces. It was a searingly hot day! Hard as it was, I chose not to photograph private living areas, just art only. And kudos to me for that because sometimes the personal stuff was REALLY interesting but I do have integrity (and perhaps someday a reputation) to uphold. Imagine going into about 50 arty/creative people's living spaces, seeing what's in there, and then not being able to blog about THAT stuff!...Anyways....

Giant roll up door of Andre Miripolsky's studio at the Brewery.

Andre Miripolsky is famously known for his "pop imagery" style. He created a series of Absolut ads in the 1990's, painted a slew of murals around L.A., creates sculpture, mobiles, as well as costumes and album covers for the likes of Bette Midler and Elton John among other entertainment notables.

David Walker studio - Interesting commentary on the never ending debate over who's Messiah is the real Messiah...vis a vis lucha libre.

Chandelier and sculpture in the David Walker studio.

A sitting room in a studio featuring photography of Thailand.

Seeing Double, John Payne's 3-D Photos, 1976-present - You look inside these "viewmaster-like" capsules and see shots in 3-D of people in their homes or apartments in various states of dress (or undress) sometimes posing or just doing everyday things, in simple settings from 1976 to now. Its hard to explain here, but it was a really engaging exhibit. Again, this is all set up in what was basically the photographer's living room.

The tags indicate various cities where pictures were taken. Which was usually wherever the photographer happened to live and make acquaintance with the subjects featured.

The photographer John Payne sat on his steps and chatted as people wandered through. He gladly explained his process. Some of the visitors had seen the exhibit before and were there to see how it had grown since the last time they were there.

This event saved me just when I was starting to become a little annoyed and jaded with the parking situation downtown. Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge booster of downtown L.A. and all the treasures to be discovered there. Rats that ricochet across the street at night like so many pinballs and homeless pirates aside (or included...whatever) it will probably always be my favorite part of the city.

Point is, I am very discouraged by the army of new parking meters sprouting up bringing doubled hourly rates with them. Also, parking that used to be free after 6 PM is now not so until after 8 PM. I just don't see how that's encouraging the rest of the city (some of whom are already terrified of stepping foot east of La Brea) to spend time, money and resources at all those restaurants, bars, galleries, boutiques, etc. that opened there in the past 2-3 years thinking that downtown is the new 'place to be'......which, of course, it very much is. I digress. The Brewery Artwalk was a free community event, downtown, with free parking. I just really needed that little nugget of downtown communal goodness to help smooth things over.....for now.