16 June – 28 August, 2011
What makes a finished or unfinished painting? When is a piece resolved? Why isn’t this one?
Opening reception 16 June, 8-10pm
Los Angeles, CA (1 June 2011) – LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) is proud to present Unfinished Paintings, a provocative curatorial project organized by Los Angeles artists Kristin Calabrese and Joshua Aster. The headlining exhibition for our 2011 summer season, Unfinished Paintings is an exhibition of 38 medium sized paintings by 38 artists, hung alphabetically by the artist’s first name. This show is meant to dissect and turn contemporary painting in-side-out. Works-in-progress will be put on view and offered as a point of entry into each painter’s respective creative world.
Artists and audience members alike will stand in front of the works, wondering why the artist decided it was unfinished, and what would make it finished? The organizing principal of this show is meant to provoke a healthy ambivalence and seed the desire for dialog and feedback. These are critical junctures in the art making experience. Calabrese and Aster now invite the public to engage in this part of the painter’s practice too.
Unfinished Paintings features work by Lisa Adams, Joshua Aster, Nina Bovasso, Delia Brown, Kristin Calabrese, Sarah Cromarty, Sydney Croskery, Noah Davis, Gerald Davis, Mark Dutcher, Mari Eastman, Brad Eberhard, Bart Exposito, Michelle Grabner, Alex Grey, James Hayward, Salomon Huerta, Xylor Jane, Valerie Jaudon, Chris Johanson, Annie Lapin, Jose Lerma, Caitlin Lonegan, Dan McCleary, Shiri Mordechay, Loren Munk, Laurie Nye, Eamon Ore-Giron, Susie Rosmarin, Frank Ryan, David Ryan, Katia Santibañez, Kenny Scharf, Cary Smith, Linda Stark, Don Suggs, Mitchell Wright, and Brenna Youngblood.
ABOUT THE CURATORS
Kristin Calabrese has had numerous solo exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Seattle Art Museum, The Orange County Museum of Art and the San Francisco Art Institute and in solo exhibitions at Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills and Brennan & Griffin in New York, among others. Calabrese’s artworks are held in prestigious collections such as the Neuberger Berman and The Armand Hammer Museum. Calabrese has an upcoming solo show at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects. She received her MFA from UCLA and her BFA from San Francisco Art Institute.
Joshua Aster has been featured in exhibitions throughout the U.S., with solo shows at Carl Berg Gallery in Los Angeles and Salt Lake Art Center in Utah. His work has been included in exhibitions at Roberts & Tilton, Daniel Weinberg Gallery in Los Angeles and Plane Space in New York. Aster is a member of the artist collective OJO, which has had solo projects at MOCA, Los Angeles and LA>< ART and was recently featured in ANP Quarterly. Page 2 of 2 With OJO, Aster will be participating in LOS ANGELES GOES LIVE: Performance Art in Southern California 1970- 1983, an exhibition, performance series and publication project that explores the histories and legacies of performance art in Southern California in the 1970s and early 80s. Los Angeles Goes Live is part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980, an initiative by the Getty Foundation that includes 60 arts and cultural organizations throughout Southern California.
Information on each Unfinished artist is available upon request.
RELATED PROGRAMMING
Audio Tour
The artists in Unfinished Paintings will discuss their work in this free audio tour, offering unique insight into the “unfinished” nature of their contribution to the exhibition. Be sure to check out an iPod at the front desk.
Panel Discussion (date TBA)
Join the artists and curators for a lively conversation about their work and the issues addressed by the exhibition.
For LACE?s complete summer schedule of events go to welcometolace.org.
ABOUT LACE
LACE champions and challenges the art of our time by fostering artists who innovate, explore, and risk. We move within and beyond our four walls to provide opportunities for diverse publics to engage deeply with contemporary art. In doing so, we further dialogue and participation between and among artists and those audiences. www.welcometolace.org.
LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions)
6522 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90028
Gallery Hours: Wed – Sun 12 – 6pm, and Thu 12 – 9 pm
Suggested donation $3, Members free
SUPPORT
Unfinished Paintings is made possible with the generous support of the Pasadena Art Alliance.
Additional support for LACE and its programs is provided by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Getty Foundation, Jerry and Terri Kohl Family Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The Mohn Family Foundation, Morris Family Foundation, the Audrey & Sydney Irmas Charitable Foundation, National Performance Network, the C. Christine Nichols Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Abilene, Stone Brewing Co., and the members of LACE.
