LAMAG Benefit Auction: Sunday, May 1st · 3-6 PM

The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Founded and opened in 1954, its mission is to promote, interpret, and present the art of emerging, mid career, and established artists from culturally diverse Southern California but also showcases art from other parts of the world that is of relevance to the people of the City of Los Angeles. Its 10,000 square foot venue offers a dramatic exhibition space for large thematic group exhibitions that represent the current endeavors of area artists as well as exhibitions of work by individuals who have made a significant contribution to art in Los Angeles in particular and Southern California at large. The curatorial focus of the Gallery includes painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, video, sound, electronic, performance, and installation works. Its principal mandates have been to enhance the exhibition programs, promote visitor understanding and appreciation of art through the education program, and to insure the Gallery’s accessibility and involvement with City-wide audiences and the surrounding immigrant communities.

This Sunday, an Auction and Reception featuring more than 100 artists' work will benefit the Gallery to insure LAMAG's legacy and its bright future.

La Luz de Jesus Gallery is a proud sponsor and supporter of this event, which includes affordable works from John Baldessari, Sandow Birk and a hundred or so others. Access the auction preview here.

Added Provenance

I've just been notified that the paintings from Danni Shinya Luo's Chaotic Harmony exhibition will be featured in her forthcoming art volume from Last Gasp Books, entitled Soft Candy. Additionally, Blue Canvas magazine will be highlighting some of the same paintings for their October issue, which hits newsstands around the same time as her book releases. This additional provenance equates added value for those who have purchased pieces from her show, which remains on display with Heather Watts (while Daniel Lim and Mark Gleason fill Gallery II) through May 1st.

Renown South African artist Andre van Sijl will be receiving a career retrospective in Beverly Hills next month. Through my friendship with this extraordinary man, we've got five tribal masks to offer to our collectors. Andre was part of the long struggle to end apartheid and his art was featured prominently in Nelson Mandela's inauguration ceremony. He mixes his award winning poetry with his sculptural craft to create moving works of spiritual and humanitarian reflection. It's a wondrous bonus that these works elicit a higher consciousness of the political events that inspired them.

The Tax Refund Sale is over! We found new homes for several key pieces of artwork by Gary Baseman, Isabel Samaras, Mark Todd, and others. If you have a wish list, don't hesitate to contact me, as we routinely represent estates and collections that include classic paintings, drawings, and sculptures by these and other top-shelf pop-surrealists and street artists like Becca, Tim Biskup, David Choe, Dalek, Camille Rose Garcia, Kozik, Elizabeth McGrath, Owen Smith, and Eric White. We also frequently receive rare serigraphs and prints by Coop, Shag, Mark Ryden, Shepard Fairey, and others.

I'd also like to announce our ongoing dedication to the Self-Taught movement of American Folk Art. We have entered into a partnership with the owner of the quintessential collection of South Eastern self-taught art. I'll apologize right now for the cryptic anonymity, but I can not post the names publicly that are contained herein. Suffice to say that there are masterpieces Smithsonian exhibited artists. This includes the African American craftsmen who helped to inspire Basquiat and Ruscha; no rhetoric –this is well documented. Whether you are a long-time patron or a fledgling collector, there are pieces within your grasp. Shoot me an email, or call the gallery line and I'll be happy to elaborate.

TAX REFUND SALE brings interesting visitors!

Estonian gothic-lolita pop diva Kerli stopped by the gallery today to hang with a contest winner and check out the Danni Shinya Luo exhibition, Chaotic Harmony. Kerli bought some items in the shop (including that stuffed, tiger head pillow) and we discussed hosting a musical performance in the not-so-distant future. Her videos on YouTube are pretty extravagant, and have collectively drawn over 12 million views. I'll keep you posted as the gig develops!

If you're not subscribing to our newsletter, get on it. We've already sold some key pieces from the TAX REFUND SALE! But there are still killer pieces from David Choe, Camille Rose Garcia, Biskup, Baseman and others!

La Luz de Jesus has also been granted access to the single most impressive collection of self-taught and outsider art in America. I can't name names, but there are some real national treasures here, including work from Smithsonian Exhibited artists.
Call the gallery director for details (323) 666-7667.