Profanity Pop Enters the Pop Culture

On Friday, August 1st we opened our fourth solo exhibition of José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros' work, this time titled Profanity Pop. With each exhibition, we've seen his fame grow–from the Liberty Ross tweet of Drunk Love to Lady Gaga's re-postings of Cinderella McQueen & Meat Dress, to a veritable cavalcade of professional animators and celebrity fans (including Katy Perry and Britney Spears). His work has been featured in two museum shows; last year at the Mesa Contemporary Art Museum and next month at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos.

With elevated recognition there comes controversy. While the overwhelming response has been completely positive, local and international media selected this exhibition as a means of discussing equality, tolerance and acceptance–and we couldn't be happier.

Check out the Univision Network coverage below (or click here), and be sure to come see José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros' Profanity Pop exhibition and the Laluzapalooza Jury Winners (Katherine Brannock, Frank Forte, Hueman, Jinx, and Sean Stepanoff) this month at La Luz de Jesus Gallery.

Laluzapalooza Closes This Weekend!

This weekend we'll be wrapping up the 28th annual group show. It's the most concise collection of works from multiple artists that we've shown in a long time. This in no way denigrates the stellar work we've presented in past Laluzapalooza or Kitschen Sync exhibitions–to the contrary, it showcases the heights that this year's group managed to reach.

Incredibly, some of the best work is still available:

From painterly neo-classics by A.S. Ashley, Chris Leib and Christopher Ulrich to modern pop art masterpieces by José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros and album art remixes by Graham Moore, there are still museum worthy pieces to be had.

We've already decided on a few of the artists we'll be bringing back in August to showcase in the gallery adjacent to our annual Ontiveros show:

                     

Katherine Brannock
Frank Forte
Jinx
Allison "Hueman" Torneros

We'll be adding a name or two soon, and we know that Christopher Bales and Michelle Bickford will be featuring again in the next year, too. This weekend will be the last opportunity to see all these works in context with each other, so make a point to come and see the show. CBS recently highlighted La Luz de Jesus Gallery in a report on the best places to buy affordable art, and so a relatively quiet middle-of-the-month gave way to a burst of sales this week–as smart patrons become aware of how much quality work is still ripe for inexpensive plucking. 

One of my favorite discoveries in this jurying process was Rose Freymuth-Frazier, who studied with Odd Nerdrum. While I had been previously unaware of her, she routinely sells-out in her native New York. The online jpeg really doesn't do justice to Rose's brushwork, which conveys her high pedigree and training. I've been predicting that the unironic unicorn is due for a comeback, and this painting could easily be the herald.

Laluzapalooza 2014: Accepted List!

Have you seen this billboard around town yet?

It's that time of year again, and hard to believe it's already our 28th year! Oh, how time flies! Laluzapalooza is the grandaddy of all group shows in the post-pop art world. We did it first and we still do it best. But don't take our word for it, check out the roster below.

We viewed more submissions than ever before and narrowed it down to the fewest accepted pieces since our Melrose days–when the group show was labeled Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists. There are less than 130 total pieces this year. In years past, that didn't even account for the number of artists included. There are a lot of new people, many of whom are making their La Luz de Jesus debut. There's some museum exhibited talent, and household names we haven't shown in a decade or more.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
Without further ado, I give you the Laluzapalooza 2014 Accepted List:

Peter Adamyan
Susanne Apgar
A.S. Ashley
Briana Bainbridge
Christopher Bales
Clive Barker
Alexandra Bastien
Davidd Batalon
Shaun Berke
Michelle Bickford
Katherine Brannock
Mark Bryan
Christine Cheung
Carol Connett
JAW Cooper
Edward Robin Coronel
Matthew Couper
Jessica Dalva
Teodor Dumitrescu
Brice Eichelberger
Gary Epting
Maya Fonseca
Frank Forte
Michael Foulkrod
Rose Freymuth-Frazier
Don Fritz
Richard Frost
Arthur Giron
Mark Gleason
Derek Harrison
Andy Hernandez
Jack Howe
Stephanie Inagaki
Jinx
Susan Jonaitis
Jessica Joslin
Jason Justice
Brent Kallenbach
Jin Kim
Michael Kortez
Craig LaRotonda
Mavis Leahy
Dave Lebow
Chris Lieb
Victor Lightworship
Lizz Lopez
Didu Losso
Danni Shinya Luo
Dion Macellari
Ver Mar
D.W. Marino
Ofelia Marquez
Horacio Martinez
Aya Masuda
Albert F. Montoya
Graham Moore
Click Mort
Joanne Seohyun Nam
Cheyenne Nguyen
Ron Norman
Daisuke Okamoto
Bill Pacak
Valerie Pobjoy
Gail Potocki
Matthew Price
Charles Printz
Eric Quezada
Aaron Rivera
Dave Schonhoff
Sean Stepanoff
Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman
Hui Tan
Annie Terrazzo
Allison Hueman Torneros
Christopher Ulrich
Vega
Edith Wadell
Dave Warshaw
Misty Zhou

Not all images are posted yet, but everything that is posted can be bought now. Contact gallery director Matt Kennedy to secure your purchase.

The AUGUST Group ANNOUNCED!

Saturday night at the Laluzapalooza closing party, we announced the winners of the jury who will be given expanded exhibition space in August. The selection process was difficult but we're extremely pleased with the eight artists who will share the white walls of Gallery II in August when José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros shows solo in Gallery I.


Congrats to (top then bottom, left to right):

Edward Robin Coronel
Horacio Martinez
Harold Fox
SAGE
David Natale
Josh Stebbins
Michelle Bickford
Emi Motokawa

Kardashians

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian on their first visit to Soap Plant, Wacko and La Luz de Jesus Gallery. As one might expect, they were hounded by paparazzi until we escorted them safely into the shop.

Once inside, Kourtney headed straight for the gallery, and Khloé followed shortly after. An E! TV crew recorded their every step.

I gave them a brief rundown on the Laluzapalooza exhibition and Khloé commented specifically about the work of Erin Burrell, "Look Kort, they've got Lamar's shoe!"

As Kourtney admired Lindsey Kuhn's silkscreened paintings,  Khloé confided, "Kourtney LOVES skulls!"

Both girls went Gaga over José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros' Cinderella McQueen painting, proclaiming almost in unison, "I love those shoes!"

The ladies spent about half an hour shopping and opted for some small toys and a few books, before exiting to entertain the patient paparazzi on the sidewalk out front.

We don't have an air date yet, but look for us soon on an upcoming episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E!

Happy 70th Birthday, Robert Williams!

We hope you enjoy this tribute from Peter Adamyan, featured in LALUZAPALOOZA!

Peter Adamyan
The Fat Ass Saves the Day as the Artist
Contemplates the Fate of Coochy Cooty
and America's Over Consumption
of Non Kosher Delicacies
Oil on wood relief
18" x 20"
$800.00

Laluzapalooza in Three More Days!

We made Los Angeles Magazine's The Guide

In just a couple of days Laluzapalooza will open to the public. Now in our 27th year, this is the longest running group show in town. And rather than get comfortable, we've gotten edgier. This year we've expanded the parameters to include photographic and digital art. Whether or not we make this a habit depends largely on the quality of the work in each medium. Not surprisingly, we're getting hyped by Los Angeles Magazine (click the photo at left) and the L.A. Weekly, with more print and web mentions dropping daily.

This Friday at 8 PM, come and see the best 223 pieces by 123 odd artists from six continents.

LALUZAPALOOZA ACCEPTED LIST

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After extending the Laluzapalooza submission deadline from December 31st to January 31st, Billy and I had to sort through over 15,000 images to select 220 or so paintings, drawings, sculptures, assemblages and (gasp) photographs.

Regular patrons will see a noticeable difference in the tone of the show, reflecting a shift toward labor-intensive work of all mediums. We've still got work from animators, tattooists, graphic designers and commercial illustrators, but this year we've also allowed photography and digital art. We didn't expect to change format so radically, but there were some pieces that suited our format so perfectly that we gave them a pass on the usual parameters. In fact, we're confident that there's a "WOW!" factor in this year's Laluzapalooza you won't see in any other group show.

This is, after all, a juried show opened to all artists, and with such a fierce, heightened calibre of competition, there just isn't room for everyone–whether veteran or newbie. Below is this year's Laluzapalooza roster. Congrats to you all!

Peter Adamyan
Jeannie Houston Antes
Susanne Apgar
Briana Bainbridge
Christopher Bales
Davidd Batalon
James Bentley ­
Michelle Bickford
Winifred Brewer
Michael Brown
Mark Bryan
Erin Burrell
Jeaneen Carlino
Victor Castillo
Adrian Cherry
CHOD
JAW Cooper
Torii Cooper
Edward Robin Coronel
Matthew Couper
Robert Craig
Jessica Dalva
John de Fazio
Dave Dexter
Daniel Martin Diaz
James Dowlen
Mark Edward
Brice Eichelberger
Bruce Eichelberger
Angela Ellefson
Jessica Fife
Harold Fox
Don Fritz
Richard Frost
Germs
Mark Gleason
Steve Diet Goedde
Kim Gordon
Max Grundy
Sunny Gu
Walt Hall
Howard Hallis
Hanzel Haro
AshFord Harrison
Derek Harrison
Clare Hebert
Brett Herman
Andy Hernandez
Sam Ho
Scott Holloway
Jason Houchen
Jack Howe
Stephanie Inagaki
Jinx
JoKa
Jessica Joslin
Jason Justice
Brent Kallenbach
Shannon Keller
Billy Kheel
Jaesun Kim
Michael Kortez
Norbert Kox
Lindsey Kuhn
Zoe Lacchei
Mavis Leahy
Dave Lebow
Alexis Lopez
Lizz Lopez
Didu Losso
Carl Lozada
Dion Macellari
Apricot Mantle
D.W. Marino
Ofelia Marquez
Horacio Martinez
Mary Ancilla Martinez
Aya Masuda
Genie Melisande
Miso
Graham Moore
Click Mort
Lyle Motley
Emi Motokawa
Dustin Myers
David Natale
Ron Norman
Daisuke Okamoto
José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros
Tammi Otis
Leah Parrent
Brian Poor
Matthew Price
Anthony Purcell
Eric Quezada
Cate Rangel
Bonni Reid
Billy Reynolds
Ave Rose
Ken Ruzic
SAGE
Miguel Sanchez
Van Saro
Justin Schaefer
Kim Scott
Dale Sizer
Aniela Sobieski
Mike Sosnowski
Spinestealer
Josh Stebbins
Sean Stepanoff
Anna Stump
Hui Tan
Treiops Treyfid
Pamela Tu
Christopher Umana
Eric Van Straaten
Vega
Dave Warshaw
Mirmy Winn
Jasmine Worth
Sandra Yagi
Mimi Yoon
Genevive Zacconi
Kim Zsebe

Laluzapalooza 2013 opens on March 1^st at 8PM.
The exhibition will run the entire month, closing on Sunday, March 31^st. As soon as the images are formatted for the website, I'll add links to this page and pre-sales will be possible. Some pieces have actually sold already (!) to enthusiastic collectors monitoring the facebook accounts and blogs of their favorite artists, so if you know you want something, shoot me an email and I'll see if I can't secure that purchase for you ahead of the masses.

Cheers,

Matt Kennedy, Director
La Luz de Jesus Gallery

Mechanical Butterflies in Motion!

Ave Rose's Watchbot City has been getting a lot of attention, but unless you've seen her magnificent Butterflyport in person, it's difficult to understand exactly how much more the motion enriches these delicate sculptures. The butterflies are real, by the way, and the antique gear mechanisms were acquired on a recent trip to the Philippines. The film above (shot by Treiops Treyfid) will be quite illuminating to those too far away to travel to La Luz de Jesus Gallery and witness in person the exquisite miniscule metropolis.

The LALUZAPALOOZA preview page is LIVE!!!!

This past week we hosted the debut of Billy's Thursday Night Fish Fry, and it was off the hook! Images can be found on the Friends of La Luz de Jesus Facebook page. But I don't have time to reveal any of the amazing revelations that exploded from this event, because an even more explosive event is happening right now as I type this: the LALUZAPALOOZA Preview Page is NOW LIVE!

I worked through the night to get the preview images and descriptions up for all the pieces we've received thus far. There are still a few on their way, but the overwhelming majority are online now. I'll be checking the info@laluzdejesus.com email tomorrow, and answering inquiries in the order received. We will NOT BE ACCEPTING PHONE ORDERS until after noon on Monday, so click the link above and skim through the index for the work you've been waiting to see. But I should warn you that we've got more new names than ever before and there are some superstars in the making among them.

Now, I'm going to go home and sleep...

Matt

Laluzapalooza Jury List is posted!

La Luz de Jesus Gallery presents:
LALUZAPALOOZA

March 2 - April 1
Opening Reception: Friday, March 2nd, 8-11 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027


La Luz De Jesus Gallery proudly presents our annual juried group exhibition, "Laluzapalooza.” This gigantic, no-theme show features works from some of the freshest and most relevant artists working today. Over 9,000 submissions from commercial illustrators, graphic designers, tattooists, scenics, students, animators and working gallery artists had to be sorted-through, and we've finally narrowed it down to 120 artists. The official piece count is awaiting verification, but you can bet that it will be another (tastefully) jam-packed, salon-style exhibition. There are some familiar names from our ever-growing roster of feature artists, but an overwhelming percentage of the work comes from a brand new batch of undiscovered, emerging talent.

For the past fifteen years, our annual group show was called “Everything but the Kitschen Sync,” but it began life in October 1986 as the “Día de los Muertos” show which was entirely focused on the folk art, sculptures and imagery of Mexico’s “Day of the Dead” celebration. By 1995, gallery owner and curator Billy Shire felt the show had run its course and presented other themed group exhibitions such as the 1996 “21st Century Tiki Show” curated with Otto Von Stroheim. In 1998 Shire decided to present a non-themed show dedicated to illustrative and narrative artwork. As many local artists work in commercial graphic art fields such as illustration, cartooning, animation, etc., the show was named “Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists.” In 2004, Shire changed the show title to the more encompassing and less-cumbersome “Everything But the Kitschen Synch.” Several spelling and name variations later, here we are...

“Everyone looks at this show for new and interesting artists” states Shire – and indeed, not only does La Luz de Jesus pick artists from the group show for future smaller group and solo shows – numerous curators and owners of other galleries also keep their eyes on the yearly show for potential artists to add to their rosters."

"This is the one show annually that most patrons look forward to seeing, as it's a chance to discover new artists in the venue that has launched so many careers," notes gallery director Matt Kennedy. "Every year we manage to discover a new conglomeration of fresh talent, and among them a class of breakout successes. That's really a credit to the accessible talent pool. The quality and availability of instruction (both in schools and through independent study) coupled with the the culture that this city attracts, fosters a welcoming environment for people with the ability to create –often in reaction to their individual situations."

Please join La Luz de Jesus as we continue to support the latest and most original efforts from the nation's alternative art scene.

The “Laluzapalooza” Artist List is as follows:

Liz Adams
Deanna Rene Adona
Susanne Apgar
Camille Bachand
Christopher Bales
Dan Barry
Shaun Berke
Vicki Berndt
Michelle Bickford
Dasha Biggs
Mike Biggs
Anthony Bradford
Elliot Brown
Michael Brown
Mark Bryan
Laura Buss
Liam Carl
Osvaldo Ramirez Castillo
Alex Chavez
Adrian Cherry
Heung-Heung Chin
JAW Cooper
Edward Robin Coronel
Matthew Couper
Jeremy Cross
Jo Curry
Steven Daily
Jessica Dalva
John de Fazio
Dave Dexter
Brice Eichelberger
Bruce Eichelberger
Jessica Fife
Barry Fitzgerald
Mary Fleener
Don Fritz
Richard Frost
Rachel Fuji
Arthur Giron
Mark Gleason
Loretta Gonzalez
Max Grundy
Sunny Gu
Tamara Guion
Conrad Haberland
Walter Hall
Howard Hallis
Derek Harrison
Gale Hart
Andy Hernandez
Sam Ho
Scott Holloway
Jack Howe
Eric Hudgins
Andreanna Iakovidis
Jennifer Jelenski
JoKa
Susan Jonaitis
Jason Justice
Michael "POGO" Kortez
Norbert H. Kox
Alison Krumwiede
Dennis Larkins
Craig LaRotonda
Dave Lebow
So Youn Lee
Inger Lorre
Carl Lozada
Danni Shinya Luo
Dion Macellari
David Mack
Macsorro
Liz Mamorsky
ManWoman
Marka27
D.W. Marino
Menton J. Matthews III
Matjames Metson
Richard Meyer
Nicole Moan
Graham Moore
Click Mort
Emi Motokawa
Pamela Mower-Conner
Kat Marie Moya
David Natale
Nas Oh
José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros
Heather O'Shaughnessy
Tammi Otis
Ruel Pascual
Doug P'gosh
Brian Poor
Gail Potocki
Matthew Price
Anthony Purcell
Michael Ramstead
Byung Rin
Shawn Roberts
Annie Murphy Robinson
Ave Rose
SAGE
Amanda Sage
J Salvador
Van Saro
Misaki Sawada
Justin Schaefer
Kim Scott
Meagan Segal
Jonathan Shaw
Ann Shen
Dale Sizer
Aniela Sobieski
Mike Sosnowski
Simon Sotelo
Andy Steele
Sean Stepanoff
Adam Strange
Hui Tan
Miles Thompson
Pol Turgeon
Vega
David VonDerLinn
Dave Warshaw
Mel Weiner
Marc Willey
Lea Wood
Jasmine Worth
Christine Wu
Sandra Yagi
Mimi Yoon