Showing posts with label bG Gallery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bG Gallery. Show all posts

Saturday, August 15, 2015

A Cure For The Summertime Blues



I assume this dusty, little corner of the internet is usually visited by artists, and/or friends. Some of whom have asked why I stopped writing, and if I'll ever get back to doing that again. I don't really have an answer for that yet. The reasons for my recent silence here are many, and some are complicated. Ask me, next time you see me. Maybe I'll tell you.

In the meantime, as summer 2015 comes to a close, Los Angeles is awash in art events. I feel compelled to tell you about four of them (full disclosure, I'm in 3 of them). All of which are happening this weekend. First up, is "The Late, Late Show" , a special Mike Street solo show at Beyond Baroque, opening tonight at 4pm. This  show will feature a plethora of Felliniesque "Italian film stills" that Mike has created over the course of many years. Mr. Street is a staple of the Los Angeles art scene, and one of the kindest humans you will ever meet.

After "The Late, Late Show", you should head over to Santa Monica to see "Girl Scouts and Adventure Guides" at the Daniel Rolnik Gallery. It will be a celebration of summer, camp, cookies, exploration and general irreverence. The opening is from 7 - 11pm tonight.

Tomorrow is the closing event of "Spectrum Gestalt 2" at bG Gallery Bergamot Station. This is a massive group show where every piece of art  is grouped together in order of color. You might think that would be an assault on your eyeballs, but it ends up being a soothing visual experience that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere outside of nature. Closing event starts at 2pm on Sunday.

Lastly, is "Faux Show: Social Realism" at Balconi Coffee Purveyors in West Los Angeles. Curated by Kio Griffith, this is part of a series of shows where contemporary artists get a chance to offer their take on the classics. Think of it as "cover songs" in paint. This time around, the show features the two artists I named "Best New Artists" in my 2014, Valerie Pobjoy and Phil Santos. It will also include my homage to Dorothea Lange's iconic "Migrant Mother" photograph. I have a deep, personal connection to that photograph, and I hope that comes through in my piece. The opening for this one is 7pm Sunday.

At any rate, my bias aside, these are four wonderful shows for you to attend this weekend, You're welcome!

Click on the links above for specifics and logistics.

Spanish Girl by Valerie Pobjoy

Monsanto Meets American Gothic by Phil Santos

Dust by KrossD

You Are What You Eat by KrossD

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

5 Questions with OM BLEICHER


Om Bleicher hails from Australia. He came out to California to visit family about nine years ago, and was taken with what he calls 'the wild west art scene' in Los Angeles. This led him to open bG Gallery in Santa Monica. Om is an interesting cat to say the least. He's a soft spoken gent, but in the short time I've known him, I've overheard him debating the relative merits of self-importance, and seen him strike up a spur of the moment chat about quantum physics.

Om has just opened a second gallery at Bergamot Station. The first show at the new space, Spectrum Gestalt (co-curated with Daniel Rolnik), is a sprawling group show hung salon style and grouped by color. Hanging the work this way ends up having a unifying effect on the art. Nothing is clashing, or at odds with one another. It's fascinating, and strangely soothing.

The second of his 'Spectacle' shows Art of the Spectacular opens this Saturday. I caught up with Om yesterday to throw 5 Questions at him.


1) It’s hard enough to run one gallery successfully. What possessed you to open a second?

Well, I just saw the space and it seemed pretty cool. I don’t know, I just have ideas and I want to make them happen.

2) Is Spectrum Gestalt an exercise in color theory? What prompted the idea?

I’m an artist as well as a gallerist. I have a few installations that use gestalt ideas. It’s a way to bring all the artists that I’ve worked with in the past together and introduce them to a new audience.

3) What kind art are you looking to show here?

I’m not afraid to show art that crosses genres. For instance, I’m not going to NOT show an artwork from the illustration world next a conceptual artwork. I’m looking for art that taps into the human condition, across fields.

4) What do you consider the most nauseating trend in art?

Hmmm, Damien Hirst dots? I think I’m sick of seeing, just people not taking risks, and gallerists second guessing their audience. Trends just come and go, you know?

5) Has a work of art ever made you cry?

Brought tears to my eyes? Yeah. There’s a piece by Courtney Reid, whose one of my artists, about three years ago. It’s called “Bald People” or something like that. Just the way that she paints---like, there’s no eyes in her paintings. So, it allows you to connect with it on a visceral level.

"Art Of The Spectacular" opens March 25 

bG Gallery at Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Avenue
Space G8A
Santa Monica, CA 90404







Stunning cross-stitch by Ellen Schinderman



Stu Rappeport stacked.



"A Freedom To Be Free" by Daniel Rolnik

"Untitled" by Mary Delioussina

"Blank" by Douglas Alvarez

"Scooter" by Hadia Finley

"Bob Floated To Tiffany's" by Nancy Larrew