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WEATHER REPORT CURATED BY RENOWNED DESIGNER, CHRISTOPHER FARR
FEATURING THE PREMIERE OF NEW WORKS BY JORGE PARDO
AND OTHERS AT SOURCE LA, L.A. MART DESIGN CENTER.
Los Angeles, CA --The BritWeek Art Program, in partnership with The British Council and in collaboration with the L.A. ART MACHINE present, world-renowned rug and textile designer Christopher Farr, who will curate a special exhibition "Weather Report" as part of BritWeek Art Program 2011, to be held at SOURCE LA, L.A. MART DESIGN CENTER, May 11 – June 11. The concept is a dialogue/conversation of work done by artists and designers selected by Christopher Farr. On the surface the work may seem contradictory, without apparent connection other than the choices made by one man whose career has straddled fine art, textiles, rugs, and modern furniture.
This exhibition, headlined by a Jorge Pardo rug designed exclusively for Christopher Farr, is the centerpiece of "Weather Report" and served as inspiration for Farr to ignore the traditional conventions of curating this installation for the BritWeek Art Program. Jorge's ability and desire to see no barriers between so-called fine art, and applied art is amply demonstrated in the intensity of his vision and sublime sense of color. Included in this exhibition are works by: Claire Joseph, Tierney Gearon, Michael Boyd, Bill Barminsky, Patrick Bolton, Randall Harrington, Jorge Pardo, and Christopher Farr himself.
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Michael Boyd experiments in volume massing and the relationships between floating planes. For
him, painting is a medium of expression capable of communicating profound visual experiences
solely through its own elements: color and structure. Color and light are rich and important
features of an individual experience, including the world and inner life. The task of the structures
in his work is to create a framework of possibilities for expressive color. Michael Boyd is the
principal of BoydDesign, a consultancy for the restoring and preserving of modernist
architecture, and collecting modern art and design.
His most notable restorations are the Paul Rudolph Townhouse (1975) in New York City and
the Oscar Niemeyer Strick House (1964) in Santa Monica. He is currently designing landscapes
for, and restoring the Craig Ellwood Steinman House (1956) and the Richard Neutra Wirin
House (1949).
Photographer-painter, Bill Barminski, now based in Los Angeles, draws his subject matter from advertising of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Barminski's paintings are colorful with a strong graphic styling that simultaneously celebrates the aesthetics of mass media while critiquing the consumer culture that it produces. A review in Art in America described his work as, "The advertising-derived images that Barminski incorporates into his paintings are meant to evoke postwar America. Like filmmaker David Lynch and others, Barminski is interested in the ominously surreal side of the good life."
Patrick Bolton, born in Bristol, England was given his first camera by his stepfather at age 10.
An obsession with clay animation led to a fine art degree specializing in time-based media.
Postgraduate studies in film followed at the Birmingham Center for Media Arts, during which time
he started his own company providing animation, video and photography workshops. Training
future animators transitioned into the creation of atmospheric environments with work in music
video in London, which eventually lead to Los Angeles and a career in film and television.
Subsequently, it was at night when the best of his work came into focus. Camera in hand, he
began trespassing throughout urban underbellies "finding light in the darkest of corners" and
using it to paint what would ordinarily be seen as a drab landscape. Many of his most cherished
images have been created in unknown corners of cities worldwide, in the deepest hours of the
night. This work hangs in many personal collections and has been honored with Fine Art and
Landscape Photography awards from LA Municipal Gallery and the Lucie Foundation.
Tierney Gearon's work has a strength and conviction that belies her newcomer status. It was
during some five years of traveling the world through her modeling work that Gearon first became
interested in life on the other side of the camera. Now known for documentation of her extended
family, she has developed a unique style including, no documentary grittiness in bright
Technicolor shots, whose backdrops range from sun-drenched beaches to the white ski slopes of
the Alps. There is an edginess at play that goes beyond the snap-happy impressions offered at
first glance. These images are highly personal, keyed to Gearon's own life, reflecting its
apparently equal helpings of chaos and stability. Any questions we have as we look into these
images are bounced back at us as the young counterparts concentrate on life lived.
Claire Joseph, a clothing designer and couturier is an anomaly in the fashion industry, producing
pret-a-porter and couture clothing for all occasions. She also oversees and builds sculpture in
many mediums including bronze, plastics, and glass. Joseph, who picked up her first pair of
scissors and thread at age 5, creates work that is sculptural, freeform, and tailored.
Her inspiration comes from women who embody the ideals of modernity, history, architectural
structure, simplicity, and feminine lines. Her goal is to re-proportion what our culture regards as
physical flaws, and present the human form in its own natural light.
Randall Harrington grew up in Riverside California where he failed to finish
high school or attend university, primarily because his psychobilly punk band was signed to xx
records. After moving to Los Angeles, Randall designed and built sets for a wealth of
high-end Hollywood productions and music videos. For the past ten years he
has been chief sculpture fabricator for a slew of big name modern artists. Now concentrating on
his own work, Randall's art boasts a charming faux-naivety that completely belies its technical
prowess. He has recently entered several important collections and continues to live and work in
Los Angeles.
SOURCE LA, L.A. MART DESIGN CENTER proudly hosts this special BritWeek Art Program
exhibition. Utilizing a 5000 square foot exhibit space at L.A. MART and curating across a broad
range of artistic and design styles, Christopher Farr has pulled together a selection of the most
creative British artists working in Los Angles. The project not only showcases the power of
contemporary British design, but also reflects the Englishman's experience in Los Angeles and
points to the richly textured and radically diverse cultural landscape of the city. There will be rugs
and artwork from Chris himself as well as pieces that refer to his formative years in England.
The L.A. Art Machine (LAAM) is an online publication and arts organization based in Los Angeles
but with an eye on a global art phenomenon. The LAAM covers the most relevant and current
happenings in the art world, organizes events, curates exhibitions, and advocates for a continuing
and vital art community on all levels. The BritWeek Art Program is developed and managed
by Kamilla Blanche. For more information, please visit: www.laartmachine.com.
Sponsored by: City of Los Angeles office of Councilman Tom LaBonge, District 4, The Los
Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Wilshire Grand Hotel, Ben Sherman, The Royal Claytons,
L.A. Mart Design Center, 33Third.com, Normandie Bakery, Nika Water, Streetlight Films, The
Ratkovich Company, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Maxim
Restaurant, Bunker Hill Magazine, Dama Tequila, Groundfloor Gallery, Chaucer Freight, United
Bakery, Comandon Cognac, and Variety Magazine.
Contact:
Bryson Strauss
Curator of Contemporary Art, BritWeek
Director, L.A. Art Machine
(323) 702-3594 / bryson@laartmachine.com
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