CalArtians Participate in Made in L.A. at Hammer Museum

WADADA LEO SMITH

Wadada Leo Smith, 'Vision, from Kosmic Music, n.d..' One of four parts matted together, 32 in. × 15 3/4 in (81.2 cm × 40 cm). | Image courtesy of the artist and Corbett vs Dempsey, Chicago.

LAIDA LERTXUNDI

Laida Lertxundi, still from 'We Had the Experience but Missed the Meaning,' 16mm film, color, sound, 8 min, 2014.

GALA PORRAS-KIM

Gala Porras-Kim, 'Ancient Southwest Artifact c. 900,' (detail), catalog print, 2005. | Courtesy of Commonwealth & Council.

KENZI SHIOKAVA

Kenzi Shiokava, (from left to right) 'Untitled,' cardboard cube, yarn bundle, cork, sculpture: 15 1/2 in. (39.3 cm); base: 5 in. × 5 in. (12.7 cm. × 12.7 cm), 1996. 'Flail,' bamboo, wood. Sculpture: 24 1/2 in. (62.2 cm); base: 3 in. × 3 in. (7.6 cm. × 6.6 cm.), 1994. 'Figure,' wooden beads, macramé cord, sculpture: 20 1/2 in. (52 cm.); base: 5 in. (12.7 cm.) diameter, 1996. 'Staff,' wood, sculpture: 29 in. (73.6 cm.); base: 4 in. × 3 in. (10.1 cm. x 7.6 cm), 1994. | Courtesy of Stremmel Gallery, Reno. Photograph by Brian Forrest.

Made in L.A., Los Angeles’ biennial, is back at UCLA’s Hammer Museum for its third iteration of highlighting artists working in the greater Los Angeles area.

Exhibit curators Aram Moshayedi and Hamza Walker visited studios across Southern California, spanning Chinatown, Compton, Downtown, East Los Angeles, Echo Park, Highland Park, Inglewood, Joshua Tree, Ladera Heights, Leimert Park, San Diego, Santa Monica, Venice and Ventura and chose 26 artists and artistic collaborations to represent the breadth of art that the region produces.

Subtitled a, the, though, only, Made in L.A. 2016 “investigates what is vital and distinctive about this city as an international destination and cutting edge art center, and how its artists—from vastly different backgrounds and disciplines—resist and defy categorization.”

Among the participants are CalArtians Todd Gray (Art BFA 79, MFA 89), Laida Lertxundi (Film/Video MFA 07), Gala Porras-Kim (Art MFA 09), Kenzi Shiokava (Chouinard 72) and Wadada Leo Smith, a former faculty member of The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts.

For his exhibit contribution, Gray goes about his daily routines while wearing the clothes of the late Ray Manzarek, his friend and collaborator, as well as the co-founder and keyboardist for rock band The Doors. Lertxundi, an experimental filmmaker from Spain, screens her work, including We Had the Experience but Missed the Meaning. Porras-Kim and Shiokava share work inspired by archeological research. Smith’s graphic notations for his jazz compositions are also on view at the museum.

Made in L.A. 2016: a, the, though, only is on view at the Hammer Museum through Aug. 28, with special programs held throughout the exhibit.

View the complete list of participants.