LACMA-Organized Exhibition at 18th Street Arts Center Emerges From Years of Intensive Artist Residencies

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Sep 05, 2017, 08:45 ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 18th Street Arts Center, in collaboration with LACMA, presents A Universal History of Infamy: Virtues of Disparity, part of the Getty-led initiative Pacific Standard Time LA/LA. The exhibition, which runs from September 9 - December 15, 2017 at 18th Street Arts Center (and simultaneously at LACMA and Charles White Elementary) features contemporary discipline-defying artists from Latin America and the United States. Over the past two years, the majority of the artists conducted research residencies at 18th Street Arts Center. The opening reception is September 9 at 5 PM and is free and open to the public.

Josefina Guilisasti, Objetos Light, 2014. White silicon sculptures and video loop. Courtesy of the artist.

Michael Linares, Makapansgat's Way, 2015. 7 minutes. Courtesy of the artist.

A Universal History of Infamy: Virtues of Disparity at 18th Street Arts Center is structured around themes of likeness and deception, and considers the shortcomings of different systems of writing, transcriptions, and their contested relation to authenticity.

For this exhibition, 18th Street Arts Center has produced and designed a brand-new exhibition website that will feature 6 video artist profiles. Please visit pstlala-lacma.18thstreet.org for more information.

About Selected Artists

During her residency at 18th Street Arts Center, Venezuelan artist Angela Bonadíes explored museums, libraries, archives, and historic architecture in Los Angeles, including the Eames House by Charles and Ray Eames. Regarding her first impression of Los Angeles, Bonadíes says, "What seems more interesting is the feeling that no one finishes seeing the city because I feel it is made up of many cities and many villages... in that sense it is a city of nooks."

From Argentina to Berlin, artists Dolores Zinny and Juan Maidagan (who go by the artist collective zinny-maidagan) have been producing large-scale installations for over two decades as a means to investigate architecture through the history of a site. They became intrigued by the history of the palm tree in Los Angeles, and spent time researching the non-native species during their residency.

Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa, performance and installation artist, is originally from Guatemala, but due to the Guatemalan Civil War, his family sought refuge in Vancouver, Canada. "Trauma is something that doesn't fit into the narrative of your life, it stands out." For Ramírez-Figueroa, Los Angeles is a complicated city, as a refuge to other Central Americans, and a place of struggle.

A Universal History of Infamy is presented as part of the Getty's Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, and curated by Rita Gonzalez, José Luis Blondet, and Pilar Tompkins Rivas.

Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA is a far-reaching and ambitious exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with Los Angeles at more than 70 cultural institutions across Southern California. Pacific Standard Time is an initiative of the Getty. The presenting sponsor is Bank of America.

Major support of the exhibition and artist residencies is provided through grants from the Getty Foundation.

Additional support for artist residencies related to the exhibition was generously provided by Baik Art.

LINKS:

For a full list of artists, visit: http://pstlala-lacma.18thstreet.org

See http://pstlala-lacma.18thstreet.org/events/ for related events.

Contact:
Sue Bell Yank
310-308-7246
[email protected]

SOURCE 18th Street Arts Center