David Eddington, Michael Freitas Wood, Beanie Kaman
Peggy Sivert, Ben Zask, Da Aie Park, Charity Malin, Won Sil KIm
Beyond LA
Beyond L.A. is an exhibition of works by eight artists working in the Los Angeles area. The group came together initially in 2023 to participate in South Korea’s Seorak International Arts Festival. In addition to pursuing individual studio practices and exhibiting collaboratively, an aspect of our shared commitment is to support and find venues for other artists to exhibit in the U.S. and internationally.
The Los Angeles basin is a storied, sprawling metropolis comprising many and varied cities; as a group we are scattered in different neighbourhoods, thus this exhibition is about these diverse locations, our lived experiences, and what is distinctive about being a L.A. habitué. On any given day one can find oneself tucked away in a quiet suburb, thrown into disarray by the noise and aggression of certain parts of the city, and drawn into reflective study of our uniquely urban landscape.
A large centre of habitation, L.A. has many galleries, museums, and a thriving contemporary arts scene; it is a bustling city surrounded by rugged mountains and wildernesses, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and divided by an unpredictable river of mixed character spanned by iconic bridges over which L.A.’s legendary traffic constantly passes. Taking from such a distinctive environment, fed by politics and the SoCal vibe, local artists have naturally evolved in their own direction; as with the city - almost anything goes. Where creativity and self-expression are concerned, this is the very nature of Beyond L.A. Why the title? Because living here one can see yet another side to the tinsel and brash, a far less stereotypical view of our city.
Written by David Eddington
Edited 9/2/24