Sixth Presence Almanac

PRESENCE ALMANAC

Cover photo by Elliott Desai

FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ARTS & CULTURE

This is a story of Elliott being

As one energy, we’re meant to offer our natural gifts to the world through harmonious collaborations.

And it’s my instinct to help people move towards their goals - working alongside them, adding my artistry.

I’m also known to ask a lot of questions - floating through the world and listening to the visions and obstacles on everyone’s mind.

The central theme for most people is a fundamental need to be seen.

And it’s clear to me now that the diversity of my experiences have always been quests to eventually share wisdom with my community.

We’re all interconnected - never separate nor alone - and this almanac is born from my tendency to amplify other’s presence

And I’m able to hear the impact of my own presence by spending time by myself - journaling, sitting in parks, and abandoning everything I believe to consistently approach each day with a beginner’s mindset.

The only objective is to be our natural selves - nowhere to arrive or a destination to feel “accomplished.”

So let it all go.

Let go of your anxieties and the fear of what’s coming “next.”

Those thoughts are distractions from living in this moment, right now

Being here is all there is, and these chronicles are my way to exhibit artists and my present experiences.

One sunny afternoon, I was walking around my neighborhood when a friend called out my name.

I joined his excursion, and as he mingled with some colleagues, I meandered around a storefront and learned about Jeff Pink.

Then someone asked me the question, “what do you do?”

“Oh... I do a lot. Producing live shows, publicizing special events, oftentimes project management” I replied.

Then another person chimed in, “Wow, I was just thinking about needing a project manager.”

This stranger revealed herself to be Latoya Shaw, an artist going by the name L Ø V C H L D.

We swapped emails, and then reconvened later that week.

In this first meeting, I learned more about Latoya’s artistry, and she learned more about my history of helping people achieve their goals.

Before parting ways, we scheduled a 2nd meeting for Monday, March 6th.

This next chat began with a leisurely walk up Fairfax Ave, and over the next 45 minutes Layota shared that her current projects were coming to an end, but she made a short film that’s still in fragments on her laptop.

As I listened to her story, my mind began piecing the details together.

E: Do you still have a publicist?

L: Yes, but they’re mostly getting press on the other projects.

E: What about your new ideas? When will you exhibit those?

L: Probably not until November.

E: And it’s March... I’m trying figure out how all these parts make sense together.... your next project is 10 months away, but you also have a short film that tells the genesis of your artistry...

I then advised Latoya to have a screening of her short film.

L: I was going to just upload online.

E: Make a memory of it! Eventize this moment in your life.

For this timeline to make sense, uploading the film to youtube will feel random - may not even be seen, possibly ignored.

But if this film communicates your perspective as an artist, then we need to make a moment of it.

L: That makes sense...

E: It doesn’t have to be big, but screening the film for others to see in person is more impactful than just uploading your art to youtube.

L: I’m actually meeting with my sound guy this week, I could probably get it done by next month.

E: It should be this month, and your must-mention in any more press coverage needs to be about the film.

L: That’s really soon!

E: How’s the end of March? If you find a venue by this Friday, we can announce the screening next week. And then share the trailer as promo the following week to attract more RSVPs for the screening.

And then it was official - Latoya Shaw would screen her short film on Thursday, March 30th at 8pm.

A few days later, I met up with a friend named Chris Kim, also known as Hyun Suk

I’ve always known Chris to be a talented animator, but during this lunch he revealed a new painting series he was working on.

It sounded like a perfect project to exhibit, and my only question was, “Can it be ready by March 30th?”

Over the next three weeks, Latoya and I communicated every other day - I recommended where to find a venue, an app for sending invites, content to share on social media, a timeline for setting up the space, preparing for a second showing, creating a playlist, printing posters, having drinks and snacks...

Then the night arrived.

And over 40 people from Latoya’s life attended the two screenings!

We took photos, I hosted a Q&A, Chris showcased his work, we managed concessions, operated the projector... a successful premiere!

And throughout the evening, I learned that many of Latoya’s friends had been hearing about this film for the past four years

Yet it took two strangers - who essentially met on the street - to invest time into each other’s

visions and produce an opportunity that enhanced both of our lives.

Setting a date for the premiere is what pushed Latoya to finally finish her film, and it became a key event to help me recognize my need to invent the Presence Almanac.

This anecdote encapsulates who I am, and my work for the advancement of arts & culture.

An honest collaboration, and a moment in time to remember that I’m Elliott Desai - “a visual artist helping people achieve their goals” - yet there’s so much depth behind that one, simple sentence.

This Sixth Chronicle begins with photos from this premiere, a direct link to L Ø V C H L D’s film, and a beautiful sampling of Hyun Suk‘s animations.

Then two galleries in Santa Monica at the Bergamot Station Arts Center: Jackson Casady, Carter Flachbarth and Cindy Bernhard at Richard Heller Gallery

Jack Reilly at bG Gallery

And two galleries in Beverly-Fairfax:

Brandon Ndife, Julie Beaufils and Sula Bermúdez-Silverman at Matthew Brown Gallery

JJ Manford, Sung Hwa Kim, Ho Jae Kim, Allie McGhee and Oxana Moiseeva at HARPER’S Los Angeles

Published on August 24 at 2:58 AM

Love, Elliott

EAST HOLLYWOOD

SANTA MONICA

Image courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery

© Jackson Casady | Dear Big Red, 2023

Roadside Picnic

Image courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery

© Jackson Casady | The Delay, 2023

Roadside Picnic

Image courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery

© Jackson Casady | Roadside Picnic, 2023 Roadside Picnic

Image courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery

© Carter Flachbarth | PRCS, 2023 Ephemeral

Image courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery

© Cindy Bernhard | Studio Still Life, 2023 Ephemeral Pleasures

© Jack Reilly | Nebulous State of Being, 2023 Circles of Time

FAIRFAX

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Brandon Ndife | A Monstera, 2022

What’s the sun to a raisin?

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Brandon Ndife | The Lightning Tree, 2022

What’s the sun to a raisin?

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Brandon Ndife | Cracklings, 2022

What’s the sun to a raisin?

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Julie Beaufils | Canopy, 2022

Diegesis

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Julie Beaufils | Canopy, 2022

Diegesis

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery © Sula Bermúdez-Silverman | 124 Bluestone Road, 2020 Ichthyocentaur

Image courtesy of Matthew Brown Gallery

© Sula Bermúdez-Silverman | Paso Largo, 2023 Ichthyocentaur

BEVERLY GROVE

© JJ Manford | Walter Gropius Interior with Warhol, 2022 RIPE

© Ho Jae Kim | Basket, 2023

RIPE

© Allie McGhee | Long Shadow, 2022 RIPE

Oxana Moiseeva | Lemon Field, 2022

EAST HOLLYWOOD SANTA MONICA

Latoya Shaw

L Ø V C H L D instagram.com/lovchld_

Chris Kim

Hyun Suk

instagram.com/from_hyunsuk

Jackson Casady Roadside Picnic

February 18 - March 25, 2023

richardhellergallery.com/artists/ jackson-casady

Carter Flachbarth

Ephemeral Pleasures

July 22 - August 19, 2023

richardhellergallery.com/artists/ carter-flachbarth

Cindy Bernhard

Ephemeral Pleasures

July 22 - August 19, 2023 cindybernhardart.com

Jack Reilly Circles of Time

March 11 - April 9, 2023

santamonica.bgartdealings.com/show/ bg-gallery-jack-reilly-circles-of-time

Richard Heller Gallery (B5A)

2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, 90404 richardhellergallery.com

bG Gallery (A2)

2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, 90404

richardhellergallery.com

FAIRFAX

Brandon Ndife

What’s the sun to a raisin?

November 19, 2022 – January 21, 2023

matthewbrowngallery.com/exhibitions/ brandon-ndife

Julie Beaufils Diegesis

February 11 – March 18, 2023

matthewbrowngallery.com/artists/ julie-beaufils

Sula Bermúdez-Silverman Ichthyocentaur

February 11 – March 18, 2023

matthewbrowngallery.com/exhibitions/ sula-bermudez-silverman

BEVERLY GROVE

RIPE

February 15 - April 15, 2023

JJ Manford

harpersgallery.com/artists/jj-manford

Sung Hwa Kim sunghwakim.com

Ho Jae Kim

harpersgallery.com/artists/ho-jae-kim

Allie McGhee

harpersgallery.com/artists/allie-mcghee

Oxana Moiseeva

instagram.com/oxanamoiseeva

Matthew Brown Gallery

Gallery 1

633 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Gallery 2

712 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

matthewbrowngallery.com

August 24 at 2:58 AM Los Angeles, CA

© Elliott Desai

presencealmanac.com