LA ART NEWS A R T S A N D C U LT U R E F O R A L L O F L O S A N G E L E S VOLUME 6 NO. 3
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JUNE 2018
CALIFORNIA: BUDGET SURPLUS LEADS TO MORE FOR THE ARTS California is a world leader in the arts. It is home to Hollywood and the entertainment industry. It is resuming its place as the mural capital of the U.S. and can boast of museums, commercial art galleries, and community arts spaces. Its cities are centers for the fashion industry, digital media, and design, and there are ample opportunities to experience live music, theater, and dance. The State’s broad ethnic and cultural reality gives rise to a huge array of artistic expressions. It is incongruous then, that California ranks 38th among states in the union in per capita spending on arts and culture by a state legislature—46 cents per person compared to a national median of $1.08. “Recent budget improvements have taken us from the back of the pack to the middle of the pack,” said Assembly Member Kansen Chu, Chair of the Assembly’s Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, & Internet Media Committee. “But we should aspire to do better as the center of the creative economy in the Untied States.” There is moderately good news, however, from Sacramento. Every Spring, the Governor issues a May budget revision based on updated information as to revenue. This year, Governor Jerry Brown surprised many by adding $5 million to the state arts budget, bringing the total to about $21 million. Then, when the matter went to an Assembly Budget Sub-Committee, the committee doubled the Governor’s proposal to $10 million. Last year, the California Arts Council, which administers and disperses state arts funding, experienced increases of 20% to 38% in applications to its various programs. This increased funding is to help mitigate Artists Eric Rewitzer & Annie Galvin of San Francisco at the gap between demand and funded programs. stARTup Art Fair, Los Angeles in January. After the Office of Finance suggested leaving the increase at $5 million, Assembly Member David Chiu www.3fishstudios.com www.startupfair.com of San Francisco said, “Certainly with an almost $9 billion budget surplus, we’re talking about a speckle of budget dust to get us to a better place.” The California Arts Council is funded primarily by the State General Fund. It also receives funds via the National Endowment for the Arts, the sale of California’s art license plate, and the “Keep Arts in Schools” Voluntary Contribution Fund.
“State arts agencies ignite creativity, connections and growth. They foster vibrant communities, inspire young imaginations, put people to work and preserve our heritage for future generations.” —National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
“BECOMING LOS ANGELES” REOPENS AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM “This, ladies and gentlemen, is quite a story.” —Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas Artifacts, art, and stories come together to tell the narrative of Los Angeles in the the Natural History Museum’s newly remodeled and reopened “Becoming Los Angeles” exhibit. The exhibit covers five centuries, tracing the natural environment, the built environment, and the relationship between them. “Becoming Los Angeles” often excels in its simplicity. The curators don’t try to throw everything the museum has into the mix. Rather, individual objects serve as emblematic of time periods, a style which allows the objects to tell their stories. Also contributing are works by noted contemporary artists, among them Judithe Hernández, Linda Vallejo, Harry B. Chandler, Isabel Avila, Daniel González, and Elena Dorfman. The highlight of “Becoming Los Angeles” comes at almost the end. Master altar-maker Ofelia Esparza and her daughter, artist Rosanna Esparza Ahrens have created a huge altar that celebrates the City. Titled “Altar to el Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles,” it includes some 379 objects depicting the Los Angeles River, native flora and fauna, food and landmarks. It honors neighborhoods and inhabitants of the City. Ms. Esparza and Ms. Esparza Ahren’s altar is the sort of piece one could and should spend some time with, becoming increasing impacted by the diversity and beauty of what is represented. The final segment of “Becoming Los Angeles” allows the viewer to
Ernesto Yerana Montejano and Philop Lumbang, Eagle of the Dead, Ram of the Dead, Bear of the Dead, Rooster of the Dead, Owl of the Dead. Taxidermy of one of the last known Calfiornia grizzly bears. The grizzly bear was declared extinct in the 1930s.
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become part of the exhibit him or herself. Listening stations allow visitors to listen to previous visitors and then record their own voices as they answer the question, “What is Los Angeles to you?” Becoming Los Angeles Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Exposition Park Gretchen Baker, Vice President of Exhibitions Dr. William Estrada, Curator of California and American History and Chair of the History Department www.nhm.org
Works Progress Administration model of Downtown Los Angeles
Judithe Hernández, Enduring Inequity in a Changing World
Betty Grable’s costume from “Diamond Horseshoe,” 1945, sporting recycled sequins due to war rationing
Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna Esparza Ahrens with their “Altar to el Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles”
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I SAW RED
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Jazmín Urrea
South Los Angeles artist Jazmín Urrea’s work draws attention to the contrast between real food—the fresh produce we should be eating, but which is hard to come by in many urban neighborhoods—and the chemically-colored fake food that is easy to obtain. Her medium is not paint or clay, but the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. Ms. Urrea’s art has been shown at the J. Paul Getty Museum, as well as the Studio Museum in Harlem, CalArts, and Public Storage LA. For a recent exhibit, “I Saw Red,” at Sade Gallery in Lincoln Heights, she brought in millions of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, creating an environment that illustrated the ubiquitous nature of the product and pointed up its attentiongrabbing aspect—its bright, bright color, courtesy of FD&C Red Dye #40, a carcinogen that has also been linked to allergies and hyperactivity. Accompanied by floor-to-ceiling repeating images of red dye products, the result was really red, slightly smelly, and very compelling. Ms. Urrea’s art employs photography and installation in the service of making visible what has been before our eyes all the time—what has become so commonplace as to be accepted as normative, even if it’s killing us. More about SADE may be found at www.s-a-d-e.la.
CRITTERS GOTTA CRAWL The Arroyo Arts Collective presents an exhibition of site-specific installations on the grounds of the La Tierra de la Culebra Art Park. “CRITTERS GOTTA CRAWL”, showcases local wildlife found in the Northeast L.A. area, highlighting matters of ecological importance as critters struggle to exist in our urban landscape. Participating artists include: Nick Fedak III, Angelica Gonzales, David Lasky, Daphne Mangin, Jan McCall, Linda Ravenswood, The Artists Formerly Known As Women ((Nancy Buchanan, Monica Chau, Deborah Krall, Sheila Pinkel, Karen Schwenkmeyer, Suzanne Siegel, Laura Silagi). Who: Arroyo Arts Collective and La Tierra de la Culebra Art Park What: CRITTERS GOTTA CRAWL, a site-specific installation exhibition Where: 240 South Avenue 57, Highland Park When: Saturday June 9, from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission: Free and Open to the public For more information: www.arroyoartcollective.org Daphne Mangin, Critters Gotta Crawl
POP CULTURE TIME CAPSULE Peekaboo Gallery, a pop culture time capsule, has opened in Old Town Pasadena. Gallerist Jordan Reichek and Gallery Director Matt Kennedy are currently featuring The Art of the Videocade. Next up: Welcome Aboard, The Friendly Skies.
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STAFF Publisher/ Creative Director Cathi Milligan Managing Editor Margaret Arnold Intern Vince Caldera Contributors: Margaret Arnold, Cornelius Peter, Brian Mallman, Amy Inouye, Stuart Rapeport, Cathi Milligan, Jennifer Hitchcock, Jeremy Kaplan, Florence the dog, Harvey Slater, Kristine Schomaker, Madame X, Larisa Code, LA Art News is published monthly at the beginning of each month. LA Art News is available free of charge. No person may, without prior written permission from LA Art News, take more than one copy of each monthly issue. Additional copies of the current issue are available for $1, payable in advance, at LA Art News office. Only authorized LA Art News distributors may distribute the LA Art News. Copyright No news stories, illustrations, editorial matter or advertisements herein can be reproduced without written consent of copyright owner.
SUMMERTIME!! It’s time for sunshine and vacations and preparation for the upcoming mid term elections. I hope everyone votes/d in the primary on the 6th. I really look forward to voting. I wish more would do it. There I go...I started out talking about summertime’s arrival and get sidetracked by politics. Can I help it. The dumbass in chief wants to cut the arts. You know how I feel about that? To quote Tomas, Fuck Trump. Fortunately Congress feels the same way, at least about the arts. They’re giving more money. Yay! Of course they haven’t gotten rid of Emperor Sippy Cup (how do I really feel?). Please vote... Back to summer. Where are you going? What are you doing? Staycation? Those are always good since Los Angeles has so much cool stuff to see and do. Happy Summer!! Thanks, Cathi Milligan Publisher, LA Art News
How to reach us LA Art News 5668 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042 323-387-9705 Contributions cathi@laartnews.com Calendar information margaretnelaart@gmail.com Sales - cathi@laartnews.com sign up for our newsletter at laartnews.com Where’s Monica?
CONGRESS SAYS YES TO ARTS AND HUMANITIES The Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has gone against the wishes of the White House by continuing its support for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The White House budget, for the second year in a row, had called for the elimination of the NEA and the NEH. The Appropriations Committee not only kept the endowments, but increased their budgets by $2 million each above the current level. The increase will bring NEA and NEH funding to $155 million each. This certainly is not a large amount for a country the size of the United States, but it is well-leveraged money that supports arts in every single Congressional District. The Appropriations vote demonstrates that support for the arts is a bipartisan issue. The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, under whose jurisdiction NEA funding falls, is chaired by Representative Ken Calvert, a Republican from Southern California. Support for the arts on the part of the public made a difference. Americans for the Arts reports that during the funding consideration, U.S. House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Rodney Frelinghuysen specifically noted the strong support in his state and district in New Jersey for the “good work” the Endowments do. The Senate is expected to take up the matter in June.
Source: Americans for the Arts
LOS ANGELES COUNTY GETS AN ARTS DEPARTMENT On May 15, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took the significant step of creating an official County Arts Department. The effort was led by County Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl. The transition will begin with the new fiscal year in July and is to be completed by FY 2019-20. “I think it’s sufficient,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas, “to say now is the time to move the agenda of the arts forward in a more formalized way.” The Supervisor cited the importance of the creative economy to the overall economic health of Los Angeles County, with some 800,000 creative workers contributing to the 17th largest economy in the world. He cited as well the many cultural benefits of such a move and the implications for social equity. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl called the creation of an arts department, “a recognition of the ever-increasing importance of arts to the region, to our economy.” “But also,” said Supervisor Kuehl, “to our sense of shared identity, the way we think of ourselves. We think of ourselves as creators and makers in Los Angeles County. And the arts are elemental to that.” The County currently has an Arts Commission, as it has for more than 70 years (although in 1947 County Supervisors Sheila Kuehl, Mark Ridley-Thomas, and it was called the Music Commission), and the commission will continue in relationship to the new Hilda Solis (center) join arts advocates in celebrating the department. But Supervisor Kuehl expressed the opinion that a full-fledged department will provide “a creation of a County Arts Department (photo: Supervisor greater capacity and a more visible platform to build and strengthen programming across the county.” Ridley-Thomas’ office) “It will give us a better platform on the world stage of arts and culture,” added Supervisor Janice Hahn. Snehal Desai, Producing Artistic Director of East West Players, pointed out that, “We live in a time where the arts are more profoundly important than ever, to ensure that the visibility and stories of those who are often forgotten or marginalized by our society are told…The arts allow them to have voice.” “This is a historic moment in the arts for this region,” said LA County Arts Commission Executive Director Kristin Sakoda.
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IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has issued a proclamation declaring June 2018 to be “Immigrant Heritage Month” in the State of California. “California is a land of immigrants within a nation of immigrants,” reads the proclamation, “Each generation of Americans has been refreshed by new arrivals from foreign countries. Each immigrant group has strengthened our society with both a wealth of cultural traditions and a great eagerness to become American.” LGBT HERITAGE AT CITY HALL The Los Angeles City Council kicked off Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Heritage Month at City Hall May 30. As part of the event, a milestone in LGBT history was unveiled. The Los Angeles Public Library, One Archives, and City Council Mitch O’Farrell’s office have developed a traveling cultural exhibit to recognize the contributions of the LGBT community in the City. Displayed on banners, the exhibit will visit 15 branch libraries, one in each City Council district. Councilmembers O’Farrell and Mike Bonin have introduced a motion in support of nine bills that are pending at the state level. The bills aim to protect the rights of transgender individuals, provide specialized health care for youth in foster care, and direct more resources to inservice training for teachers regarding resources available for the transgender community. Councilmember O’Farrell’s office is hosting an exhibit in the City Hall Bridge Gallery in collaboration with OutSports.com, Getty Images, and the Los Angeles Public Library during the month of June to recognize LGBT Olympic athletes. The poster and artwork of the City’s heritage month publication, designed by Patrick Marston for the Department of Culture Affairs, was unveiled. The guide is available at www.culturela.org. The word’s largest rainbow flag was also unveiled. It will be on display at Venice Beach before traveling the country. “May this flag and the people who fly it lead us all toward harnessing unity, goodness, and hope,” said Rabbi Zach Shapiro of Temple Akiba in Culver City (and husband of City Controller Ron Galperin). “Members of the LGBTQ+ communities have been flocking for many years to Los Angeles,” said City Controller Galperin. “It’s because of our vibrancy, our creativity, because of the fact that we welcome people here.”
City Controller Ron Galperin, artists Michael Brunt and Patrick Marston, Cultural Affairs General Manager Danielle Brazell, and City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell with the LGBT Heritage Month poster and publication cover (photo: City Controller Ron Galperin’s office)
RIM OF THE VALLEY Congress Members Adam Schiff and Steve Knight are leading a bipartisan effort to add more than 191,000 acres, known as the Rim of the Valley Corridor, to the protected Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area. The long-sought Rim of the Valley stretches across the Simi Hills, the Santa Susanas, the Verdugos, and to the San Gabriel Mountains. The Congress Members are trying to get a hearing on H.R. 4086, the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act. In a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chair Rob Bishop and Ranking Member Raul Grijalva, Congress Members Schiff and Knight wrote, “Los Angeles County is a park-poor region with 51% of residents living more than half a mile to the nearest park. That’s why we must take steps to increase access. Preservation of, and access to, open space in our communities is not only good for our environment and ecosystems, but it is beneficial for the health and wellbeing of our residents.” Efforts for a Rim of the Valley designation have been underway since the early 2000s. The goal is “to enable local landowners, local governments, and interested stakeholders to better utilize federal resources to preserve this beautiful ecosystem for generations to come,” says the letter, “as well as improve access to nature for recreational and educational purposes. By expanding the National Recreation Area, the National Park Service will have the authority to implement capital improvements, like repairing hiking trails and maintaining facilities for public enjoyment, study wildlife and its habitats, and participate in cooperative conservation with local landowners. The Park Service will also be able to accept land donations or purchase land from willing sellers within the boundary if the Secretary deems it appropriate. The expansion will respect private property rights and existing local land use authorities.” H.R. 4086 is sponsored by Congress Member Schiff and cosponsored by every Congress Member in the vicinity of the Rim of the Valley, including Stephen Last month we reported on the details of the City of Los Knight, Julia Brownley, Judy Chu, Tony Cardenas, Angeles 2018-19 budget for arts and culture including Brad Sherman, Ted Lieu, and Jimmy Gomez. arts instruction for underserved areas, restoration of the Olympic Murals, and exchanges between international performers and local communities. In May, the City Council approved the budget, and Mayor Eric Garcetti signed it. (photo: the Mayor’s office)
GRAND PERFORMANCES As Los Angeles moves into the summer months, Grand Performances is moving into its 33rd season. Referred to by County Supervisor Hilda Solis as “one of—if not the—longest running free summer performance series,” the mission of the series is to provide free access to global performing arts, to inspire community, to celebrate diversity, and to unite Los Angeles. As always, the summer series will take place at California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. And then, through the coming year, there will be two additional venues, Los Angeles State Historic Park and Los Angeles World Airport. The Grand Performances season runs from June 1 to August 18. A complete list of performances may be found at www. grandperformances.org. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis honors the Grand Performances team (photo: Supervisor Solis’ office)
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ARTS AND CULTURE:
EDUCATION, FILM CREDITS, MUSEUMS, MORE WHAT’S IN STORE FROM SACRAMENTO Legislators in Sacramento are scrambling to get their proposed bills passed before the current two-year legislative term comes to an end this summer. Among the plethora of proposals in play are many related to arts and culture in California. Below is a guide to what’s in the works, as some members of the State Senate and Assembly seek to fund and otherwise support fine arts, arts education, the creative economy, and the broad spectrum of California culture. EDUCATION Arts for Every Student SB 933, Senator Ben Allen This bill establishes the Arts for Every Student Incentive Grant Program. The program is will encourage the delivery of high-quality visual and performing arts programming to all students. California law requires arts education for every K-12 student, but the reality is that only 38% of pupils in the State truly have access to arts instruction. Students in low-income neighborhood schools are far more likely to go without access to arts. “We’re trying to use this opportunity in the budget to provide a one-time opportunity to create new programs for schools with limited arts resources and match local funds for existing programs in order to expands arts education access and opportunities for students across the State,” said Senator Allen. Michael Winger, Executive Director of the Recording Academy, San Francisco Chapter, said at a Senate Education Committee hearing on the bill, “Beyond the issue of ‘Oh, it’ll be neat if I learn how to play piano’ or if my son is going to be able to pick up a glockenspiel and play quarter notes in time, what’s more important is that when you learn music or when you learn the arts you learn how to think, you learn how to collaborate, you learn how to work together, you learn how to listen, you learn how to play. And you learn how to do so many things that not only spark joy in yourself and in others, but it also radiates out into your communities, and it radiates out into your cities, and into your state, and into your nation and into the world. Music doesn’t just stop at the end of your street, it doesn’t just stop when it gets into a school. It lives in your hearts and it lasts a long time.” “We’re hoping that coming out of this program we’ll have some scalable programs that can help to change the way we think about the way we do arts education in this state,” said Senator Allen. The program is to be administered by the California Department of Education. The bill is sponsored by the California Alliance for Arts Education. It has the support of more than 60 organizations, including Arts for LA, Angels Gate Cultural Center, CalArts, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Inner City Arts, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Pasadena Unified School District, South Pasadena Arts Council, and Side Street Projects.
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Status: Passed the Senate. Pending before the Assembly. However, the program would only be implemented if an appropriation is included in the Budget Act or another statute for that purpose. Data on Arts Education AB 385, Assembly Member Kansen Chu This measure encourages school districts to highlight K-6 instruction and course offerings in visual and performing arts in their local data. “This bill will make visual and performance art data that is currently being collected at the elementary school level publicly available for the first time,” said Assembly Member Kansen Chu. Existing law prescribes instruction in dance, music, theater, and visual arts in grades 1-12. However, according to the Arts Education Data Project, 14% of all elementary students have no access to arts courses. A disproportionate number of “no arts” students attend schools that are majority African American or Latinx, and 41% of the students with no access to arts courses are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Existing law does not contain adequate reporting requirements to monitor whether elementary students are receiving arts instruction. This bill encourages, but does not require, districts to highlight data for visual and performing arts. Sofia Fojas, a music education in the San Francisco Unified School District, told the Senate Education Committee, “It’s important to know where the gaps in arts education exist at the elementary level. You can’t do algebra without first learning to count. And you can’t play the Mozart Violin Concerto without first learning “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Joe Landon of the California Alliance for Arts Education said, “The first step to reducing inequities is to make the inequity visible and specific.” “If people agree that every child in California should have a quality education that includes the arts,” asked Mr. Landon, “how will we know if this is indeed the case if the State does not even bother to count elementary students, which make up one half the student population, adding up to over three million children?” The measure has been pending before the Senate Appropriations Committee since summer of 2017. Status: Passed he Assembly. Pending in the Senate. Ethnic Studies AB 2772, Introduced by Assembly Members Jose Medina, Shirley Weber, and Rob Bonta. Coauthored by Assembly Member Lorena Gonzales Fletcher. This bill will require that all students complete a year-long social studies course in ethnic studies to graduate from high school. The requirement will begin with the 2023-24 school year. “The history that students learn in school is typically narrow in focus and perspective,” said Assembly Member Jose Medina. “Requiring ethnic studies helps ensure that all students learn about the diverse histories of the people that make up America.” According to Assembly Member Medina’s office, “The goal of AB 2772 is to allow all students to gain knowledge of one’s history and community while also helping students feel more connected and empowered by the curriculum. Studies have proven that attendance, and the GPA of at-risk high school students, have improved when culturally relevant pedagogy is added to the curriculum” Status: Passed by the Assembly. Pending in the Senate. Media Literacy SB 135, Senator Bill Dodd This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission to develop, and the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt, modify, or revise, a model curriculum in media literacy for social sciences for grades 1 to 12. According to Senator Bill Dodd, “There have been numerous research reports published recently that highlight the need for media literacy education…It is important that California’s educational standards reflect the need for increased media literacy, so that young adults have the ability to analyze and evaluate information consumed from countless media outlets.” Status: Passed the Senate. Pending in the Assembly. World Language AB 2319, Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian Existing law refers to the study of a language other than English by pupils as the study of a foreign language. Existing law refers to the term “foreign language” in various provisions of the Education Code. This bill would delete references in the Education Code to the term “foreign language” and would instead substitute the term “world language.” The bill would provide that the bill shall not be constructed to require local educational agencies to make modifications to their language programs. Nicole Naditz of the California Language Teachers Association told the Assembly Education Committee, “The word foreign often has a negative connotation that sets one group of people or objects apart from others as being strange, alien, different, and unfamiliar.” “In fact,” said Ms. Naditz, “in California, a state that is rich in diversity, no language is truly foreign.” Under the current wording of the code, American Sign Language and Native languages, have to be classified as “foreign.” Most states have already made the change. Status: Passed Assembly Appropriations. Pending in the Senate. Cultural Expressions at Graduations AB 1248, Assembly Member Todd Gloria This measure will amend the Education Code to ensure that students may wear items of cultural significance during commencement ceremonies. According to Assembly Member Todd Gloria, some districts have adopted “no adornment” policies for graduation ceremonies which specifically disallow the display of cultural adornments. In 2014, eight Native American high school seniors were restricted from wearing eagle feathers – a highly revered symbol of one’s passage into adulthood – as part of their graduation regalia. In 2016, an African-American student was not permitted to wear kente cloth – a fabric worn during important occasions in African culture – at his commencement ceremony. Status: Passed the Assembly. Pending in the Senate. FILM TAX CREDITS “Few industries are more indelibly tied to a location than the entertainment industry is to California,” said Assembly Member Ian Calderon. “This industry creates hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs, middle class jobs, and billions in economic activity each year. And hopefuls still flock to the area with dreams of being discovered.” “California’s film industry is not simply an important economic industry for our state,” said Senator Anthony Portantino. “It is a cultural cornerstone that elevates California’s reputation and image.” However, in the 1990s, other states and countries instituted aggressive programs to lure film production. Productions, and their related jobs, left California in droves.
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MORE BECOMING LOS ANGELES continued from page 3
Daniel González, Resisting the Missions
Photograph of Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné (17661878)
Steatite and clamshell beaded necklace with abalone pendant, 2018. By Leah Mata. (Photo by Deniz Durmas, Courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.)
Tourism in the form of pleasure parks, exotic animals, sports, and other amusements played a significant role in enticing settlers from the rest of the United States, and promoting Southern California to the world.
Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, Altar to el Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles (detail)
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“The toll on workers and families was immense,” said Assembly Member Caldaron, “as film crew members travelled to other states following work, leaving behind their families and facing unemployment here at home.” In an effort to combat production flight, the state legislature passed tax credits in 2009. The program has been expanded and improved on in the years since. While the film industry is most prominently associated with actors, directors, and writers, the benefits of the tax credits primarily serve below the line workers—the people associated with the many technical, craft, and location elements of production. They also reach beyond direct employment, as keeping production in California impacts such industries as catering, lodging, restaurants, and construction. This creates increased tax revenue for such issues as education and public safety. Assembly Member Richard Bloom referred to film tax credits as, “one of the most effective economic development tools in the State.” “The current program has been very successful,” Melissa Patack of the Motion Picture Association of America told the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee. “One hundred thirty projects located in California, employing over the first three years [since the 2015 revamp] of the program over 22,000 Californians in below the line jobs, good middle class jobs, union jobs with health insurance, pension benefits. The aggregate spending as estimated by the California Film Commission on these projects has been $5.9 billion contributing to California’s economy.” There has been a 12% increase in below the line hours worked since the 2015 revamp, resulting in $1.4 billion in generated wages, and 13 TV series have relocated to California. However, the current program sunsets in two years. Decisions regarding shoot locations are made a year or more in advance. It is time to consider extending the bill and looking at ways to increase its benefits. Assembly Member Bloom notes that it is safe to assume that other states and countries will continue to attempt to lure production. “It is incumbent upon California to take steps to assure that we retain our place as the home of the entertainment industry,” said the Assembly Member. AB 2936, Introduced by Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian. Coauthored by Assembly Members Dante Acosta, Richard Bloom, Wendy Carrillo, Laura Friedman, Chris Holden, and Marc Levine, and Senator Benjamin Allen. AB 2936 extends the tax incentive program through 2025. It also deals with four areas of concern in the tax incentive program. It bolsters the incentives for independent production companies. It supports California-based music production. It seeks to improve diversity among those who benefit from the incentives. And it seeks to combat sexual harassment in the industry. Status: Pending in the Assembly AB 1734, Introduced by Assembly Members Ian Calderon, Richard Bloom, Rob Bonta, and Lorena Gonzales Fletcher. Coauthored by Assembly Members Miguel Santiago, Dante Acosta, Laura Friedman, Adrin Nazarian, and Marie Waldron. This bill also will continue the existing program’s $330 million in available tax credits, extending the program through 2025 with some improvements. It will further incentivize the use of California musicians for television scoring. It will add additional credit for filming outside of Los Angeles County to ensure that the entire state is a beneficiary. And it creates a Career Pathway Training Program focused on underserved communities. “The Career Pathways Training Program will create the next generation of well-paid, highly-skilled workers in our local economies,” said Assembly Member Calderon, “and make sure that California’s film making workforce remains at the forefront of the industry, while being more representative of our state’s diverse population.” “This isn’t an internship,” said Assembly Member Caldaron. “It’s something that you’re going to be paid to do. And you’re going to be trained as an apprenticeship by those individuals who are the best in the business.” Recent amendments to the bill also require an applicant for the credit to include the applicant’s written policy against unlawful harassment. Status: Passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Pending in the Senate. SB 951, Introduced by Senators Holly Mitchell and Anthony Portantino. Coauthored by Senators Benjamin Allen, Bill Dodd, Henry Stern, and Scott Wilk (principals), and Senators Jean Fuller, Cathleen Galgiani, Ricardo Lara, and Bob Wieckowski, and Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian. Officially titled the “California Film and Television Production Act,” this bill will, like its counterparts in the Assembly, extend the film tax credit program to 2025, retaining the significant features of the program such as ranking applications based on number of jobs created and other economic factors and an additional credit for TV series that have filmed outside of California but move into the State. Like the Assembly measures, SB 951 includes the new Career Pathway Program, which directs applicants receiving a credit to pay a fee to fund technical skills training to individuals from underserved communities for entry into film and television industry jobs. SB 931 is sponsored by a very long list of organizations and unions affiliated with the film industry. Status: Passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Pending in the Assembly. SB 832, Introduced by Senators Anthony Portantino, Benjamin Allen, Kevin De León, and Henry Stern. This measure also extends the tax credit, but with some changes. It too includes the Career Pathway Program. Regarding the fact that there are four measures before the legislature all supporting the extension of the tax credit, Senator Portantino said, “I think that’s healthy for the conversation. I think it’s excellent that there’s so much support for this important industry.” Status: Pending in the Senate NONPROFITS Making State Grant Info More Accessible AB 2252, Assembly Member Monique Limón This bill establishes the position of State Grant Administrator. This person would serve as a primary point of contact for grants provided by state agencies and would make grant information available via a web site. According to the bill’s author, Assembly Member Monique Limón, non-profits rank as the fourth largest industry in California, employing nearly one million people and producing more jobs than construction, finance, and real estate. Federal, state, and local grants make up half of the non-profit revenue, making the grants critical to the non-profits. California currently does not have a centralized database that non-profits can access to identify state grants they might be eligible for, making it difficult for many non-profits to access the information they need about state funding opportunities. “This disproportionately impacts underserved and rural communities,” says Assembly Member Limón, “making it harder for them to compete for and procure state funds. By making California grants accessible and transparent, we can ensure that all interested entities have a fair shot at state funding.” Assembly Member Susan Eggman, Chair of the State Assembly’s Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, said at a hearing, “This ability to have the grants where people can see them, can go in and do quick web searches to find things that they can apply for—there’s a lot of money out there, and we know it disproportionately goes to higher income areas because they have professional grant writers and people to cull through and find the grants. So I think that this is that bridge that we need to do to our communities.” Status: Pending in the Assembly California Nonprofits Day ACR 191, Assembly Member Monique Limón This resolution designates June 6, 2018, as California Nonprofits Day and recognizes the importance of nonprofit organizations to the economy and well-being of this state. Specifically, it makes the following legislative findings: 1) Nonprofit organizations are a large and vital part of California’s economy, with nonprofit economic activity contributing 15%, or one-sixth, of California’s gross state product. 2) Each year nonprofit organizations bring in at least $40 billion in revenue to California from out-of-state sources. 3) Nonprofit organizations rank as the fourth largest industry in California by employment, with nearly one million people employed by nonprofits, accounting for 1 in every 16 California jobs. 4) California nonprofit organizations employ greater percentages of women and people of color than the overall civilian workforce and are trusted institutions that exist to provide services to the needy and vulnerable, improve quality of life, express community values, and promote social change. 5) California’s nonprofit organizations are national and international groundbreakers and leaders in the environment, in science, in safety net innovations, in civil rights, in the arts and humanities, and in the pursuit of democratic ideals. Status: Adopted by the Assembly. Pending in the Senate.
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HUMANITIES What role do the Humanities have in our diverse state? What is their role in a democratic society? These questions were posed by State Senator Ben Allen at the start of a May 16 hearing before the California legislature’s Joint Committee on the Arts, “California and the Humanities: Building Bridges and Amplifying Voices.” Senator Allen cited American philosopher Martha Nussbaum as saying that cuts to humanities create a generation of citizens who are ill equipped to participate in a democratic society. It fell to Dr. William Deverell, Director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, to try to define what the humanities are. First he came up with the academic answer: “The humanities occupy that sector of knowledge production carved out by a set of disciplinary interests, history, literature, philosophy, and classics among them, as well as cognate fields interpreting texts or art, events and lives, moments and eras.” This definition may be basically accurate, but perhaps it is a little shallow for addressing real-life experiences in California. “The humanities are a bridge,” Dr. Deverell said by way of elaboration, “the most effective bridge, between scholarship and the public which all of us serve. The humanities obligate us to speak to big audiences and big publics. “Of course there’s room for arcane academic argument and language. There is technical precision in the humanities, arguments steeped in archaic texts, languages, experiences. “But at heart, doing the humanities is an act of translation, fostering the transmission of ideas and Oaxacan mural collective Tlacolulokos at the Los Angeles insights from the academy to broader publics. But this is a bridge open to two-way traffic. Because our Central Library medium is usually words spoken, written, sung or otherwise, we can and do bring the public’s words and concerns into academic settings, so as to make the public’s yearnings legitimized for academic research, so as to make the public heard.” “The humanities pose origin stories for California, just as they interpret and analyze them,” said John Szabo, City Librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library system. “Fundamentally, it’s about telling the stories of Californians and providing a platform to our state’s residents to share their own stories,” said Mr. Szabo. The changing roles of humanities and of their venues is illustrated by the breadth of public library programming, which now goes well beyond books. The Los Angeles Public Library, for instance, is now a first stop for immigration and citizenship information through its New Americans program. As part of the Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, the Los Angeles Central Library showcased the work of Oaxacan mural collective Tlacolulokos, reflecting on the Oaxacan immigrant experience in Los Angeles and on the contemporary realities of urban indigenous culture. “Libraries have always tried to do all that they could to certainly highlight collections and give the community an opportunity to exhibit art and so forth,” said Mr. Szabo, “but I think libraries—and I think the digital age has certainly brought this—think of themselves not just as book institutions or even education institutions. I think of the Los Angeles Public Library as an arts organization, a humanities organization, an economic development organization, a workforce development organization. And there’s such opportunity. It’s because we serve absolutely everyone, the poorest in our community, those with homes, those without homes, documented, undocumented, wealthy people make use of our libraries. And it’s constantly thinking about who are we not serving…and exhibitions that come are all an effort to give voice to parts of our community, and also to surface our own collection. We have 3.4 million photographs in the L.A. Public Library collection. Part of our responsibility of being stewards of that archive is not just to protect them and make sure they’re safe and okay in a locked case somewhere, but to allow them to tell their stories, which are the stories of Angelenos and Californians.” Julie Fry, President and CEO of California Humanities, closed the discussion by saying, “What do we hope that you’ll remember from today’s hearing? We hope that you’ll know that the humanities are alive and well in California. We hope that you remember that there’s an ecosystem of organizations and people working to foster them and make them accessible to every corner of the State…And we hope that you’ll remember that California is strong not just because we’re the fifth largest economy in the world, but because of our diverse communities and cultural assets that bloom here.”
LA ART NEWS
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On the Secon Elysian Valley, art and eateri the updated l
Northeast Los Angeles Arts Organization, Inc.
June 9, 2018 - 7pm - 10pm
(Individual Gallery Hours May Vary. CHECK Gallery web sites for individual information. Just because a gallery is listed does not mean it’s open this month) 38. Highland Cafe 5010 York Blvd. 323.259.1000
1. Avenue 50 Studio 131 No. Avenue 50 323. 258.1435 avenue50studio.org
20. Toros Pottery 4962 Eagle Rock Blvd 323.344.8330 torospottery.com
2. Bike Oven 3706 No Figueroa
21. Kinship Yoga/Wonder Inc. 5612 Figueroa St.
39. Kindness and Mischief 5537 N. Figueroa St. www.kandmcoffee.com
3. Namaste Highland Park 5118 York Blvd. www.namastehighlandpark.com
22. Tierra de la Culebra 240 S. Ave 57
40. Civil Coffee 5639 N. Figueroa St.
23. Cactus Gallery @ Treeline Woodworks 3001 N. Coolidge Ave
41. Possession Vintage 5119 York Blvd. www.possessionvintage.com
24. Huron Substation 2640 Huron Street Los Angeles, CA 90065
42. The Situation Room 2313 Norwalk Ave.
4. Offbeat 6316 York Blvd www.offbeatbar.com 5.Twinkle Toes 5917 N Figueroa St (818) 395-3454 6. Future Studio 5558 N Figueroa St. 323 254-4565 futurestudiogallery.com 7. Collective Arts Incubator 1200 N. Ave 54 collectiveartsincubator.com 8. The Art Form Studio 5611 N Figueroa St. Suite 2 www.theartformstudio.com 9. Vapegoat 5054 York Blvd. 323.963.VAPE 10. ETA 5630 N. Figueroa St. 11. Adjunct Positions 5041 Coringa Dr. 12. Matters of Space 5005 York Blvd www.mattersifspace.com 323.743.3267 13. Mi Vida 5159 York Blvd. 14. Vintage Tattoo Art Parlor 5115 York Blvd. 15. Antigua Coffee House 3400 N. Figueroa St. www.antiguacoffeehouse.com 16. Align Gallery 5045 York Blvd. www.aligngallery.com 17. Leanna Lin’s Wonderland 5204 Eagle Rock Blvd. www.leannalinswonderland.com 18. The Rental Girl 4760 York Blvd. http://therentalgirl.com 19. Mindfulnest 5050 York Blvd. 323.999-7969
JUNE 2018
25.Baldry Studios 401 Mt Washington Dr. 26. MAN Insurance Ave 50 Satellite 1270 N. Ave 50 323.256.3151 27. TAJ • ART 1492 Colorado Blvd. www.tajartinc.com 28. The Greyhound 570 N. Figueroa St. 29. Urchin 5006 1/2 York Blvd. 30. Arroyo Arts Collective @ Ave 50 Studio 131 North Avenue 50 arroyoartscollective.org 31. Living Room 5807 York Blvd. livingroomhome.com 32. Vapeology 3714 N. Figueroa St. 323.222.0744
43. Bookshow 5503 Figueroa St. www.bookshow.com 44. Vroom Vroom Bitsy Boo 5031 B York Blvd. 45. The Quiet Life 5627 N. Figueroa St. thequietlife.com 46. The “O” Mind Gallery 200 N. Ave 55 theomind.com 47. Apiary Gallery at The Hive Highland Park 5670 York Blvd. www.thehive.la 48. Rock Rose Gallery 4108 N. Figueroa St. 323.635.9125 rockrosegallery.com 49. Leader of the Pack 5110 York Blvd. www.leaderofthepackvintage.com 50. Pop Secret 5119 Eagle Rock Blvd.
33. Pop-Hop 5002 York Blvd. www.thepophop.com
51. Curve Line Space 3348 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90065
34. Social Studies 5028.5 York Blvd.
52. Green Design Studios 1260 N. Ave 50
35. Occidental College 6100 Campus oxy.edu
53. Checker Hall 104 N. Ave 56 checkerhall.com
36. The Glass Studio 5668 York Blvd. www.theglassstudio.net 37. Earth Altar Studio 1615 Colorado Blvd earthaltarstudio.com
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nd Saturday of every month galleries, businesses, and artists in Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Cypress Park, , and Lincoln Heights open their doors a little later in the evening and welcome visitors. Use this map for locations of ies, grab someone you love, get some dinner, and enjoy some art. Friend NELA Art Gallery Night on Facebook for last minute list.
50
37
27
17 20 42 11 35
12 44 16
41 48 14 31 13
31 36 47
4 29 34 9 9 3 4 26 33 19 52 38
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5 40 5 538 4 10 46 39 28 43 6 21 2 2
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48 49 23
32 2 15 51 24
Visit us at NELAart.org LA ART NEWS
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NELAART GALLERY NIGHT SECOND SATURDAY MAY 2017
David Lasky La Tierra de la Culebra Art Park
Cactus gallery
Linda Kaye and Josie Roth An evening of ‘Poems for Mom’ Rock Rose Gallery
Depth: A Life Drawing Session The Artform Studio
Adriana Raby La Tierra de la Culebra Art Park
Marla Michell Mi Vida
SHOP ART +
FUN GIFTS IN
EAGLE ROCK
& ONLINE! 5024 EAGLE ROCK BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90041
LeannaLinsWonderland.com
MON - THUR: 12 -7PM FRI - SUN: 11AM -6PM
JUNE 2018
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Marco Minaya, The Artistic Process NELAart @ The Barn
Rebeca Guerrero, Postales de EspaĂąa The Arroyo Arts Collective at Avenue 50 Studio
Erica Lee White, Steadfast Align Gallery
Wenceslao Quiroz, Enterprise & Narratives Avenue 50 Studio
Hilda Stark Kristy Sandoval Hedy Viviana Torres Cardenas Hear Our Voices! A Women-centric Group Exhibit Avenue 50 Studio
Marco Minaya, The Artistic Process NELAart @ The Barn
Jose Lozano, Historieta Avenue 50 Studio
S.R. Wallace, Portrait OfVapegoat
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THAT FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU STUMBLE ACROSS FENNEL POLLEN. Say what you want about the changes to the Highland Park neighborhood. One thing you can no longer say, however, is that a jar of wild crafted fennel pollen isn’t within walking distance. A recent stroll into the “Cookbook” store on N. Figueroa is where I discovered this. Fennel pollen is kind of magical because it can be sprinkled on a variety of things- salad, popcorn, grilled fish, vine ripened tomato slices, fresh fruit-- and it gives whatever it’s sprinkled on a really awesome, unique taste. And Fennel pollen has therapeutic qualities too! For this recipe I tied it into a salad with a citrus dressing. Enjoy!
Spring Salad with Citrus Dressing & Fennel Pollen For the Dressing: 1 orange of any kind juiced 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger 1/4 tsp. tamari 1 tbsp. minced scallion (the white part) Sea salt to taste, about a pinch or two For the Salad 3 small or 2 medium golden beets, cleaned and sliced thin 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced width-wise to make round slices, if possible 1 blood orange, peeled and sliced, seeds removed 1 heirloom tomato, sliced into round slices Liberal pinches of fennel pollen* Curly endive, baby romaine, arugula and-or other decorative lettuce Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste Preheat a stove top griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the griddle or pan with oil, and grill the beet slices on both sides until they are slightly browned and tender, about 5-7 minutes on each side. To make the dressing, blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender or using a wire whip. To make the salads, arrange 4 plates with some decorative greens. Place a tomato slice or two, then avocado slices, then intermingle slices or segments of blood orange with the grilled beet slices. You can be fancy or just toss it together, as long as you enjoy the salad and all the flavors. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and make sure it covers a little bit of everything. Finish it off with a couple pinches of fennel pollen sprinkled all over. Enjoy immediately. *If you don’t have access to fennel pollen, you can substitute some coarsely ground fennel seed and still have a delicious salad. Harvey Slater is a chef and holistic nutritionist residing in Highland Park. You can get more healthy recipes like this on his blog: thewholedishblog. com
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CLASSES IN NELA
Besides being a haven for artists and creative types, Northeast Los Angeles is the home of a fine array of arts classes, especially the industrial arts, but not limited to them. Below is a list of some of the businesses in the area that have classes. Do check with the facility to verify times and prices of their classes. As we find more places we will bring that information to all of you. Adam’s Forge 2640 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90065 Adamsforge.org You may email Nancy with questions at blacksmithclasses@gmail.com Please check their web site for a listing of all of their classes and special events. Check out a Discovery class. The Glass Studio 5668 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042 323.387.9705 info@theglassstudio.net Check www.theglassstudio.com for a list of glasses ranging from glass blowing and torchwork to fusing and slumping and jewelry making.
Molten Metal Works 3617 San Fernando Rd Glendale, CA 91204 moltenmetalworks.net Please check their web site for a listing of all of their classes and special events. They’re in a new location next to Community Woodshop. Cool new space! Rock Rose Gallery 4108 N. Figueroa Street Highland Park, CA 90065 (323) 635-9125 www.rockrosegallery.com Visit: Rock Rose Gallery News, Instagram & Twitter Intermediate Ceramics Pottery Class 6 class sessions $240 Check web site for start date
Toros Pottery 4962 Eagle Rock Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.344.8330
A Place to Bead 2566 Mission St San Marino, CA 91108 626.219.6633 aplace2bead.com
Blue Rooster Art Supply Company blueroosterartsupplies.com blue@blueroosterartsupplies.com 4661 Hollywood Blvd LA, CA 90027 (323) 302-5613
Find a variety of jewelry making classes, including stringing and wirework.
They offer a variety of art classes. Check their web site for more information about their classes and events. Ave 50 Studio 131 No. Avenue 50 323. 258.1435 avenue50studio.org Guitar Lessons. Salsa Lessons too! Check their web site for more information for this and other classes. Center for the Arts Eagle Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd. Eagle Rock, CA 90041 info@cfaer.org (323) 561-3044 www.cfaer.org
Bullseye Glass 143 Pasadena Ave. South Pasadena, CA bullseyeglass.com They offer a full range of kiln forming glass classes as well as regular free artist talks. Leanna Lin’s Wonderland 5024 Eagle Rock Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.550.1332 leannalinswonderland.com Check Leanna’s web site for a current list of workshops and events.
Community Woodshop 3617 San Fernando Rd Glendale, CA 91204 626.808.3725 www.community woodshopla.com These guys offer a wonderful selection of classes from beginner to advanced, membership, and private lessons. Please check their web site for more information and a list of classes. Stained Glass Supplies 19 Backus Street Pasadena, CA 91107 626-219-6055 Classes are ongoing Barndall Art Park 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.644.6295 http://www.barnsdall.org Check they’re web site for upcoming classes. Los Angeles County Store 4333 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 / 323-928-2781 Please check their web site for a listing of all of their classes and special events. Sugar Mynt Gallery 810 Meridian Ave. South Pasadena, CA 626.222.7257 sugarmynt.com Paint and Pinot Twice a month. Check their web site for more detail. Holy Grounds Coffee & tea 5371 Alhambra Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90032 323.222.8884 Check out their workshops!
Check out their web site for a wide variety of fun classes for all ages. continued from page 12 Art Council Peer Review Groups AB 2456, Assembly Member Richard Bloom The process for reviewing grant applications to the California Arts Council includes a peer review panel that is comprised of experts in various artistic fields. This bill gives the Arts Council the authority to provide an honorarium to panel members. “This is important,” said Assembly Member Richard Bloom, “since panelists are often challenged in their ability to afford the expenses that are required to participate in the grant process.” “The authority to provide honoraria will improve the Arts Council’s ability to involve a diverse group of grant panelists, which will offset the costs the panelists will otherwise have to bear, and will insure diversity in the process,” said the Assembly Member. “Our agency budget has incrementally increased over the past several years,” said Anne Bown-Crawford, Executive Director of the California Arts Council, “which is wonderful, but with that increase in budget, our need for peer review panelists has already increased…This isn’t a funding request, but it simply allows us the authority to provide the honorarium.” “The legislation will help us better to reflect the uniqueness of California’s size and diversity and show respect to those who serve or hope to serve in this capacity,” said Ms. Bown-Crawford. Status: Passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Pending before the Senate. MUSEUMS, MONUMENTS, HUMANITIES Museums for All AB 1984, Lead Author: Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia. Principal Coauthor: Senator Ben Allen. Under this bill, free to $3 admission to participating California museums will be offered to low income patrons. A California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE) was established in 2003. Under AB 1984, museums will be able to use grant money from the endowment to enhance programs and services to meet the needs of underserved patrons and to train staff and market the Museums for All program via the State Department of Social Services and local community services organizations. There is currently a national Museums for All program, an initiative between the Association of Children’s’ Museums and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and participating museums report that 4.4% of their attendance comes via the program. However, many museums do not participate in the program citing costs of staff time to administer and market the program. There are many benefits to museum attendance. Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia cites studies that suggest that children who visit art museums experience an increase in critical thinking skills, historical empathy and tolerance. For students from rural or high-poverty regions, the increase is even more significant. Supporters of the measure include the California Alliance for Arts Education, which believes that, “Museums are strong partners in education,” as well as the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, the American Alliance of Museums, the Autry Museum of the American West, Japanese American National Museum, Kidspace Children’s Museum, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The national Museums for All program encourages families to visit museums and fosters museum-going habits that continue into adulthood. Status: Pending in the Assembly. Funding The proposed state budget includes funding for a California Indian Heritage Center near Sacramento. $100 million is appropriated for the Department of Parks and Recreation to construct a new museum to protect, preserve, and celebrate the history of California’s tribal peoples. The total cost of the project is estimated at $200 million. The administration will work with interested parties to raise the additional $100 million necessary to complete the project. Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles is proposed to receive $10 million for the Museum’s renovation project. This funding will provide half of the estimated $20 million cost of the renovation providing critical capital improvements. The California African American Museum (CAAM) in Exposition Park is recommended for $6.5 million in the 2018-19 state budget toward deferred maintenance and $325,000 for an
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increase in staff. Over the past two years, CAAM’s attendance and visibility have dramatically increased due to a radical change in exhibition and education programming, outreach efforts and rebranding. The attendance increase requires CAAM to address needs related to security, staffing, and deferred maintenance issues that will prepare the museum for formal accreditation in the future and avoid potential code violations and ensure safety and security. The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles is recommended for $250,000 in the 2018-19 state budget. The museum is located in Italian Hall, which was constructed in 1908 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum opened in 2016 and is jointly operated by the Historic Italian Hall Foundation and the City of Los Angeles. A proposed Museum of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History and Culture, to be located in San Francisco, is recommended for $2 million in Proposition 68 funds. The museum will feature exhibitions, archives, and programs, where stories and culture of LGBTQ communities can be gathered, preserved, studied, and made widely available. “Stories, The AIDS Monument,” a permanent installation symbolizing the past, present and future of the fight against AIDS and HIV, and memorializing and honoring those who have died since the crisis began, is recommended for $250,000. The monument is proposed for West Hollywood Park on San Vicente Boulevard, on a 12,000 square-foot parcel of land donated by the City of West Hollywood. The monument’s $5.2 million campaign goal is 80% complete. A lease extension for the California Science Center is in budget, with the California Science Center Foundation agreeing to an annual lease payment of $2.43 million for 30 years beginning in 2022. Senator Benjamin Allen is requesting a $750,000 appropriation for California Humanities, a nonprofit organization. California Humanities is a grant and programatic organization that promotes the humanities as relevant, meaningful ways to connect Californians in order to become a better California. Noted author Susan Straight appeared before a Senate Budget Sub-committee and spoke of a 2012 California Humanities-funded show with photographer Douglas McCulloh, “More Dreamers of the Golden Dream,” saying, “This show featured African American and Mexican American life in the Inland Empire from 1880 to now…For the opening of this show at Riverside Art Museum, more than 800 people came. People Cried. They came up and hugged me and told me they had never been in a museum in their lives, because they thought they didn’t belong there, and they weren’t allowed to go there, and they wouldn’t be welcome there.” Ms. Straight’s accounting of what the humanities can accomplish ranged from collecting stories to mapping landscape to giving children the only books they had ever owned. Status: Pending in the Assembly and Senate Native American Repatriation AB 2836, Authored by Assembly Member Todd Gloria. Coauthors: Dante Acosta, David Chiu, Kansen Chu, Laura Friedman, Marc Levine, Jose Medina, Adrin Nazarian, Jim Patterson, Marie Waldron. Native American artifacts are currently held at various University of California campuses. This measure requires the U.C. Regents to establish system-wide and campus-specific committees to create policies and procedures for the appropriate repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural items in the possession of U.C. campuses and museums. “AB 2836 comes after decades of legislation, oversight hearings, and threats of litigation from numerous sovereign tribal governments following the enactment of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990” said Assembly Member Todd Gloria. Assembly Member Gloria said that several U.C. campuses have not followed the federal law and its corresponding state law. He reported that the U.C. system has failed to adequately involve tribal stakeholders. “My understanding is that many of these remains and artifacts are housed in storage units and other facilities that do not respect the sacred nature of these items,” said Assembly Member Gloria. “As many of you know, Native Americans believe that their ancestors cannot rest until their remains are properly cared for, making this bill deeply personal to all involved.” The University of California contends that it has acted in good faith. Six campuses still do have cultural resources and remains. Status: Passed by Assembly Appropriations. Pending in the Senate. Wine and Beer at Art Galleries AB 2460, Introduced by Assembly Member Harper. This bill will provide that a license or permit is not needed for an art gallery, as defined, to provide wine and beer to patrons for consumption on the gallery premises, subject to specified conditions, including that the price of the wine and beer is not included in the sales price of any piece of art or merchandise sold by the gallery. No more than 12 ounces of beer or six ounces of wine by the glass would be offered to a patron, and no alcohol would be provided after 10 p.m. Status: Pending in the Assembly. HOUSING FOR ARTISTS Conversion to Live-Work AB 565, Assembly Member Richard Bloom This bill aids in the conversion of commercial or industrial space to live-work. There are under-utilized industrial spaces that can contribute to need for housing stock. Many artists use such spaces to create live-work situations. However, there is lack of clarity as to how to repurpose such spaces legally. The measure is intended to help protect tenants and small businesses, and it will help nonprofits apply for loans and grants for the creation of artist housing. Status: Passed by the Assembly in May of 2017. Pending in the Senate. YOUTH Employment of Minors in Social Media Advertising AB 2388, Assembly Member Kansen Chu According to the Assembly Member Kansen Chu, “The advent of the Internet and the explosive growth of online social media sites such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook have given
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JUNE 2018
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SUMMER READING LIST 2018
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By Jen Hitchcock
Holy crap! It is that time of the year again. I can smell the ocean and feel the warm sun on my face; the urge to read something light and fluffy is strong. Yes! It is time for the Summer Reading List! Every year magazines and online publications offer oodles of lists featuring “must reads” for the season. Why? Well, as we know, summer is when people read, typically during vacations. It is only when one is relaxed and lounging that our brains can absorb words on a page. Reading lists are fine, especially if you are a bookseller. But this year I would like to present a different kind of reading list, one that I think is a list more essential to humankind. My summer reading list features examples of common social situations and then how to “read” them correctly and act accordingly. If everyone learns how to “read” the situations on this list properly, it might make our existence in this city more relaxed and summer vacation-like all year around. Car With Blinker On – Often this means the person in the car near to you would perhaps like to get over into the lane you are in, or merge on to the freeway. It does not mean, as the common reading of “blinker on” seems to be, hit your gas pedal and speed the fuck up. Let this poor person in for crying out loud. They are asking politely! Two Women In Public Place Talking – This is a good read for men who believe they are entitled to participate in any situation, at any time, in the public sphere. Fellows. A proper reading of this scenario is, if two ladies are sitting at a table, or standing at the bar, or waiting in line, or together anywhere, that doesn’t mean you are invited to join. Consider the body language. Are they facing each other with their mouths moving? Read this as “engrossed” and “satisfied with each other’s company.” Your presence and what you have to say about their private conversation is not welcomed or needed. They might even be on a date! So move along. The Store Clerk Has Dead Eyes - This means whatever amount of money you spent in the store is no longer covering the one-hour therapy session you erroneously believed came with your purchase. Perhaps check behind you for others waiting in line while you get the clerk “caught up” on five generations of things in your life the clerk probably has no interest in whatsoever. Observe the store clerk while you jabber on and on and really read their face. Ignore their plastered on smile, that is part of the uniform. Instead, give special care to the eyes. If they look like that of a trapped animal, you are eating into something more valuable than profits--their sanity. The Phrases “I Don’t Mean To Bother You” and “No offense but…” – If you are in a situation where you feel like you might speak these words from your mouth—DON’T. These are most insincere phrases ever muttered by a human thing. 100% of the time the words and/or action to follow this bullshit utterance will most certainly bother and without a doubt offend. Happy more successful Reading of Social Situations this summer, folks!
BOOK SHOW EVENTS Saturday June 9th 7pm Tell Your Story, Sell Your Story Self-publishing Seminar Free Wednesday June 13th 8pm-9:30pm Angry Nasty women Feminist Writing Group All women welcome. Five dollar donation Thursday June 14th 7pm-9pm Butch Lesbian Coloring Book Release celebration & Coloring Night Free Friday June 15th 8pm Friday Night Poetry One hour open mic One hour of featured poets
Suzanne Lummis visits her grandfather’s arroyo rock home during the annual Lummis Days Festival. Drawing by Highland Park artist Stuart Rapeport.
Saturday June 16th 7:30pm Adrian Ernesto Cepeda Flashes & Verses…Becoming Attraction Release Celebration & Reading free Tuesday June 19th Comedy Open Mic Sign up at 7pm 7:30 start Wednesday June 20th 8pm Historia Storytelling night Thursday June 21st 8pm Laughterhouse 5 Stand up comedy show Saturday June 23rd Pierogi Party 2 Time TBD Tuesday june 26th Comedy open mic Sign up at 7pm 7:30 start ONGOING EVENTS and WORKSHOPS COLLAGE & CRY Every 1st Tuesday of the month 7pm-9:30pm Collage art night Open to all five dollar donation
from Midori Takada—Saturday May 12 at the J. Paul Getty Center minimal noise music meets Caribbean marimba drawing by Highland Park Artist Stuart Rapeport
EAT ART OPEN MIC 8pm sign ups every 1st Friday of the month Poetry and Prose open mic free
LA ART NEWS
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ART HAPPENINGS AROUND LOS ANGELES PRESENTED BY SHOEBOX PR UPCOMING OPENING: 24th Annual Studio Arts Festival Irvine Fine Arts Center 14321 Yale Ave, Irvine, 92604 Opening June 2nd 9-5pm Alex Achaval / Jim Donnelly / Christina Ramos / Septerhed Gabba Gallery 3126 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, 90057 Opening June 2nd, 7-11pm ASAD FAULWELL, PHANTOM KATY ANN GILMORE, VISUAL FIELD DENK Gallery 749 E Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 2nd, 6-8pm Carrie Minikel Art Produce 3139 University Ave, San Diego, 92104 Opening June 2nd, 6-8pm Cheeky: Works by Victor Wilde Opening Reception Contemporary Gallery 548 S Spring St, Los Angeles, 90013 Opening June 2nd 7-10pm Daniel Silva at Baert Gallery Baert Gallery 2441 Hunter Street, Los Angeles, 90021 Opening June 2nd 6-830pm FRESH Awards Exhibition South Bay Contemporary SOLA Gallery 3718 WEST SLAUSON AVENUE, Los Angeles, 90043 Opening June 2nd 4-7pm In the stillness opening at Durden and Ray Durden and Ray 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, 90021 Opening June 2nd 4-7pm Jordi Alcaraz - defying boundaries Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Inc. 357 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, 90036 Opening June 2nd 6-9pm Juliao Sarmento - L.A. Prints Mixografia® 1419 E Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, 90011 Opening June 2nd 4-7pm Logan Creative Open Studios 1105 N Santiago St, Santa Ana, 92701-3899 June 2nd 2-6pm Made in L.A. 2018 Opening Celebration Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 90024 Opening June 2nd, 8-11pm Open Studios Alta/Pasa/Dena Art Tour Altadena and Pasadena June 2nd and 3rd 11-6pm Operation: Creative Freedom Cerritos College Art Gallery 11110 Alondra Blvd Norwalk 90650 June 2nd, 630-9pm The Prisoners. Opening Reception/Poetry Reading Beyond Baroque 681 N. Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90291 Opening June 2nd, 3-6pm Queer Biennial 2018: Opening Reception at LAST Last Projects 206 S Ave 20, Los Angeles, 90028 Opening June 2nd 7-11pm Randi Matushevitz at Shoebox Projects Shoebox Projects 660 South Avenue 21 #3, Los Angeles, 90031 June 2nd 3-5pm Regarding Reality 1 Exhibition Opening Q Art Salon 205 N Sycamore St, Santa Ana, 92701 Opening June 2nd 6-9pm Residuum by Toshi Onuki + Will MIller MINTMOUE 622 South Anderson Street, #108, Los Angeles, 90023 Opening June 2nd, 6-9pm Richard Bruland solo show WHOA! Opening Reception Lawrence Gipe: Another Cold Winter Lora Schlesinger Gallery 2525 Michigan Ave Suite B5b, Santa Monica, 90404 Opening June 2nd 4-6pm Striking Iron Opening Party Fowler Museum at UCLA 308 Charles E Young Dr W, Los Angeles, 90095 Opening June 2nd 6-9pm Thinkspace Art Opening with Fintan Magee + David Rice Thinkspace Projects 6009 Washington Blvd, Culver City, 90232 Opening June 2nd 6-9pm Topanga Canyon Artist’s Studio Tour Topanga Canyon Gallery 120 N Topanga Canyon Blvd, Ste 109, Topanga, 90290 June 2nd and 3rd 10/11am to 5pm UCLA Graduate Open Studios 3443 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, 90034-6009 June 2nd 2-5pm
JUNE 2018
“Unexplored Territories”, Charley Alexander Open Mind Art Space 11631 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, 90025 Opening June 2nd 7-10pm Visual Dessert Sugarmynt Gallery 810 Meridian Ave South Pasadena 91030 Opening June 2nd 7-10pm Where is this Place, I Pinch Myself: performance by Kim Zumpfe CSUF Grand Central Art Center 125 N Broadway, Santa Ana, 92701 Opening June 2nd 7-10pm Austin Irving and Andy Dixon Wilding Cran Gallery 939 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, 90021 Opening June 3rd 2-4pm Carole Caroompas, Dion Johnson, Patrick Lee, Wayne White Werkartz 119 Wilhardt Street, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 3rd 2-4pm Dakota Noot - Meat Market: Tender Flesh MuzeuMM 4817 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, 90016 Opening June 6th 7-10pm Beyond The Masks Arena 1 Gallery 3026 Airport Ave Santa Monica Opening June 7th 5-9pm Mar Vista Art Walk gets Vertical! Mar Vista ArtWalk - Steppin into Art Venice Boulevard from Inglewood Av. to Beethoven St. Los Angeles June 7th 6-10pm San Pedro First Thursday Art Walk 401 S Mesa St, San Pedro, 90731-2619, June 7th 6-9pm Hot and Cold Spring Exhibit Betsy Lueke Creative Arts Center 1100 W Clark Avenue Burbank 91506 Opening June 8th 8pm MexiCali Biennial Launch Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions 6522 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, 90028 June 8th and 9th Yasmine Diaz: Exit Strategies Women’s Center for Creative Work 2425 Glover Pl, Los Angeles, 90031 Opening June 8th 7-10pm Anne Bray Retirement / Asad Faulwell Celebration at Denk Gallery DENK Gallery 749 E Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 9th 330-6pm Chelsea Boxwell - “Something Extra,” in The Closet Debby and Larry Kline - “The Candy Store” at Shoebox Projects Shoebox Projects 660 South Avenue 21 #3, Los Angeles, 90031 Opening June 9th 3-6pm Elijah Pierce and Leroy Almon The Good Luck Gallery 945 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 9th 7-10pm Karri Ross and Sabine Meyer Zu Rechenkdorf Tieken Gallery, Los Angeles 961 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 9th 6-10pm Keystone Art Space - Open Studios Keystone Art Space 338 S. Ave 16, Los Angeles, 90031 Opening June 9th, 6-10pm
TAG Gallery 5458 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036 Opening June 16th 5-8pm Blue Roof Studios Arts Festival Blue Roof Studios 7329 S Broadway Los Angeles June 23rd 12-5pm Diverted Destruction 11 - Opening Reception The Loft at Liz’s 453 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, 90036 Opening June 23rd 7-10pm Josh Hagler and Elizabeth Dorbad Brand Library and Art Center 1601 West Mountain Street Glendale 91201 Opens June 30th 6-9pm ONGOING EXHIBITION The Feminine Sublime at the Pasadena Museum of CA Art Pasadena Museum of CA Art 490 E Union St, Pasadena, 91101-1790 To June 3rd Martin Cox’s Museum of Ennui at The Closet in Shoebox Projects Shoebox Projects 660 South Avenue 21 #3, Los Angeles, 90031 To June 3 Affinity and Distance-Chas Schroeder & David D. Sutherland Chimento Contemporary 622 S Anderson St, Spc 105, Los Angeles, 90023 To June 9th Undisrememberable Curios PØST 1206 Maple Ave, Los Angeles, 90015 To June 9th Circular, An exhibit of artworks on circular surfaces Gestalt Project Space 3009 Ocean Park Blvd Santa Monica To June 10th Laub Armory Center for the Arts 145 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, 91103 To June 10 Scott Foschauer “Echo Enigma” • Opening Reception ARK 2599 Fair Oaks Ave, Altadena, 91001 To June 10 Material Language Spring Arts Collective 453 S Spring St, Mezzanine, Los Angeles, 90013 To June 14th Nature: Human Nature, Art Show Opening in Hollywood The Loft at Liz’s 453 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, 90036 To June 15th Made in California - Opening Reception Brea Gallery 1 Civic Center Cir, Brea, 92821 To June 15 Undone First Street Gallery Art Center 250 W 1st St, Ste 120, Claremont, 91711 To June 15 Alexandra Hedison | The In Between Von Lintel Gallery 2685 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, 90034 To June 16 April Bey - Made in Space Band of Vices 5376 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, 90016 To June 16th
Martin Cox + Linda Stelling: Opening Reception Fabrik Projects 2636 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 90034 Opening June 9th 6-8pm
Camille Rose Garcia, Ewa Prończuk-Kuziak, Jon Fox + Sush Machida COREY HELFORD GALLERY 571 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, 90033 To June 16th
Nettie Wakefield at Jason Vass Jason Vass 1452 E 6th St, Los Angeles, 90021 Opening June 9th 6-9pm
Color Vision public reception Huntington Beach Art Center 538 Main St, Huntington Beach, 92648 To June 16th
Pure Not Proper // Curated by Adrineh Bagh Coagula Curatorial 974 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 9th 5-9pm
Deborah Roberts: Fragile but Fixable Luis De Jesus Los Angeles 2685 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, 90034 To June 16th
Shizu Saldamando - To Return Mirame Bien - Curated by Rudy “Bleu” Garcia Charlie James Gallery 969 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, 90012 Opening June 9th 6-9pm
The Eye Sees Not Itself | Opening Reception Nicodim Gallery 571 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, 90033 To June 16th
Dysfunctional Machine - an art exhibition Space 2531 2531 Silver Lake Ter, Los Angeles, 90039 Opening June 10th 4-7pm Aili Schmeltz & Jason Manley: Fixed/Flux JAUS 11851 La Grange Ave, Los Angeles, 90025 Opening June 16th, 630-930pm Linda Sue Price “Connections” opens at TAG Gallery
Cog•nate Collective: Regionalia - Reception + Public Programs CSUF Grand Central Art Center 125 N Broadway, Santa Ana, 92701 To June 17 Vision Valley: The Glendale Biennial Opening Reception
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WINE OF THE MONTH Larisa Code
Note: Create joy, one sip at a time. Featured Wine: Szoke Kiralyleanyka Vintage: 2016 Color: blonde/white Varieties: 100% Kiralyleanyka (translates to little princess) Price: Under $15 Country: Hungary Region: Eger (the town of Gyongyostarjan) It seems that over the years I forgot how good Hungarian wines can be. When I was a student in Austria, I gained a solid 15 lbs and believe it was all from this little Hungarian restaurant, under the streets of Vienna, in an old wine cellar. I would go for lunch, often, too often, always ordering the goulash and a jug of wine. It came with a mini-loaf of crusty, heavy bread, and it was delicious as well as perfect for the cold January weather. I can see me now, rosy cheeks, tightly bundled up, seams splitting, walking across ancient cobblestone, headed for bliss. How lucky I was. How chubby I was. On a side note, no one recognized me when I returned to the U.S.A. My former tiny frame was thick and sturdy, just like the Eastern European women that bustled around my Pittsburgh neighborhood, pinching my cheeks and feeding me freshly baked pastries. So, when my dear friend and pen-pal, Robin, sent me a $14 check, ‘for vino,’ on my birthday, I purchased a Hungarian wine that fit the bill at $14.99. Thank-you dear friend as I’ve found a new favorite. This wine has an incredibly distinct first impression. The nose is filled with anise and green apple, which surprised me (again, I love surprises…thankyou also to my annual anonymous suitor for the flowers). What surprised me more is that there is very little change from nose to palate. It goes like this: warm anise, crisp green apple, a touch of mineral and an acidic dry finish; over and over again. Kiralyleanyka grapes originate from Transylvania. The mineral aspect of the wine comes from the volcanic soil they are grown in. The grapes are sorted by hand and aged in stainless steel. This is a light wine, easy to drink, nice to pair with Asian fare, such as Mason’s Dover sole and cabbage dumplings. But Szoke’s acidity gives you room to pair it with heavier foods as well; I sautéed up some Mexican squash and onions in olive oil and butter, added some basil, bread crumbs and topped it off with a little soft goat’s cheese, grilled a spencer steak, poured a glass of Szoke and voila, delicious. A bouquet of alstroemeria (Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas) would be simple and perfect with Mason’s or a heavier meal. Listen to music that stirs up good memories. Enjoy each sip, each moment, each person you meet; most important, enjoy your inner-weirdo, which is my favorite part. Egeszsegere!
Brand Library & Art Center 1601 W Mountain St, Glendale, 91201 To June 22nd Katie Grinnan: Electric Data Wave Serenade Patricia Fernández: Box (a proposition for ten years) Commonwealth and Council 3006 W 7th St Suite 220, Los Angeles, 90005 To June 23rd
Per Proscenia JOAN Gallery 1206 South Maple Avenue, Suite 715 Los Angeles, 90015 To June 24th Catalyze at Atche Atche as part of The Shed Collective 3908 Wawona St, Los Angeles, 90065-3825 To June 30th
George Stoll Opening Reception C. Nichols Project 12613 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, 90066 To June 23rd
Group Show Reception McGinty’s Gallery at the End of the World 869 E Mariposa St, Altadena, 91001 To June 30th
Marilyn Minter REGEN PROJECTS 6750 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD LOS ANGELES, 90038 To June 23rd
Papercut Public Opening ArtExchange - ArtX 356 E 3rd St, Long Beach, 90802 To June 30th
Artist & Researcher 2 Hoyt Gallery 1975 Zonal Ave, Los Angeles, 90033 To July 6 Museums LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (LACMA) Hidden Narratives: Recent Acquisitions of Postwar Art To January 6, 2019 A Universal History of Infamy: Those of This America To October 6, 2018 UCLA HAMMER Made in L.A. June 3rd to Sept 2nd 2018
Valiant Spirit, New Works by Gina Herrera Michael Stearns Studio at the Loft 401 S Mesa St, San Pedro, 90731-2619 To June 23
Robert McChesney & Emerson Woelffer: 1959-1964 The Landing 5118 w Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles, 90016 To June 30
MOCA Real Worlds: Brassaï, Arbus, Goldin To September 3, 2018 Lauren Halsey: we still here, there To September 3, 2018
Alika Cooper - BUOY ODD ARK Los Angeles 7101 North Figueroa Unit E, Los Angeles, 90042 To June 24th
Meleko Mokgosi: Bread, Butter, and Power Opening Fowler Museum at UCLA 308 Charles E Young Dr W, Los Angeles, 90095 To July 1
MOAH The Forest for the Trees May 12 - July 15, 2018
Testament of the Spirit: Paintings by Eduardo Carrillo to June 3, 2018 The Feminine Sublime to June 3, 2018 Ana Serrano: Homegrown to June 3, 2018 Artist Talks: A.M.Rousseau, Artist Talk/Book Signing at Jason Vass Jason Vass 1452 E 6th St, Los Angeles, 90021 June 2nd 2-4pm Artist Talk with April Bey Band of Vices 5376 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, 90016 June 2nd 4-6pm Screening and Panel: Artist and Mother California African American Museum 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, 90007 June 12th, 7-9pm
PASADENA MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ART
LA ART NEWS
24
“On Degenerate Bike Thieves & Apathetic Police” “Finders-Keepers” by Florence the Dog
Thursday, May 10th, 11:30 a.m. As I, Florence, walked my biped south past Armon’s on Eagle Rock Blvd., we espied, a block ahead, a young entrepreneur on a nice bike removing tires from a nicer bike that was locked up on a bike rack outside Leanna Lin’s Wonderland. Whilst I tarried at a tree to inhale the sweet-sweet bouquet of another bitch’s urine, my biped commentated, presumably of the tire bandit: “You f@#$ing degenerate !@ck.” The degenerate !@ck proceeded to bike south to Chickasaw, a tire around each arm, where he veered left. Passing the now tire-less bike, my biped & I saw that the lock securing it to said rack had been bashed with feeling, though not broken. Upon reaching Chickasaw we peered east, where the degenerate !@ck and a stocky comrade on a green Viper labored in the middle of the street, in front of St. Barnabas, attempting to install the borrowed tires onto a third bike. Bored by the commonplace odors of piety & degeneracy, I forcefully escorted my biped back to my couch in READ Books. Prior to repose, I quaffed water from a bowl whilst my biped opened a drawer to remove a small, rectangular card. He groaned & commentated (presumably to me): “Surely I’m the Village Idiot, but…” and proceeded to take out his little play phone and poke numbers that he ostensibly read off the small card. “Hello,” he spoke absurdly into the tiny play phone. “I just witnessed a degenerate !@ck stealing tires off a bike on Eagle Rock Blvd. Oh? Okay. What number should I call then?” He repeated this silly scene several times prior to speaking new words. “Yes. I’ve had previous encounters with this degenerate !@ck,” he explained to his tiny play phone. “Last week, the degenerate !@ck stole a bike parked outside my store that belonged to a customer. I ran outside, stopped him, and took the bike back. He was a verbally combative degenerate !@ck, but did not attempt physical resistance. His partner, the stocky bastard on the green Viper, is currently featured in a photograph circulating on Facebook, in which he is biking around town on the green Viper, which he allegedly stole from a local child. These two!@cks spend their days biking around Eagle Rock collecting bikes and tires that may not actually belong to them... yes, I understand… just tell the officers that when they do come, even if it’s in an hour or two, all they have to do is circle the neighborhood for a few minutes, or check the parking lot at Foster’s Freeze where they collect and divvy up their bikes every day. Haven’t left the neighborhood since they arrived a month ago… yes ma’am… degenerate !@cks.” An hour later, I, Florence, smelled a pit bull approaching outside. Pretty sure that I could kick the pit bull’s ass, I bounded to the door and barked invectives as he and his biped traipsed past READ Books like pathetic cowards. My biped proceeded to tag after me. Reaching the front door, oddly oblivious to my passing nemesis, my biped stared across the street at the Burger King & muttered: “Mother!@ cker.” Once again, he poked numbers into his mini-phone and told it his biped name and that the bike bandits were now loitering in a Burger King parking lot with a third degenerate. Peering out my window, I saw the first two !@cks loading bikes into the back of a silver car. My biped thanked his little phone & added: “Yes. I see them coming.” Biped & I looked north as two police cars drove towards the Burger King, slowed down as they drew near, & kept driving south. My biped stood there, mouth agape, like a balding monkey suffering from an aneurysm, or brain damage. I let him linger in this pose for several minutes, & then barked him out of his stupor: “Stop looking foolish, man! Let’s go get that !@cking pitbull!” Postscript: “Thank You & Go Away” by Jeremy Kaplan Thank you Florence. I, the aforementioned biped, will take over from here. As noted, I was befuddled by the sight of two police cars opting to not confront serial thieves loading purloined possessions into a car. I was a little offended when LAPD called me some twenty minutes later (ten minutes after the thieves left Burger King) to state that they had just arrived at Burger King and saw no thieves. Not only had they declined to mention that they had arrived earlier, with thieves present, & declined to stop, but looking across the street I could see that they weren’t at the Burger King presently, as claimed. So I sent off an email to José Huizar’s field deputy that afternoon, asking if he might have some clarity, advice, or intervention to offer. He responded promptly—5 days later—with a brief, affable email that I’d characterize as a little tone deaf. He encouraged me to contact the NE police sergeant, and thanked me with these words: “Most people would have kept walking and the problem would have gone unaddressed for sure.” Except that the problem had gone unaddressed for sure. The police hadn’t addressed it. The field deputy wasn’t doing a whole lotta addressing. It kinda felt like I’d dined at a local restaurant, ordered conscientiously, eaten crappy food, puked copiously, contacted LA County Health, and been advised to take it up with the chef. “And I think it’s great that you’re eating at our local restaurant! Not everyone would!” No, I guess not. I guess some oddballs don’t like puking. A cynical bastard might speculate that José’s deputy was shunting me off, but I distrust the motives of every cynic in the history of forever. So I called this here sergeant, and I’m happy to report that he called me back the next day. I repeated Florence’s story—sans all the “degenerate !@cks”— to which he responded with a question: “Do you know the victim of the crime?” Not yet. “We can’t arrest them if the owner doesn’t report a crime.” Several ideas pinballed through my head—all commencing with the phrase Now that doesn’t make sense because…— but I chose one to share with him. “So if I witness a crime, but I don’t have a victim in my pocket, I shouldn’t bother reporting it?” No, he disputed, one should always report crimes. “But you just told me that you won’t investigate it.” Oh personally, he differed, I would’ve stopped and investigated. “But your officers didn’t, and you just told me they had good reason.” He trains his officers to stop and ask questions, said he. “Well I’m telling you they didn’t.” Well that’s because victims won’t report crimes. “But I did report a crime,” I reminded him. Now what? The conversation went on like this for a few more minutes—polite, sincere, circular, and soft on coherent logic— until I thanked him for his time and pointed out that the actions of LAPD seem intended to discourage crime reporting, and in the future I’d act accordingly. Perhaps because the sergeant’s a decent (if illogical) man, and he suspected that as a bookstore owner I’m a sucker for a good story, he told me one: While off duty, he’d witnessed two young men walking down his street and going through neighbors’ mail. He called the police, went back outside, and suddenly the young men had a bike they’d likely stolen from a neighbor. He waited a little while for the police to show, but then had to leave. “I never knew if they came,” he told me. “So I understand your frustration.” “Yeah,” I said, “but in my story, they came. And they couldn’t even be bothered to get out of their car. Or stop their car. Or…” A wet snout nudged my leg. Florence looked up at me with what y’all might call “soulful eyes” that I’m pretty sure were asking me: “What are you, the village idiot? How ‘bout you stop wasting your time trying to talk sense with these knuckleheads and take this good girl for a walk?”
JUNE 2018
MORE ARTS & CULTUREcontinued from page 20
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rise to a new form of fame based upon ‘likes,’ ‘followers’ and ‘views.’ The most popular social media figures have quickly become the newest tool that marketers employ to advertise their products, due to the huge impact a post on a popular site or promotion of a product by a famous individual such as Kim Kardashian can have on a brand’s internet exposure. These social media advertisers are known as “influencers” for their ability to influence consumer behavior. A recent FTC crack-down points out that influencers are advertisers. On April 19, 2017 the Federal Trade Commission was forced to send ‘educational letters’ to 90 social media influencers who had failed to disclose that they were being paid for their posts on social media.” According to Assembly Member Chu, “A large and growing market for kid influencers is gaining attention.” A recent New York Times article on kid influencers asks, “Why Isn’t Your Toddler Paying The Mortgage?” Top influencers, including young children, reportedly can make $500,000 per year in media sponsorship. But it is not widely understood that this is advertising and therefore subject to applicable laws. AB 2388 clarifies that social media advertising is a work venue. The employment of youth under age 16 in the entertainment industry requires the written consent of the Labor Commissioner. This bill clarifies that the requirement includes social media advertising. Status: Pending in the Assembly. Literacy: Pupil Author Book Publishing AB 2683, Assembly Member Mike Gipson This bill will establish a grant program, “The California Student Author Project,” to be operated by the California State Library. Grant recipients will provide provide students in grades six to 12, from housing developments with a median income level of 30 percent of area median income, with weekly writing workshops through which the students will learn to write, edit, and promote short stories. They will publish their work as anthologies, and conduct group presentations and book signing events. “Since low income households have less access to learning materials, functional literacy is a challenge that is very serious in public housing developments,” said Assembly Member Mike Gipson. “Children who live in public housing developments are less likely to have the experiences that encourage the development of reading skills. As a result, these children enter high school with average literacy skills of five years behind those of high income students. “To help reverse this trend, this bill will enhance the literacy skills of low income youth residing in public housing developments.” The California Student Author Project will be a two-year pilot program that will include 1,000 students. Status: Pending in the Assembly. PARKS Parks Access AB 2614 and 2615, Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo AB 2614 will require the Natural Resources Agency to track the availability of outdoor experiences for disadvantaged youth in a school district and create a grant program to encourage access to these experiences with the goal of improving the overall health and well-being of these youth. AB 2615 will require the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), to partner with appropriate public agencies and any regional or local public entity, to develop strategies to maximize safe and convenient access for bicycles and pedestrians to federal, state, regional, and local parks near or connected to the state highway system. “Many of our youth live within a 30 minute drive from the ocean and had never seen it with their own eyes!”, remarked Calvin Lyons, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles. “So many young people from disadvantaged communities, in both urban and rural areas, never experience the natural wonders of California. Whether it is just a few miles away to the beach like in my district, or a couple of hours to Yosemite, our youth deserve the opportunity to experience all that our state has to offer. AB 2614 would close the gap so that kids get this chance,” said Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo. “Additionally, Californians often live within sight of our beautiful state parks but can’t reach them. My AB 2615 could fix that by prioritizing the need for bicycle and pedestrian parks access. All Californians should be able to get to our parks easily so they can enjoy and benefit from our outdoor spaces. This package of bills brings us one step closer.” Status: Passed the Assembly. Sent to the Senate. MORE Depictions of Smoking SCR 143, Senator Richard Pan This measure would encourage the motion picture industry to take specified action with regard to the industry’s depiction of smoking, and would encourage the State Department of Public Health, the Attorney General, and other state and local agencies to continue to expand efforts to reduce and eliminate the depiction of smoking in entertainment and media venues. Status: Pending in the Assembly Protecting CA’s Video Game Industry AB2574, Assembly Member Richard Bloom AB2574 provides financial incentives for California’s video game companies. “The video game industry fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in California, employing tens of thousands of developers and tech entrepreneurs,” said Assembly Member Bloom. The State is home to more than 900 video game companies that employ a combined workforce of 33,000. “California has long been a hub for the $32 billion industry, but as other states increasingly poach video game companies, our share of the market is diminishing. AB 2574 combats those trends and provides incentives for video game companies to remain in California.” Despite these numbers, California’s share of the industry shrank from 38% to 21% from 2009 to 2012. While that number increased to 27% between 2012 and 2015, California’s market share gap compared to the next four states combined decreased from 4% to 2% in that same time. As the industry continues to grow in other states, California’s dominance will undoubtedly be threatened. Twenty-one other states and two Canadian Provinces offer incentives to video game companies to locate there. AB 2574, which creates California Video Game Production Preservation Act, applies the existing sales and use tax exemption to the video game industry, allowing California to remain competitive in a continually expanding industry. Status: Pending in the Assembly. LGBT Pride Month AB 2969, Assembly Member Low. This bill would require the Governor annually to proclaim the month of June as LGBT Pride Month. Status: Passed the Assembly. Pending in the Senate. Lunar New Year SB 892, Introduced by Senators Richard Pan and Schott Wiener. Coauthors: Senators Kevin De León and Janet Nguyen and Assembly Members, Rob Bonta, Ed Chau, David Chiu, Todd Gloria, Evan Low, Arin Nazarian, and Philip Ting. This bill requires the Governor to annually proclaim the day of Lunar New Year, which occurs between January 21 and February 20, and encourages all public schools and educational institutions to conduct exercises recognizing the traditions and cultural significance of the Lunar New Year. Status: Passed the Senate. Pending in the Assembly.
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LA ART NEWS
KING TUT VISITS LOS ANGELES
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It has been almost a century since the discovery of King Tut’s tomb shook the world. In celebration, an exhibit of many of the amazing artifacts found in the tomb is on tour. Few events in human history have asserted the kind of power over human culture and imagination that Howard Carter’s 1922 discovery of King Tut’s tomb did. “KING TUT: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh” is currently on view at the California Science Center in Exposition Park. The large exhibit includes more than 150 objects, many of which have never been outside of Egypt before.
Guests at the exhibit are transported back in time 3,500 years. They may accompany Tutankhamun as he travels from his death through the underworld to find his place in the afterlife. They learn how the objects in the tomb were not only indicators of extreme wealth, but also had very specific purposes, to help the Boy King on his crucial journey. King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh California Science Center, Exposition Park
Colossol quartzite statue of Tutankhamun. One of a pair that probably stood at Tutankhamun’s mortuary temple.
Through 2018 Presented by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, Exhibitions International, IMG and the California Science Center www.californiasciencecenter.org
Gilded Wooden Figure of Tutankhamun on a Skiff, Throwing a Harpoon Images and words were believed to come alive in the afterlife. Tutankhamun’s prey—the hippopotamus that represented the evil Seth—was too dangerous to show. (wood, gesso, gold leaf, bronze)
Wooden Armchair of Tutankhamun with Ebony and Ivory Inlays
Wooden Guardian Statue of the Ka of the King Wearing the Nemes Headcloth (wood, gesso, black resin, gold leaf, bronze, white calcite, and obsidian eyes)
JUNE 2018
CREATIVITY DRIVES THE ECONOMY
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The Annual Otis Report
The annual Otis Report on the Creative Economy has been released, detailing the dramatic impacts of a variety of creative sectors on the California economy. Since 2007, Otis College of Art and Design has commissioned the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) to generate the Otis Report on the Creative Economy, first as a report on the Los Angeles Region and, with support from the California Arts Council, later expanded to include a statewide analysis. The report examines the economy through the lenses of: architecture/interior design, art galleries, communication arts, digital media, entertainment, fashion, furniture/decorative arts, industrial design services, publishing and Percentage of workers employed in creative sectors. The Otis printing, toys, visual and Report on the Creative Economy. performing arts, and fine and performing arts schools. Significant findings in the 2018 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California include: Creative economy output totaled $407.1 billion (direct, indirect, and induced). The creative economy generated 1.6 million jobs (direct, indirect, and induced), and those wage and salary workers earned $141.5 billion in total labor income. With 789,900 direct jobs in the creative economy, California surpasses New York State which has 477,300 jobs followed by Texas at 230,500. With 789,900 direct jobs in the creative economy, California surpasses its pre-recession peak of 767,000 in 2007. The Los Angeles Region has a higher proportion of creative economic workers than the New York metro area, with 8.8 percent of total workers, above New York’s percentage of creative workers at 6.3 percent. Sectors of the creative economy. The Otis Report on the Property taxes, state and local personal income taxes, and sales taxes directly and Creative Economy. indirectly generated by the creative industries totaled $16.4 billion across all of California. The largest direct job counts in California’s creative sector were in entertainment (192,200), publishing and printing (160,200), and fashion (120,700).Together, these three industries accounted for 59.4 percent of direct creative industries employment in California. Attendance in arts courses continues to rise through the K-12 students, underlining the importance of arts education to facilitate creativity and move students towards high-earning creative industries. “Last week the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors voted to create a new department for the arts,” said Bruce W. Ferguson, President of Otis College of Art and Design. “And in doing so, they cited the 2017 Otis Report on the Creative Economy as part of their case for the change. This report continues to show with hard statistics that the creative spectrum is both central to L.A. and California and a growth sector.” The 2018 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region and California is available for download online at www.otis.edu/otisreport. Funding for the 2018 Otis Report on the Creative Economy was provided by California Arts Council, City National Bank, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Marsh, Mattel and Moss Adams. The creative economy in California. The Otis Report on the Creative Economy.
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