Charles Gaines’ Greenhouse at LA>

Charles Gaines’ enclosure allows us to enter what feels like a completely contained environment, a large-scale terrarium of sorts. Colored lights and hazy fog are controlled by a computer that reads the amount of pollutants in the air specific to the Los Angeles basin. The lights on the ceiling flash in intervals, according to the measurements. Gaines’ installation gives us a different look into environmental concerns through accessible, almost cheesy rock-club devices. This is refreshing in that it’s in a language that most of us understand and it’s a complete sensory experience. On the ceiling and the floor there are large photographs of the earth and sky to “ground” the viewer in some kind of atmospheric space in between, while the lights and fog simultaneously disorient us, as we make our way through artificial greenery sprouting from the floor.

2640 S. La Cienega Blvd., L.A. | www.laxart.org | (310) 559-0166 | Through August 30

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.