Shana Nys DambrotA new pop-up exhibition in West L.A. surprises audiences with something of an art-nerd unicorn — work by Cool School legend Laddie John Dill that has somehow never been shown before. As well-known for his prolific output and tireless exhibition schedule as for his trademark sanded resin and aluminum panel works, Dill nevertheless appears to have a deeper archive than even his broad fan base had imagined. “Residence II” is anchored by his gorgeously textured, chromatically saturated monoprints from the 1990s, as well as hand-embellished lithographs and silkscreens from as early as the 1970s.
Credit: Laddie John Dill at Open Mind Art Space
“Residence II” is curated by Art Dimensions Online, and in addition to Dill, the popup includes quirky and expressive drawings and screenprints by Christina Hale, selections from travel portfolios by award-winning photographer Brian Hodges and nuanced, rarely seen, emotionally inflected paintings on paper by the late Dave Zarick. With portraiture, landscape and abstraction all exerting aesthetic pull, the larger surprise is the strength of the connections between the works.
Although disparate in styles, the shared techniques between and among these four artists, sometimes as straightforward as an intense love of pure color, or as narrative as the way a landscape or portrait flirts with abstraction, is profound. The host gallery, Open Mind Art Space, has a program that's largely defined by an embrace of beauty, narrative, and experiments with processes and materials, making it the perfect host for an exhibition that is all about encountering the familiar world with an open mind.
Credit: Brian Hodges at Open Mind Art Space
Credit: Dave Zarick at Open Mind Art Space
Credit: Christina Hale at Open Mind Art Space
Open Mind Art Space, 11631 Santa Monica Blvd., Sawtelle; (424) 273-5088, facebook.com/events/712279892496284. Tue.-Sat., 1-7 p.m.; runs May 19-25; free. Opening reception: Sat., May 19, 6-9 p.m.
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