“Difficult times invite difficult gestures.” So says POST director HK Zamani, the artist, curator and gleeful subversive behind the “2012 Kamikaze Exhibits” — themselves among the more difficult gestures in L.A.'s recent art memory. Now in its fourth successive year, the “Kamikaze” shows seem more like a reality TV contest than a gallery program, as in 31 days the space hosts 31 separate art shows, each with its own curator and its own opening reception. Some are solo shows, some are curated groups, with every medium in play at one point or another. Aesthetics vary, political and theoretical foundations abound. Some people agonize, some just throw it together, and all are frantic. Among the most familiar names on the menu are photographer and digital artist Jody Zellen, painter and sculptor Jaime Scholnick (who previews the new work she's preparing for her September solo show at CB1), social activist Dorit Cypis, pattern-obsessed abstract painter Sandeep Mukherjee, retro-futurist 8-bit sculptor Sky Burchard and wordy installation artist Nicola Vruwink. But knowing their names doesn't really help, as very little else is revealed before the nights-of. After all, what good would a kamikaze be if it weren't at least a little bit of a surprise? POST, 1904 E. Seventh Place, dwntwn.; series runs daily thru July 31, 7-9 p.m.; free. (213) 488-1280; postlosangeles.org.

July 1-31, 7-9 p.m., 2012

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