“Masters Of Wrong” is a terrific new exhibition of more than twenty paintings and installations by art duo HERACUT closing this week at Corey Helford. Opening night found performance artists and on-going art creations a part of a very busy scene celebrating the work of painter Hera (Jasmin Siddiqui) and graffiti artist Akut (Falk Lehmann).
Very much a commentary on the U.S. political scene, this trenchant installation combined iconic figures like Captain America and Sponge Bob with election-year protest.
Both whimsical and profound, this sharp and spot-on installation piece expertly wove opinion with flat-out fun art.
HERAKUT’s paintings were equally satiric and of-the-moment.
International mural painters, the artists are true storytellers and collaborators. Hera utilizes her drawing skills, Akut paints the photo-realistic portions of their works.
Images of despair, captured in candy-colored, cartoon-inspired stories.
Satire met full-out levity with performances by the Mad Hatter cum political candidate.
Below, Hera, left – a.k.a. Cookie Monster.
Art created on the spot.
“Our way of work is immediate, we have to reflect our present situation. So at this time, the election is very important, and this exhibition is our statement of the actual situation,” Akut says. “The performance artists are friends of ours. Our artwork is usually a dialogue between two people, but we were thinking that in LA it would be good to go a little louder, to use our performance artist friends to bring our art work alive and add an additional dimension.”
Haunting and effervescent. Doomed and inspired. The HERAKUT vision of today’s America.
Above left, Akut, with Pikachu.
Intensely imaginative in their reinvention of figures like Pikachu, above, familiarity with these beloved characters help HERAKUT reach a wide audience and broaden the accessibility of their messages.
Below, “Sailor Mom.” Using beloved anime and cartoon figures to express raw political truths broke down barriers of resistance to political messages, and served as a common rallying point for viewers.
Hera adds “We try to mention social issues by using new heroes, we want to connect kids with the art world. They’re very smart. When we talk to kids, what we hear from them make us feel better about America.”
Above – Akut with Hera. The passion and immediacy of their work makes each piece, as well as the entire room, hum with energy.
Also at Corey Helford: stellar works by R. LEVEILLE & MIHO HIRANO. Leveille describes her works as “images of female identity and sensuality from the perspective of contemporary women painters owning the mid-century pin-up aesthetic.”
The artist’s images, rimmed with gold, remind the viewer of icons. Women, placed on pedestals and stranded there. These are beautiful paintings, but also political ones.
Above, artist R. Leveille. The juxtaposition of “cheesecake” pin-up images with religious icon symbolism and her detailed, vibrant depictions completely re-imagines both past and present roles of women.
Hirano, below, speaking through her translator, explains her work as “decorating and accessorizing women with flowers, expressing the symbolism of adorning women with nature.”
The delicate colors, peach and blue, render these dream-like women in the shape of sea creatures, ethereal and ghostly.
or forest nymphs…
Above, Hirano and curator Caro.
Corey Helford is on a roll, utilizing the gallery’s large space to contain truly astonishing installations, and capturing moments in our cultural zeitgeist. HERAKUT and each of the artists on display combine beautiful technique with a raw message and a goal of empowerment.
Hurry, get a dose.
- Genie Davis; Photos by Jack Burke