Friday night marked the opening reception of CA 101 2015, a fantastic exhibition at “The Industrial Cathedral” a.k.a. the AES Power Plant in Redondo Beach. From site specific installations to immersive 3D video to evocative photography, don’t miss this show, on view again next weekend, Friday 8/7 to Sunday 8/9.
Photo by Jack Burke
This is the fourth year for what has become an annual exhibition including a wide variety of cutting edge visual artists from throughout California. Over 126 artists are exhibiting 157 works. It’s hard to say what’s most compelling here. There’s Mike Saijo’s brilliant immersive images, One and Three Parallax Views? Put on your 3D glasses and check it out. Explore Kristine Schomaker’s kaleidoscopic mixed media Bloom, Cie Gumucio’s intense tributes to writers including her Shadows and Light Within spotlighting Emily Dickinson. Listen to the wild caw of peacocks emanating from the doorbell at Patty Grau’s “crime scene,” Peacock Blues. Get dazzled by the raiment displayed by Diane Strack’s Vestament: Reflections on Religion. Yes, there are also stunning, LA-evocative paintings like Lena Moross’ Red Couch #1 and Scott A. Trimble’s Two More in the Bonding Sea. Photography as wide open as the desert it depicts in Cameron Mcintyre’s Out on the Flats. The semi-apocalyptic daydream that is Ariel Swartley’s Beach Town.
But truly, this isn’t about one or even several artists. This is a seminal collective exhibition. The space itself, with it’s surreal, industrial green heights creates an aura half-way between factory and submarine. The mix of art forms, from watercolor to sculpture is simply too good to miss.
So what are you waiting for? Take off for a day at the beach coupled with great art, or ruminate on what you’ll see here with an after-art stroll on the sand. For once, driving to DTLA isn’t necessary to experience some of the finest art and artists California has to offer. One caveat: it’s not actually accessible from the 101. You’ll need to take the 405.
- Genie Davis; Photos: Jack Burke