DTLA LIFE MAG
®
FALL 2016 www.dtlalife.com
AMERICA’S CHOICE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK INFINITY MIRRORS AIDS WALK LATE NIGHT MARKET FALL FUN DANNY VERETE THE WORLD IS A SAFE PLACE FEATURED LISTINGS
AMERICA CHOICE
Photo Barbara Kinney Courtesy of Hillary for America
A’S DTLA LIFE MAG
®
FALL 2016
Publisher Alex LiMandri 649 W. 9th Street, #335 Los Angeles, CA 90015 213 626 LIFE (5433) Editor in Chief Alex LiMandri alex@dtlalife.com Art Director Alex LiMandri Contributing Writers Cinnia Finfer - Retail Jim White - Community Petra Wright - Art Juliane Pease - Design Lori Tierney - Lifestyle Margalette Audion - Fashion DTLA LIFE | Magazine! ® is a registered Trademark All Rights Reserved
www.dtlalife.com
AMERICA’S CHOICE Summer is over! Wait, we are in Los Angeles, summer is never over. We still have some hot days to come. The fall is always bringing some new exciting events, activities, and opportunities. Time to get full speed at work and of course this year, it’s election time. I will not tell you how important this election is and how weird it has been. I cannot believe that the Republicans have chosen Donald Trump as their nominee. The man has no clue of what he is doing and already put the country at risk with his remarks. He has promoted ideas that are completely against American values. At DTLA LIFE MAG we endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Primaries in California, and we highly encourage you do vote for her. Not only to defeat Donal Trump in November. But to improve lives of all Americans and a better future. Let’s join Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, Vice-President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, and of course President Barak Obama in winning this election.
Alex LiMandri Editor-in-Chief
DTLA LIFE MAG
®
www.dtlalife.com alex@dtlalife.com (213) 626 LIFE (5433)
Photos Courtesy of Hillary for America
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK by
Cinnia Finfer
www.mirorestaurant.com
DS
Photo Cinnia Finfer
Photo Cinnia Finfer
As restaurant locations go, the southeast corner of Figueroa and Wilshire is as good as it gets in the financial district. Yes, there is the matter of the Wilshire Grand construction site across the street, but this year’s inconvenience will be next year’s motherload of customers. Helmed by seasoned veterans Laurie Schaffer, Gavin Mills, Victoria Lane, Ben Scott and Jason MacBeth, Miro’s pan-Mediterranean menu is in tune with professionals who want a memorable meal in an attractive setting. Incorporating everything from wood-fired pizza to butcher’s steak or wild salmon and well as fresh pasta and local produce, Miro’s lunch menu hits the mark. Diners can choose to be seated at traditional tables, two-top high boys or at the bar. The blend gives an upscale yet relaxed feeling. The room offers diffused, natural lighting balanced with attractive pendant lights. After work, one should explore the subterranean whiskey bar, where an intriguing journey of premium, rare and renowned labels await. There is something wonderfully intimate and clandestine about retiring to an underground space to drink and Miro’s whiskey bar is a sleek retreat.
MIRO 888 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 988 8880 www.mirorestaurant.com
www.mirorestaurant.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
Yes, some men can travel from recess to retirement in a black hoodie and more power to them. However, several career paths demand a more tailored look. Good thing local designer Jerry Bakhchyan has spent more than two decades honing his craft of creating bespoke suits, private label ready-to-wear, formal wear, casual wear and custom made shirts. JB Clothiers guides many of DTLA’s top professionals in the subtleties of building a wardrobe and in turn has become the go-to guy for custom suiting. Bespoke? For the uninitiated, a bespoke garment is one that is created to a person’s individual measurements. JB Clothiers uses 32 different measurements in creating a personal pattern from which clothes are made for that specific man. With more than 3000 fabrics imported from Italy England, Scotland and France to choose from, this is hardly a cookie-cutter approach. Though a bespoke suit may sound extravagant, once one has worn clothes made specifically for them, it can be a let down to wear anything else. A good way to start is with a custom made shirt. Need something today? A full line of JB Clothier private label ready to wear items – suits, shirts, tuxedos, trousers, blazers and sports coats are there for the choosing. Ease in with one piece or go for a whole new look. The showroom/store is just steps away from the California Merchandise Mart near the corner of Main and 8th, in the heart of the fashion district. The vibe is inviting and clubby, and the clothes are merchandised as if you were stepping into some guy’s uber closet.
JB CLOTHIERS 859 S Spring St Los Angeles, CA 90014 (818) 469 7881 www.jbclothiers.com
Photos Courtesy of JB Clothiers
Photos Courtesy of JB Clothiers
www.jbclothiers.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
What do Dan Maravilla and Trent Valladares know that we don’t know? It can’t be just a coincidence that a Los Angeles-hatched tech accessories brand opens right next door to the Tower Theater, the much-rumored future home for the DTLA Apple store? Only time will tell, and they are not talking. While being next to Apple will be great, HEX is worth the trip itself. This is their first store and at only 300 square feet it works as hard as a store three times the size. The walls are lined with HEX label backpacks, duffels and messenger bags designed to cradle laptop, cameras, and phones through an unfriendly world. Great thought went the construction, fabric, placement of pockets and hardware to deliver great looking bags that work. The phone cases and wallets are designed with the same attention to detail. For those of us who have grown weary of the black on black on black of most tech casings, Hex delivers welcomed relief and performance.
HEX 804 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 (213) 291 2545 www.shophex.com
www.shophex.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
With a new season comes a new outlook and if you are considering advanced skincare or permanent makeup, which is also referred to as cosmetic tattooing, you should know about South Park business, Lucy Hart Ink and the full complement of services available. Founder Lucy Hart is the real deal and considered one of the best in the world. Fully licensed and certified with over 15 years experience, Lucy heads a distinguished team of experts in their disciplines. While renowned for their permanent makeup (which is a Hollywood secret), eyelash extensions, lifts and tints, Eliminink Tattoo Removal and a spectrum of advanced facials like the revolutionary Micro Needling, are also offered. This is important, intimate work and Lucy Hart Ink’s care and technique have garnered a devoted, international following and a year long wait list. The salon is elegant, upscale and the ultimate beauty studio for those who want to transform and wake up beautiful every day.
LUCY HART INK 939 S Hill St, Suite 102 Los Angeles, CA 90015 (323) 313 5050 www.lucyhartink.com
Photos Kathy Hart
Photos Kathy Hart
www.lucyhartink.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
Just in time for the fall weather, designer Melinda Veillard opened Rycleis LaFond. The name? A combo of her father’s and mother’s name. The look? Classic menswear silhouettes reinterpreted for women through the incorporation of subtle details: a shirtdress with a unique pocket treatment, a novelty neckline and matching cuffs on a sweater. The customer? A 38-45-year-old woman established in her career married with some kids who takes a stylish approach to all aspects of her life. This is no vanity. Veillard studied design and marketing at FIDM before earning a Masters in Global Fashion Enterprise from Philadelphia University. She spent four years working at Ann Taylor/Loft earning her way through school, and it is apparent the influence those lines had on her. She boldly launched a wholesale, retail and e-commerce business on July 9 as is getting a great response.
RYCLEIS LA FOND 653 S Main St Los Angeles, CA 90014 (213) 347 4479 www.rycleislafond.com
www.rycleislafond.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
This is a company to watch. Home of “statement sunglasses� priced $40-$70, Perverse Eyewear, is the brain child of smarty pants Toni Ko. Anyone who up for taking on an entirely new industry after selling her first company (Nyx Cosmetics) for $500 million has the brains and the wherewithal to do something big. Puzzled by the inflated prices of sunglasses, Ko established a secure supply chain, manufacturing and distribution network. Now the fun part. Launched just this April at Coachella, Perverse sunnies were spied on a host of young celebrities and it girls. The first store opened Larchmont Village late spring with the DTLA location blooming in early July. Stepping into the South Los Angeles street store is akin to a kid being let loose in a candy story. Housed in a white and clear casing, the selection is on point, appealing and best of all, affordable. Equally edgy accessories and cases seal the deal. The block currently is an old school a mash-up of wholesale resources. This stunning newcomer is a sign of the things to come, and the party is just beginning.
PERVERSE SUNGLASSES 1108 S Los Angeles St Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213) 741 2104 www.perversesunglasses.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
www.perversesunglasses.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
For most of us, the chances of a quick trip to Spain or Southern France are slim to none. However, you can sample the flavors of the region at Grand Central Market’s latest addition, Bar Moruno. Um, what’s a Moruno? A Moruno is skewered meat and vegetable spiced with cumin, paprika, turmeric and chilies. This can be served on the skewer, as a sandwich on a Spanish baguette or in a bowl on a bed of basmati rice and lentils. Now what to drink with that? In addition to a regionally focused selection of wine, beer, and cider, diners are encouraged to pair their dinner with one of four sherries or Bar Moruno’s proprietary vermonth “Vermina” which is drawn from a tap. The staff is very knowledgeable and enjoys guiding first timers to the perfect combination. The bar seating promotes conversation. Arrive a tourist, leave a native.
BAR MORUNO 317 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013 (323) 372 1220 www.morunola.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
Photos Cinnia Finfer
www.morunola.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
Yup, another coffee place. But this is not just a spot to grab a cup of Joe. Bulletproof Coffee is a Thing. The result of 15 years work and a $300,000 commitment by the former coder and Silicon Valley investor Dave Asprey, Bulletproof Coffee is a gateway to a universe of products aimed to hack your biology. Those embracing the approach have lost weight, improved IQ, slept better and lowered one’s biological age. Well, who’s going to say no to that?! Don’t drink coffee? There are non-caffeine options. More hungry than thirsty? There are sandwiches and soups. Already ate? Bulletproof ice cream, right here, right now. Face it; you are not leaving without trying something while getting a little of Gospel of Dave in the process. And, in fairness, as I-can’t-possibly-have-caffeine-after-2pm type it must be reported that the kale soup which was feared to be vile, was delicious, the bone broth was soothing and something one would certainly crave if under the weather. The chocolate ice cream was solid without being overly sweet, and the No Coffee Latte was smooth and authentically vanilla tasting. Mr. Asprey, you seem to be on to something.
BULLETPROOF COFFEE 300 S Santa Fe Ave Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 265 7040 www.bulletproofcoffee.com
www.bulletproofcoffee.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
Sometimes you need to release the child within. Happily, A Shop Called Quest, motherload of comics, trade paperbacks and poster and designer vinyl toys is here to help. An inland empire legend for almost a quarter century, these people know their stuff. And as the Arts District retail offerings veer decidedly upscale, it’s nice to know there is somewhere that $2.99 still buys you some first-rate entertainment. Owner Ray Duran explains that A Shop Called Quest is “a comic shop that promotes comics, art and culture.” As such, gallery shows and in-store programming is in the works. Check their website and social media for more information. This place engages you. The sheer volume and variety of comics, posters, t-shirts, toys and gift items keep you wandering. A delight for the hardcore fan, an astounding introduction for the uninitiated. And if that wasn’t great enough—they are open seven days a week.
A SHOP CALLED QUEST 300 S Santa Fe Ave Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 680 2737 www.shopcalledquest.com
Photos Cinnia Finfer
Photos Cinnia Finfer
www.shopcalledquest.com
Go east young man. The West Hollywood high priest of hairstyling, Benjamin Mohapi, has done just that. Mohapi and partner Negin Zand selected The Yards at One Santa Fe as the second location for their salon/ apothecary concept. The Benjamin experience is contemporary luxe, a sensibility in sync with the Arts District way of life. In addition to a highly trained staff, there is a signature line of Benjamin hair products. And check out Selects -- a collaboration with Genavieve Lynch -- which presents an abbreviated version of their West Hollywood “Boutique Apothecary” showcasing an impressive collection of the world’s luxury organic at natural skincare and beauty products. Doing their part to keep the Arts District beautiful!
BENJAMIN ARTS DISTRICT 300 S Santa Fe Ave Los Angeles, CA 90013 (424) 249 3296 www.benjaminsalon.com
Photo Cinnia Finfer
INFINITY MIRRORS by
Alex LiMandri
Photo courtesy of David Zwirner, N.Y.
Y S
The Broad celebrates its first birthday this month. In its inaugural year, The Broad attracted more than 820,000 visitors, nearly triple its pre-opening projections and the largest first-year attendance of a new art institution in the U.S. in recent years, the museum announced today. The Broad’s visitors also reflected unprecedented diversity for an art museum, attracting a dramatically younger, more ethnically diverse audience than the national average. With free general admission, striking architecture and one of the world’s leading collections of postwar and contemporary art, The Broad has continued to attract lines around the block since opening on Sept. 20, 2015. Since opening in September 2015, The Broad has featured Kusama’s installation Infinity Mirrored Room --- The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, 2013, from the Broad collection. One of the most favorite artworks on view at The Broad, situated off The Broad’s dramatically sculptural lobby, the installation is a mirror-lined chamber populated with a dazzling and seemingly vast array of LED lights creating a disorienting sense of limitless space. The work will be accessible to free general admission ticketholders until the opening of the Kusama paid special exhibition in mid-October 2017 when it will transition to be included in the special exhibition through early January 2018.
GRAND CENTRAL MARKET 317 South Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 624 2378 www.grandcentralmarket.com
FALL FUN by
Alex LiMandri
Photo Courtesy of Rafael Cardenas
For the fourth year in a row, Grand Park will partner with Self-Help Graphics & Art to present a traditional Noche de Ofrenda ceremony honoring the dead and featuring prayer led by the local indigenous community. In addition to enjoying performances by traditional dancers representing the Aztecan, Oaxacan and Michoacán traditions, as well as Los Angeles-based poets and musicians, the event will unveil a master altar created by master altar maker Ofelia Esparaza. The event kicks off the official unveiling of Grand Park’s Día de los Muertos altars and art installations developed by local artists and community groups. Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos Grand Park’s Noche de Ofrenda Saturday, October 29, 2016 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Grand Park celebrates the traditions of Día de los Muertos with multiple ways to experience and learn about the holiday. In partnership with Self-Help Graphics & Art, the park will present 35 altars and art installations created by local artists and community groups in honor of Día de los Muertos. The altars, which will remain in the park all week long, will focus on themes that impact local communities. Altar subjects range from personal stories that celebrate families and lost loved ones, to more contemporary expressions of current affairs and community challenges, such as gang violence, immigration reform and education. The park will also honor Oaxacan Día de los Muertos traditions by paying special tribute to Los Angeles’ Oaxacan community. Much of the now highly recognizable celebratory elements of the holiday are rooted in the Oaxacan approach, specifically the creation of altars and sugar skulls. The park will also feature various floral- and color-themed Altar-Ofrendas celebrating the traditional city plaza installations closely associated with Oaxacan customs surrounding the holiday.
Photo Courtesy of hjomeboyindustries
The park will offer free lunchtime tours, which will highlight the artwork and discuss the traditions of the holiday. Grand Park Día de los Muertos Altars October 30, 2016 – November 5, 2016 Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours is an immersive and multi-sensory event that opens the doors of The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and transforms it sonically, visually and spatially. Latenight event-goers are invited to experience Los Angeles’ leading performing arts center in a new way with DJs, dance parties, eye-opening video installations and sonic sculptures. Sleepless is open to the public, and all ages are welcome. Tickets are available at musiccenter.org/sleepless Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours November 11, 2016 11:30 p.m. – 3:00 a.m.
GRAND PARK 200 North Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 972 0711 www.grandparkla.org
Photos Courtesy of The Music center
Photo Courtesy of Andrea Alonso
LATE NIGHT by
Alex LiMandri
With summer officially coming to a close, Grand Central Market is leaping into the fall season with exciting news: the Market will continue staying open until 10 PM seven days a week. After a successful first-ever Summer Nights program, the Market has established itself as a key nighttime destination and major watering hole for local Angelenos and travelers alike, with Bar Moruno, Belcampo Meat Co., Bombo Foods, Courage & Craft, Golden Road Brewing, Horse Thief BBQ, Knead & Co., Madcapra, Olio Wood Fired Pizzeria and The Oyster Gourmet all offering a great selection of beer and wine. “We created a distinctive nighttime experience for Market visitors this summer with an inventive mix of new food, drink, and entertainment offerings,” said Christophe Farber, Grand Central Market Director of Business Development. “We’re excited to make Nights a permanent feature of Grand Central Market and will be rolling out an expanded schedule of culinary and cultural programming in the months to come.” The Market will take its music programming in a fun, new direction this fall with the launch of a Jazz Nights series every Sunday from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. kicking off on October 2nd with a performance by The Vignes Rooftop Revival, a long-time favorite Gypsy jazz/swing band of Downtown Los Angeles. Future performers include The Hifi Honeydrops and Daniel Rotem. As part of its ongoing weekly Game Night on Thursdays, the Market will continue to host the muchloved Drag Queen Bingo every first and third Thursday of the month at 8 p.m. Trivia Tuesday takes place every first and third Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m. On Wednesday nights, Horse Thief presents a rotating schedule of outdoor movies, music and other entertainment on the Market patio. The Market kicks off weekends with DJs spinning every Friday night. Visit grandcentralmarket.com for the latest schedule of entertainment and culinary events.
GRAND CENTRAL MARKET 317 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013 www.grandcentralmarket.com
Photo Courtesy of Jakob Layman
DANNY VERETE by
Petra Wright
Photos Courtesy of GDCA Gallery
Celebrated Israeli Filmmaker and Artist Danny Verete debuts his breathtaking photographic collection “LOST KINGDOM” in Downtown Los Angeles this Fall! GDCA Gallery (Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts) is proud to launch the first US Exhibition of Danny Verete’s photographic narrative “LOST KINGDOM” this October 2016. Danny Verete’s images instantly transport you into the time and place of a forgotten world, once transplendent, now held together by memories and threads. Symbolized by the haphazardly woven-together patchwork seats of the iconic Indian Rickshaw. Their former beauty and elegance are underscored by their present fragility and distress. Verete’s eye sensitively reveals the patchworks’ richness and beauty as colorful abstractions, like visual kaleidoscopes. Undeniable is the artist’s love for life, and for all human beings engaged in their various incarnations of struggle and acceptance. His images are imbued with vitality and vibrancy that transcends their opulence of color. They impart a sensory infusion of the smells and sounds India. Verete is a consummate story-teller, and his images speak volumes. His still-compositions cast an immediate spell on us, seducing us into time-travel to an imaginary world. Similarly, Verete’s rickshaws have told thousands of stories – stories of their adventures with passengers, as well as their caretakers, their partners, their lovers, their family. Each patch is a story, a lifeline, adding up to a visual rhythm akin to jazz improvisation – where passion and urgency meet endurance and patience, desperation and neglect embrace loyalty and faith. Scars become beauty-marks; Vulnerability becomes a strength. Life will continue to write new chapters of the here and now, covering the memories of
the Rickshaw’s glory days. Thankfully, their “LOST KINGDOM” is not entirely lost to us, as we may live in it - through Verete’s eyes. For images and additional information, please contact: Petra Wright at petra@GDCAgallery.com or call #(323) 309-2875. Exhibit Dates: October 4th – October 30th, 2016 ArtWalk: Thursday, October 13th from 12 pm – 10 pm Artist Reception: Saturday, October 22nd from 6 pm – 10 pm.
GDCA GALLERY 727 South Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 (323) 309 2875 pw@gdcagallery.com www.gdcagallery.com
THE WORLD IS A SAFE PLACE by
Jim White
Los Angeles City voters will have an unprecedented opportunity to pass Proposition HHH in November, a $1.2B Bond measure that has the potential to increase permanent supportive housing development to 10,000 new units over the next ten years. This is a HUGE opportunity for us to make tremendous strides in our work to end homelessness. We are forming several working groups to help advocate for change, and we need YOU! Please let us know how you’d like to be involved in this campaign and future efforts to end homelessness by filling out the short interest form linked to below. Take part at bit.ly/Advocate4Change
THE WORLD IS A SAFE PLACE jim@theworldisasafeplace.com www.theworldisasafeplace.com
SAVE THE DATE
HOMEWALK 2016 Annual 5k Family Run/Walk
SATURDAY NOV. 19, 2016 GRAND PARK, DOWNTOWN LA
REGISTER NOW!
AIDS WALK by
Alex LiMandri
Photo Courtesy of Leif Green
AIDS Walk Los Angeles organizers today announced that beginning this year, the event will take place in Grand Park, a large and vibrant public space located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. The 2016 event will be held on Sunday, October 23. “We were drawn to Grand Park because of its versatility, size, and easy accessibility by public transit,” said Craig R. Miller, the event’s founder, and senior organizer. “The space, the setting, the surroundings are all stunning,” Miller added. “The park is situated such that the iconic City Hall tower will serve as a dynamic backdrop to our stage and program.” Participants taking Metro by rail will ascend an escalator right into the middle of the venue. Free nearby parking will be provided to those coming to the event by car. Downtown is home to many of the AIDS Walk’s corporate sponsors and employee fundraising teams, and Grand Park is adjacent to the seats of both city and county government, each of which has employee groups that have long been active in the event. The 10-kilometer route will pass the historic and architecturally rich center of Los Angeles, passing by such landmarks as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and the Broad Museum, among many others.
The move comes as APLA continues to expand its role as a primary medical care provider for people living with and/or at risk of HIV/AIDS and for the LGBT community as a whole. The organization began operating a federally qualified health center, the Gleicher/Chen Health Center, in Baldwin Hills two years ago and just recently inaugurated the Long Beach Health Center to serve the low-income individuals in need of services in that city and surrounding South Los Angeles County neighborhoods. AIDS Walk Los Angeles will now help fund these new locations and services, along with the wide variety of other HIV/ AIDS services APLA offers, including eight food pantries, housing assistance, counseling, and much more. “We believe that the new venue for the Walk in downtown Los Angeles will better position the event for communities that have often felt disenfranchised, underserved, and on the periphery,” Thompson said. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, whose district includes Grand Park, expressed enthusiasm for the move. “We are so pleased to welcome AIDS Walk back to Los Angeles,” Supervisor Solis said. “Grand Park is the people’s park, and the AIDS Walk is the people’s response to the HIV epidemic. It’s a perfect match, and we couldn’t be prouder to host this important community event.” Registration is free and open to everyone.
The 2016 AIDS Walk Los Angeles, by design, will also coincide with a series of Día de Los Muertos art installations that will be placed throughout Grand Park for a two-week period. The organizers of those installations are working hand in hand with AIDS Walk Los Angeles to create a piece that honors those who have been lost to the epidemic. The inaugural AIDS Walk Los Angeles was held at Paramount Pictures’ famous Melrose Avenue studio in 1985, where it remained for 15 years. Due to security concerns in the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Paramount was unable to continue hosting the event. The City of West Hollywood very generously welcomed AIDS Walk Los Angeles, while Paramount Pictures remained (and continues to be) a vital sponsor of the event. West Hollywood Park served as the starting and ending point of the Walk through 2015. “We are deeply grateful to West Hollywood for its many years serving as the host city of our organization’s largest and longest-standing fundraising event,” said Craig E. Thompson, chief executive officer of APLA and APLA Health & Wellness. “We are also excited that so many of the elected officials, business owners, and residents of West Hollywood will be joining us downtown this fall and stand by us to help end the epidemic.”
AIDS WALK 2016 www.la.aidswalk.net
Photos Courtesy of Ken Camarillo
213.201.WALK PREMIER SPONSORS
SIGN UP TODAY!
AIDS WALK
LOS ANGELES OCT. 23, 2016
aidswalk.net BENEFITING
STARTING AND ENDING AT
GRAND PARK DOWNTOWN
Photos Courtesy of DBCID Created and produced by MZA Events. AIDS Walk Founder/Senior Organizer: Craig R. Miller. © MZA Events, 2016
ART IN THE SKY by
Alex LiMandri
Photos NATALIA KNEZEVIC
Cybele Rowe and Kaye Freeman have been acquainted since 1985. They know each other as artistic peers and friends, first in Australia where Rowe hails from and where Freeman moved to at the age of nineteen. They rekindled their friendship during a visit by Freeman in 2014 to Rowe’s California atelier. The Love Armada collaboration began as an experiment – Rowe invited Freeman to paint the surfaces of some of her new work, wondering whether there were ways to push the boundary of the surface finishes on new, large-scale sculptures she had just completed. When Freeman began to cover the surfaces with paint, they both knew – immediately, and with force – that their collaboration was an invitation to a new level of artistic work, and to new ways of being as artists and beyond. Born in Hong Kong, raised in Tokyo, the child of British ex-patriots with eyes beyond the horizon, Kaye Freeman is truly an international artist. Based, at the moment, in the wilds of Victoria, Australia, Freeman’s abstract paintings are simple visual arrangements of vibrant colors, contrasting shapes and bold composition. Her work is described as “...an audacious realization of color, line, form, and philosophy”. Her mother, an architectural artist, brought her small, elfin daughter to countless Buddhist Temples in Tokyo, and the beauty, depth and visual excitement of these places ignited Freeman’s artistic process. Today, Kaye Freeman draws her inspiration from her travels through Japan, Mexico, Hong Kong, Britain, and the US. Freeman’s abstract drawings in paint are rooted in a lifetime study of natural form, and in a set of technical skills, developed at art school and honed to a keen edge while painting for theater and film. The sheer scale, palpable energy, and sensuality of her recent work challenge and conjures with the line, color, and shape, plumbing the viewers subconscious for organic forms, making the images ever more familiar, exuberant and affirming. Among Kaye Freeman’s many awards and plaudits is the prestigious SHE award from the Walker St. Gallery of Melbourne. In presenting the award for Freeman’s portrait depicting her mother’s end-of-life struggle, juror Angel Lange stated, “Kaye Freeman has given an incredibly moving and personal work. The piece stimulates conversation about an often muted but ex-
Photos NATALIA KNEZEVIC
ceedingly important social issue, with dignity and Post Graduate studies. Rowe had secured the oldest superb quality.” and largest gallery in Sydney and an art award from the Australian Government enabling her to travel the Freeman has exhibited her artwork in many group world. Meeting the influential people from the Interexhibitions, most notably in The Substation Contem- national Council of the Museum of Modern Art, they porary Art Forum in Melbourne, and the Buiten col- impressed upon her the need to develop as an artist lective in Chiba Prefecture Japan. in the stimulating environment New York offered. Her artwork lives in many private residences through- Having numerous shows in Australia, Rowe, decidout the U.S., Japan, Dubai and Australia. ed to relocate to New York permanently at the age of 26. Establishing her studio on the Upper East Side, She is currently producing “The Joshua Series”, a Rowe was able to have numerous high profile shows collection of paintings inspired by recent visits to the which included over a hundred paintings and sculpJoshua Tree National Park in the southwest United tures displayed throughout the Bergdorf Goodman States. Stores, The World Bank, and Kennedy Center in Washington DC as well as the honor of lecturing at The workflow sequence is straightforward and spon- the Smithsonian Institute at the age of 29. taneous: Rowe makes the sculptures, and Freeman paints them. They send imagery and sketches to Both her husband’s and her career afforded them to each other; Rowe builds the forms, and the painting move into their dream loft in the lower part of Manis done during Freeman’s extended visits to Rowe’s hattan, awaking to the Statue of Liberty every mornatelier. They work side by side on the deck of Rowe’s ing. That peace was shattered by the arrival of their atelier in Silverado, California, under a canopy of son in 1998 and both new parents realized Southern trees. Neither knows how the actions will turn out California would be a much more bountiful environuntil they are finished. ment for them as a family. Together, they brought an acre of land with an old dance hall and built a large Rowe likes to say that the collaboration is to some studio in what was an old mining town at the mouth extent practical since the work on these sculptures of the Cleveland National Forest called Silverado. represents over 60 years of cumulative technical skill It is there in relative tranquility Rowe has found the on behalf of both artists. However, the nature of the freedom to pursue her art with the most wondrous of two artists’ collaboration goes much further than inspiration, the gift of nature. the constraints of space and time: These works represent a force greater than that of two artists merely Rowe began sculpting in monumental ceramics over working together. The Love Armada speaks to mate- two decades ago. As an artist, Rowe is the bold life rial and psychic realities that transcend the individu- force who addresses the sacred women. Her females al in the here-and-now. are not specific in nature but rather possess the position of the “temenos” or inner sacred space. With Cybele Rowe was born in Sydney Australia, second her sculptures, Rowe creates containers to hold and eldest of six children. She is the daughter of a world’s announce these beings to the world. In her earliest leading authority on Pediatric Genetic Research and works entitled, “Vessels,” Rowe confronts societal a documentary filmmaker mother with a strong spir- pressures of female beauty. Later with the birth of itual interest. Rowe spent her early years in the US as her son, Rowe reclaimed her space as an artist and her father was doing research at Duke University. Her completed three bodies of work in only three years parents decided to return to Sydney, with its magnif- with “Pleasing Female Imagery,” “Human Shells as icent beaches and glorious harbor which she grew Temples,” and “Female Elements.” With the entry of up. Completing her High School at Loreto Convent her daughter, Rowe finished her “Fertility Figures.” Kirribilli, Sydney, she was accepted at 17 years of In this series, the essence of fundamental emotions age to the premier art school, City Art Institute Uni- such as love and desire are embodied in human versity of New South Wales. Upon completing her form. Her works titled “Husks” explore the archetypBachelor of The Arts in Fine Arts, she continued her al question of a woman’s purpose after creating life.
Photos NATALIA KNEZEVIC
Each piece partakes in the journey after the seeds have been sown. Only then is the husk or shell permitted to transcend into a container for the universe. Warm memories of growing up on Sydney’s Harbor infuse her series, “Infinity. Her many journeys to Laguna Beach where she plays with her nine-year-old son and two-year-old daughter directly inspire the works created for this suite. In the space where water meets land’s edge, the possibility of the infinite begins. Here sand shores and rippling tide pools form the landscape. Water carves out transitions sometimes passively and sometimes aggressively. With her sculptures, Rowe honors these shifting forms and forces of nature. To collaborate in this way is to access the actual nature of being: Open to all possible futures and realities, especially the ones that transcend the ego and the self-as-artist, into the infinite possibilities of becoming. The Love Armada confronts in beauty the true nature of living and composes with the powerful forces with which we, as humans, face the world. The Love Armada and Freeman’s work are featured in the sky with a few of their work exposed at the Ritz-Carlton Residences 48G. The setting is out of this world, and the art takes all its dimension with the Downtown Skyline as a backdrop. For more information, please contact Alex LiMandriat (213) 626 5433 or alex@dtlalife.com
THE LOVE ARMADA www.lovearmada2014.com
FEATURE LISTINGS
ED S
EVO #507 1B | 1B 960 SF POOL SPA CONCIERGE PARKING
FOR LEASE $2,690/M (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666
RITZ- CARLTON RESIDENCES #48G 3B | 4B 4,130 SF POOL SPA CONCIERGE PARKING
FOR SALE $9,900,000 (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666
MARKET LOFTS #335 2B | 2B 1,190 SF POOL SPA CONCIERGE PARKING SCREENING ROOM
FOR SALE $869,000 (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666
SKY LOFTS #1704 2B | 2B 1,270 SF 2 PARKING
FOR LEASE $3,450/M (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666
EASTERN COLUMBIA LOFTS #912 2B | 2B 1,730 SF POOL SPA CONCIERGE PARKING PRIVATE PATIO
FOR LEASE $4,995 (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666
DOUGLAS BUILDING #4L 1B | 1B 650 SF PARKING
FOR LEASE $2,150/M (213) 626 LIFE (5433) WWW.DTLALIFE.COM
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. MLSPLUS™ Copyright © 2016 by TheMLS™. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Presented by: Alex Limandri CalBRE#:01822666