loft art

Today I went to an open house/art show for a new condo disaster. As I was leaving I realized I should have made notes. This was a group art show done in the rooms of a newly built apartment complex. It was a ruse to sell these slow moving artifacts.

These are so-called lofts that they are selling and apparently not so well given the economy, this means... (has meaning) concrete floors, white walls and an unfinished wood support running thought the middle... I am sure you know where they are, the advertising says they are at the corner of Cool and Convenience, that's in LA. For the artists, oh yeah, super ironic, like given a shot in master's house. The loft complex itself looked like a prison block, it occurred to me that the two story loft apartments were a way to get around 3 story building codes. Do you detect a bit of cynicism here? I was joking around with the artists that I heard there was a lottery to raffle one of the lofts away. Actually, I should have just gotten a jar and a roll of tickets and done some small time graft outside the front door.

I went into one of the model unoccupied lofts, the literature says that these suckers start at over half a million, it was small. Apparently these are known in the trade as Lawyer Lofts, we are a far way from old manufacturing space and garage spaces that I remember from the old days where artist actually used to... paint and do art. Sure enough in this "model" with its fake widescreen TV and fake laptop, on the porch was an ashtray with I swear to God a fake cigar in the ashtray. see photo.

The lobby features what I assume are 2 fake Robert Longo pictures circa 1979. My apologies to the artist. and to Robert Longo.

Like I said, it feels prison like. A center courtyard gives the appearance of community but don't dare make a sound, as it travels. The guy playing music in the courtyard through his turntable and little Fender amp had no trouble filling entire complex. One imagines that despite the transit center promised in the distant future most, tenant/inmates will be taking the elevator from the underground parking straight up to their cells... er... apartments lining the outdoor hallways. A three foot wall separates this walkway and a jump into the courtyard from those hapless tenants once they see price of these condos plunge- no pun intended. Put up a few wire cages along the walkways and you got an instant Public housing project. String a few clothes lines from building to building and now we be talking Green and not just hype. Instant tenement.

Oh jeez. I'm in a bad mood. I was talking this morning with an old acquaintance and his work with community planning in Westlake, aka McArthur Park, in LA. He started out by saying community development means nothing if it just means the community gets thrown out once it gets developed. Amen, Bro.

Anyway, on to the art and this is where I am unprepared. Always good to see Kio Griffith's work represented with four pieces. Aska Lida had several funky thumbtack and beaded paintings that were great, tempted to buy one but resisted. Ichiro Irie in the same space had a series of photographs showing a guy urinating outside several museums. Since the lofts had all had none-working bathrooms I think he could add one more photo to the series.

I just managed to catch Peter Alexander take down his acrylic cubes. I was intrigued. Look inside and they opened inward to a world of angles and perspectives.

My favorite work was upstairs in Cell 311. It lists Andy Brown, Keaton Macon and Brad Spence. At the head of the stairs was a dangerous little piece, rolls of cash wedged between 2 sheets of sharp glass. Remove at your own risk. Greed has a price.

One room, overlooking industrial Pico was the remnants of some concerts, garbage, tickets, cigarette butts, beer cans and a forlorn video.

Then my favorite, a video of a water faucet, behind us a closed bathroom door and the sound of overflowing water. Very cool. Very interesting. Especially since by this time and the unworking toilets I had to go. and I don't mean leave.

Why am I so down on this project of the Intersection of Art and Loftsales? Cause in the midst of housing crisis these developers are so bankrupt. I mean financially, morally and in general... taste-wise. Can all they sell is a fake cool? there is a limit to edgy and these guys are over the edge thinking that somehow buying into a half a million buck condo has purchased anything close to the limitlessness of art and artists. Meanwhile visit the Torrance Art Museum who cosponsored this weekend.