Shahri (Urban)

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hos-22/ / CC BY 2.0

I’m well and truly excited for an art exhibit in Los Angeles. From the Streets of Iran: Works on paper by urban artists in Iran is going to be an interesting display of graffiti and urban artwork from artists doing what is blatantly illegal in the fundamentalist country. The exhibition, curated by Shervin Shahbazi, is the first of its kind in the United States (the artists' works have previously been shown in Europe and Australia).

Graffiti is a great platform for instant public exposure that has the potential to be hugely detrimental to a political regime; even the Romans knew of the powerfuln effects of the painted word made by the people, accessible by the people in a public forum. I am interested to see what kind of artwork this produces in the context of the Iranian state.

In regard to this exhibit's USA debut, I say: Good Timing.

I use the word ‘allegedly’ before the word rigged with disdain when I speak of the tumultuous elections in Iran that caused so much grief earlier this year.

These events shook the Western World and opened a door to question propaganda practices and leadership through fear; I remember, whilst in London, opening a newspaper to learn that the Iranian embassy in Kensington was filming protesters outside its gates. Worries about this course of action ranged from worry (for those protesters’ families still residing in Iran potentially facing retribution) to things as mundane as confiscated passports. Westerners were indignant and furious initially, and things grow more silent as we slowly forget the events, month after month.

Time to make things relevant again and, perhaps, see Iranian life and problems illustrated from the point of view of someone in its streets.

The exhibition runs from September 10th through September 26th.

Crewest is at
110 Winston St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013

For more information (artists’ mini-bios, gallery hours, etc.), click HERE.

GET OUT: Getty Concert Series

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50794637@N00/ / CC BY 2.0

When you live in London for a year, you tend to get a bit jaded. There is so much to do at any given time, and a lot of it costs next to nothing. Museums are free, many events are free... I was dreading not having as much access in Los Angeles to good music, particularly since I can't afford to do much of it... I am, after all, a 'starving' student. London completely drained the coffers, and I am BROKE.

That's why I was surprisingly (and probably disproportionately) excited about the Getty Museum's Saturdays Off the 405. The shows are free, and admission to the Getty is always free, and in the afternoon, so is parking. My pockets have stopped sobbing temporarily, as I fully intend to take a picnic basket when I go. The acts really aren't bad, either; Cut Chemist is one notable performance that has already occurred this summer. Tomorrow's act, The Dodos, are a band I have truthfully heard nothing about; I do like the snippet that the Getty has posted as a sample. Cue a Wikipedia lookup and YouTube screening for this duo...

Anyway, tomorrow's show starts at 6pm. Make a day of it and see some French Revolutionary bronzes while you were there and ponder whether powdered wigs will ever make a comeback. Sprawl out in the sun in that spiffy garden they have. And if you can't make tomorrow's show, they have two more lined up on September 26 and October 10. Artists haven't been announced yet, but it's a good excuse to stop reading blog posts, get some sunshine, and learn some art history (which, contrary to popular belief, is not a completely BS subject).

Find more information on these concerts here.