THING: New Sculpture from Los Angeles
February 6 – June 5, 2005
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 11am-7pm; Sunday 11am-5pm, Thursday 11am-9pm and FREE
310-443-7000
www.hammer.ucla.edu
Artists: Lauren Bon, Jedediah Caesar, Kate Costello, Krysten Cunningham, Hannah Greely, Taft Green, Matt Johnson, Aragna Ker, Olga Koumoundouros, Renee Lotenero, Nathan Mabry, Rodney McMillian, Chuck Moffit, Kristen Morgin, Joel Morrison, Michael O’Malley, Kaz Oshiro, Andy Ouchi, Lara Schnitger, Mindy Shapero
Reflecting the originality and energy of L.A.’s lively art scene, THING: New Sculpture from Los Angeles at the Hammer Museum features innovative and provocative works by 20 up-and-coming, Los Angeles-based artists. Most of the approximately 50 objects on view, dated from 2002 to 2005, have never before been exhibited, and over half were created specifically for the exhibition. The sculptures range from intimate works including realistically painted plastic and bronze casts to complex, mixed-media pieces including a startling full-scale low-rider car constructed out of wood and unfired clay. Organized by the Hammer Museum, THING will be on view at the Museum from February 6 through June 5, 2005.
THING: New Sculpture from Los Angeles is organized by a curatorial team led by James Elaine, curator of Hammer Projects, with co-curators Aimee Chang, curatorial assistant at the Hammer Museum, and Christopher Miles, independent curator, critic, and assistant professor at California State University, Long Beach.
Los Angeles has become a defining force in international contemporary art. THING provides a chance to examine how the range of often provocative sculpture and objects being produced by L.A.’s up-and-coming generation of artists extends local traditions and lineages, and also taps into and shapes broader cultural streams.
The exhibition is sponsored by The Fellows of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Additional support provided by the Murray and Ruth Gribin Foundation and The Fifth Floor Foundation.
THING: New Sculpture from Los Angeles is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue published by the Hammer Museum. Featuring a critical essay by Christopher Miles alongside entries on each artist, written by the curators and Hammer curatorial intern Matthew Thompson, the hardcover catalogue has 65 full color illustrations and provides a chance to examine the groundbreaking sculpture of L.A.’s younger generation. The catalogue is available at the Hammer Bookstore.- ISBN 0-943739-28-4.
Public Programs
In conjunction with THING, the Hammer Museum hosts engaging public programs to discuss current issues in art and sculpture.
Sunday, February 6, 3pm
Gallery Talk
Artists Jedediah Caesar, Rodney McMillian, Kristen Morgin, Lara Schnitger with the exhibition curators
Tuesday, March 1, 6pm
Gallery Talk
Artists Olga Koumoundouros, Renee Lotenero, Nathan Mabry with the exhibition curators
Tuesday, March 1, 7pm
Lecture Jerry Saltz, The Good, the Bad, and the Very Bad: A Critic Talks about Contemporary Art and Criticism
Thursday, March 10, 6pm
Gallery Talk
Artists Lauren Bon, Krysten Cunningham, Michael O’Malley with the exhibition curators