Spring has sprung, and all I want to do now is chill by a beach while soaking up the sun. And as I am doing exactly that on the Tuscan coast, I can’t but think of Los Angeles and its never-ending spring weather. It’s been a while since I last visited, but I have been thinking about going back for some time. And since its contemporary art scene is an ever-growing wonder, I think it is about time to start digging and compiling lists of places I would like to visit.
Los Angeles has been growing a lot, in terms of contemporary art, over the past few years. From museums to galleries and art fairs, the city has turned into a major contemporary art hub and it is now a hot destination not just for star-spotting and beach vibes, but for its thrilling art scene as well. I already talked about some of my favorite museums I had the pleasure to visit a while ago, but since then Los Angeles has added a number of new and interesting centers and independent art destinations to its scene.
And so here I am, sharing my discoveries with you, waiting for a (hopefully) upcoming trip to the City of Angels. This time we will focus on independent art spaces, that offer a great insight into the different communities and art groups that populate the city, making Los Angeles the trendy hub we needed.
From Downtown LA to Santa Monica, the common themes will be inclusivity and representation. Each space talks to a specific local community, while also dialoguing with the city and international art scene, giving Los Angeles a much-needed and forward-looking way to experience contemporary art.
Horizon Art Foundation
Located in Downtown Los Angeles, the Horizon Art Foundation is one of the latest additions to the LA panorama. The foundation runs a residency program, and its mission is to promote cultural understanding and dialogue through artistic endeavors.
The Foundation’s residency program is a means to facilitate cultural exchange and support the work of promising artists in the early to middle stages of their careers. Advised by institutional curators, Horizon seeks to identify exciting practitioners based in the US and abroad, and gives particular emphasis to artists of color. These nominated artists are invited to hold residencies in Los Angeles. The program intends to provide a generous, supportive platform to artists at a crucial point in their careers, and also aims to foster a greater understanding of our complex globalized world.
Horizon Art Foundation
719 S. Los Angeles Street, Unit 1200, Los Angeles
More info: horizonart.org
Human Resources
Sticking around Downtown LA, Chinatown based Human Resources is a nonprofit, volunteer-run art space founded in 2010 that seeks to broaden the engagement with contemporary and conceptual art. Focusing on performative and underexposed modes of expression, Human Resources aims at fostering widespread public appreciation of the performative arts by encouraging maximum community access. To do so, they organize exhibitions, musical and dance performances, film screenings, and talks, that serve as a point of convergence for diverse and disparate art communities to engage in conversation and idea-sharing promoting the sustainability of non-traditional art forms.
Human Resources
410 Cottage Home Street, Chinatown, Los Angeles
Info and opening hours: www.h-r.la
Commonwealth and Council
Moving West, towards Koreatown, the third Los Angeles independent art space worth mentioning is Commonwealth and Council. Founded in 2010 by Young Chung, the space is dedicated to exhibiting artists from different communities, building a strong sense of bonding and representation. As they state on their website, “Commonwealth and Council celebrates our manifold identities and experiences through the shared dialogue of art—championing practices by women, queer, POC, and our ally artists to build counter-histories that reflect our individual and collective realities.” It is hosted on the second floor of a residential building, so look out for the entrance and digit the code shared on their website to enter.
Commonwealth and Council
3006 W. 7th Street, Ste. 220, Koreatown, Los Angeles
Info and opening hours (and door code): commonwealthandcouncil.com
Residency Art
Moving further west, let’s stop in Inglewood at Residency. Founded by Inglewood native Rick Garzon, Residency celebrates contemporary artists that continue to make projects for communities of color. As stated on their website, “Residency Art Gallery is a safe space for all genders, races, and cultures.”
Serving the area of South Central Los Angeles, it hosts exhibitions, while also encouraging the dialogue between artists, activists, and the community by regularly holding discussions within the space.
Residency Art
310 East Queen Street, Inglewood, California
Info and opening hours: residencyart.com
18th Street Arts Center
Let’s end our independent art spaces tour of Los Angeles by the beach in Santa Monica, with the 18th Street Arts Center. The center currently has two locations, one in Santa Monica, and the second one at Santa Monica Airport, providing more than just one reason to visit its spaces. It offers exhibitions, focusing on feminist artists, performance art, and activism, presenting both local and international artists from different communities. At the same time, 18th Street Arts Center also runs a residency program for Los Angeles–based and international artists.
18th Street Arts Center
1639 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA (18th Street Campus)
3026 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, California (Airport Campus)
Info and opening hours: 18thstreet.org
Cover image by Muzammil Soorma on Unsplash
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