Cecil & Reed ~ 2551 California Ave. ~ Signal Hill

We paid a visit to Boyle Heights artist Fabian Debora at The Alexandria Hotel for a studio visit while he prepares for an upcoming show in March at Homegirl Cafe in Chinatown. Debora has been exploring a new style of painting for the past few years that has taken his art in a new and exciting direction. With no formal training (but plenty of street knowledge) Fabian has interned with Wayne Healy, a well known Los Angeles-based muralist and artist. Debora also studied under painter and muralist Vincent Valdez of San Antonio, Texas. Great opportunities have led Fabian to path of making his own mark in the LA art scene.

We’ve noticed a lot of people arriving on LA TACO searching for info on LA native David Choe, who has been blowing up the media world ever since the NY Times revealed the size of his vast fortune. From Howard Stern, who offered to be David’s second dad, to Barbara Walters, who learned the art of the spraycan from David (airs tonight), Choe has been doing his thing the way only he can. If you’re new to the Choe vortex, you need to get Dirty Hands on iTunes or DVD. Made by David’s best friend, filmmaker Harry Kim, over an insane 10 year period, the movie may now finally find the audience it has deserved since the film’s debut at the LA Film Festival in 2008.

Trailers, link to iTunes and much more at http://dirtyhandsmovie.com/. Seriously, check it out.

Ya’ Heard Show‘s  first Episode of the Year is up. Check it on out HERE.

About Ya’ Heard Show Podcast:

YA’ HEARD brought to you by your hosts, kaNO, Ritzy Periwinkle, Shane Jessup, and Sket One, YA’ HEARD is a no-holds-barred look into the current state of the arts, the community, and all things ‘From the Street Up’. Covering a wide range of topics, YA’ HEARD will touch on the business side of art, politicin’, beef, style, technique, tools, exhibits, current events, designer toys, music, conventions, and much more in the manner you’d only expect from this group of artists that are living the life every day. Future episodes promise special guests ranging from fellow artists and designers to tastemakers and the usual haters.

Teaser Video

“EXCAVATED REVELATIONS”
Featuring: ZES & RETNA
Opening: February 11, 2012 | 8 – 11 pm

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com

LA Mural Ordinance Community Discussion
Hosted by the Los Angeles Arts District Bid and LALA Gallery
Featuring Muralists: Shepard Fairey and SABER with City Planner Tanner Blackman & LA Freewalls Project Curator Daniel Lahoda.

February 7th, 2012 7-9pm
LALA Gallery
1335 Willow Street
Los Angeles, Ca 90021
P: 213.415.1826
info@lahodafinearts.com

It’s only February but the book of 2012 may already be decided. Featuring 172 pages and over 250 illustrations and photographs, “Every Man is my Enemy” is a landmark achievement of beautiful depravity. Get it at Zero Friends before it sells out!

Cirque du Soleil ~ Santa Monica Pier Aquarium ~ Santa Monica

“Kelley is an avatar of the power and humanity inherent in recognizing the radical impurity of human experience. His art searches out dark and soiled places where defects, fault lines and inadequacies are obvious and routine, and where failure takes on the poignant, fragile, even heartbreaking beauty that accompanies any loss of self.” ~ Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight in 1994.

“Not many artists count as a game-changer for art. Mike Kelley did. His work altered the international conversation about art, and it changed the Los Angeles art world. His death Tuesday at 57 is an unspeakable loss.” ~ Knight, today.

Michael Miller
West Coast Hip Hop | A History in Pictures

Michael Miller is a simple man with an extraordinary life in photography. Over the past 25 years, he has built an expansive portfolio that includes over 300 major record covers, the most iconic supermodels of the ‘90s and some of the biggest names in rap and jazz.

Miller was born and raised in Los Angeles and recalls the only radio station that came in clear where he lived during his teenage years was AM 1580 KDAY. As a Santa Monica High School student in the midst of the punk, surf and skate scene, he was listening to RUN DMC, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick.

Miller graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Film and Television and after college, he took a trip with friends to explore Paris where he met then boxer turned top agent Rene Bosne, who in time became Miller’s roommate in Paris and introduced Miller to his first camera. Miller began landing jobs shooting models for John Casablanca and later relocated to Barcelona, Spain where he began to build an impressive portfolio shooting for major campaigns such as Cacharel Paris.

Influenced by the techniques of Peter Lindberg, Paulo Roversi and Javier Vallhonrat, Miller developed a method of cross processing film and different chemical baths for black and white photographs. He was on to something that was still undiscovered in the United States, sharing his method with fellow photographers such as Anton Corbijn.

Homesick, Miller returned to his Los Angeles stomping grounds in 1988 and was immediately picked up by Herb Ritts’ agency Visages, shooting three advertisements for Vogue in the first month. His recognition for technique and style in fashion photography gained him attention in the music industry. By the end of 1988, he had photographed his first rapper, Arabian Prince.

Impressed with his major campaign for Stussy, DJ Muggs (7A3, Cypress Hill) asked Miller to photograph the demo for a new project titled Cypress Hill that led Miller to becoming a heavily sought after photographer for the hip-hop community.

Miller continues shooting for advertisment campaigns, major publications, celebrities and musicians.  He currently resides with his wife and two daughters in Los Angeles.  His inaugural show, West Coast Hip Hop, A History in Pictures, will display 43 photos, majority of which have never been shown to the public.

Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com
February 4, 2012 | 8-11p