TRACES No. 1: YOUTH BREAK CENTER, INC. / RADIOTRON from FORM follows FUNCTION on Vimeo.

(FFF) is delighted to introduce “FFFridays,” a bi-weekly column for KCET Departures’ “Land of Sunshine” blog. Each update will feature intimate portraits of people and places throughout the vast neighborhoods of Los Angeles, with excerpts and episodes from our mini-documentary web series, “Traces” and “A Different LA” (ADLA).

“TRACES” explores the history of places through stories told by the people who were there. The architecture of Los Angeles reveals fascinating layers of time in each block. It’s not uncommon to find the 1960s on top of the 1920s, right next to 2011. Imagine a local elder telling you when and how each of those layers of history got there. TRACES takes a deeper look into places in Los Angeles, exploring the stories of what they were then to what they are now.

“A Different LA” is about everyday people and places of Los Angeles. With over 3.8 million inhabitants in this city and at least 224 identified languages, there is an undeniable richness to the diversity of Los Angeles waiting to be recognized. ADLA is a humble attempt at shedding light on some of the remarkable people and places that can be easily overlooked, highlighting the not-so-hidden beauty of Los Angeles.

to read more click HERE

February Exhibition Opening Reception Saturday, February 11, 2012, 6 – 10 pm With: DJ’s & Live Painting.
C.A.V.E. Gallery ~ 1108 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice.

CHRIS STAIN (New York) • “PIECES OF A MAN”

ARTIST BIO
Chris Stain grew up writing Graffiti in Baltimore, MD in the mid 80′s. Through printmaking
in high school he adapted stencil-making techniques, which later lead to his work in street
stencils and international recognition in the urban contemporary art community. Compared at
times to the American Social Realist movement of the 1930’s and ‘40’s, Chris’s work echoes
his upbringing and the people who helped shape his mental and physical landscape. His work
illustrates the struggles of the unrecognized and underrepresented individuals of society.
Chris currently teaches art in New York City and is pursuing a BA in Art Education.

ARTIST STATEMENT
“What I strive to achieve with my work is to raise an awareness of the
struggles of common American’s and working class and impoverished people through out the
world. By bringing light to such situations I hope to inspire compassion and understanding
thereby infecting individuals with a sense of urgency to act toward a viable solution to the
turmoil that society faces today.”

NEW WORK FOR “PIECES OF A MAN”:
“For the new work for the upcoming show at C.A.V.E. Gallery, I am focusing my energies
to capture the variety of emotions experienced in inner city life. Stylistically the work is
developing to include not only people but words and imagery all pertinent to sidewalks,
subways, brick tenements, bicycles and pigeons. Mechanically, I have been implementing the
use of hand cut rubylith and silk screen more and more and then working back into the pieces
by hand and with stencils.”
More info at Brooklyn Street Art

TAKA SUDO (Vancouver) • “DYNAMO”

After a series of impressive exhibitions in Portland, Vancouver and Japan, Taka Sudo
returns to C.A.V.E. Gallery with a fresh collection of bold and energetic mixed media
paintings. Taka’s dynamic style is influenced by the energy of the overcrowded subways,
soaring skyscrapers and warmth of the people of Japan. From Japan, Taka moved to BC
Canada where his love for nature and the outdoors has inspired his compelling imagery of
resplendent chaos.

NEW WORK FOR “DYNAMO”:
Taka’s new works continue to develop the stylized series of nebulous images of human and
animal figures surrounded by fragmented text, echoing the conflicting messages swirling
around one’s environment. The scattered elements represent the influential forces of our
environment, the human condition, daily life, current affairs, information, and individual
passion. Taka’s artwork is inspired by a quest to seek out a true energy and a belief that
each person embodies a spiritual “dynamo” that has the power to make every day full of
symbiotic creative energy.

VENG (New York) • “ALTERNATIVE OCCUPANCY”

Born on Staten Island in 1981, H.Veng.Smith began painting as a young kid at a local art
league. Heavily influenced by the painting style of the Northern Renaissance, he depicts
surreal relations between humans and animals, perceived from a contemporary and playful
view. Often using the backdrop of the urban environment as a canvas, Veng illustrates his
thoughts through whimsical figures whose expressions are eerily familiar, inviting the viewer to
escape into a fictitious realm of ambiguous time and space.
NEW WORK FOR “ALTERNATIVE OCCUPANCY”:

For his new work in “Alternative Occupancy”, H.Veng.Smith explores phenomena of nature,
abstract living spaces and the relation and behaviors of people and animals.

H.Veng.Smith creates a playful world and at the same time examines the complex evolution
of habitats and survival of both human and animal life on this finite planet. In the piece “The
Hunter’s Patience”, Veng depicts a crane searching for food with a fly fishing technique -
adopting techniques from humans suggesting nature’s strength to persevere. Below the water,
he creates a surrealist landscape dotted with homes representing a new human habitat. In
another new work “From the low to the high” a man holds atop his head an animal from the

oceans, symbolic of the complex and sometimes strenuous relationship between man and
nature.

Also in February on The Project Wall: MIMI YOON (Ca) • “Don’t Look Into My Eyes”
http://www.cavegallery.net

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.

The latest, highest resolution images of Earth from NASA. Click for larger versions.

El Mac did this portrait of Connie Rice for a feature in the LA Times magazine near the end of 2011. Photos by Lord Jim. Click for mega large versions.

Constance L. “Connie” Rice (born April 5, 1956) is a prominent American civil rights activist and lawyer. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the Advancement Project in Los Angeles. She has received more than 50 major awards for her work in expanding opportunity and advancing multi-racial democracy. She is the cousin to former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Read More.

Landmark Shop
6709 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles CA, 90003

For more photos of event, visit Erwin Recinos on Flickr.

If you missed the opening of Chris Burdon’s kinectic sculpture, Metropolis II this weekend, here’s a video to give you an idea of how the whole thing operates. The level of detail in the work contrasts with the sound of the 1,100 cars and 13 trains rushing through the various tracks, creating a simultaneously enthralling and overwhelming work. Like most of the latest projects brought in by director Michael Govan at LACMA, it’s definitely worth checking out. You can read more about the work from the aptly titled Metropolis Magazine.

Neff Headwear, the snow and skate headwear company debuting their Summer & Fall 2012 collections at the Agenda Tradeshow in Long Beach, California. Dabs Myla and Axis were the featured artists for Neff Headwear sponsored wall.

Live painting by RISK x OG Abel x REVOK. The Seventh Letter and OG Abel Clothing line debuting their Summer & Fall 2012 Collections at Agenda Long Beach.

For more photos of this event, visit Erwin Recinos on Flickr.

8000 W. Beverly Blvd. ~ West Hollywood