Lauren Bergman, Future Perfect, acrylic on gessoed paper mounted on sintra, 40" x 60", 2008

Tonight, New York-based artist Lauren Bergman opens her exhibition CalHalla: Dreams of Future Passed, at Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City, California. After a lively political group show in New York City in November, Bergman turns her attention away from the White House in Washington D.C. to the cultural Mt. Olympus of California and its modernist architecture paradise. The exhibition, featured in the loft of the gallery space, will commence on Saturday, January 3, 2009 and run through January 21.  An opening reception will be held on Saturday, January 3 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with the artist in attendance.

The idealized female ideology and feminine utopia of America has long been a focal theme for Bergman and continues to feed her fascination and curiosity.  For this exhibition, however, Bergman employs “a new menu of cultural touchstones in the architectural backdrop” as she strives to decipher the “California dreaming” mythology that enamors and resonates with our modern society, hence the splicing of “Valhalla” and “California” to become “CalHalla.” Even as a young girl, Bergman was drawn to the modern creations of architects like Richard Neutra, Pierre Koenig, John Lautner, and especially Frank Lloyd Wright.  “Their forms and lines were compelling and I would find myself drawing them over and over,” she says. “They [the houses] would appear to me like a vision of the future.”

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Colin Christian

Corey Helford celebrated  a classic American icon with the opening of the Clowns! group show this past Saturday evening (11.15).  The impressive group of artists offered tremendously varied interpretations of the theme – many stayed fairly close to popular conceptions of clowns while others presented much more subdued and subtle interpretations.

While there were many excellent pieces, perhaps the most visually arresting was sculptor Colin Christian’s Freaky’ Deaky sculpture (above).  This piece follows the artist’s signature female head shape yet changes things up with a powerful snarl — great work.

While some have remarked that they weren’t moved by the theme, in my opinion the draw for this show is the tremendous talent assembled including some of LA’s brightest painters + in-demand UK artists who showed courtesy of Stolen Space Gallery.   Clowns! continues through November 29th.

Enjoy the opening pics.

Corey Helford Gallery
8522 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
310.287.2340

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