LA’s Spring/Break Art Show Is Delightfully Garish and Over-the-Top

LOS ANGELES — The New York-born Spring/Break Art Show launched its second Los Angeles venture yesterday, alongside several other fairs in town: Frieze, ALAC, Felix, and StARTup. Located at former produce market and textile manufacturing site Skylight Row in Downtown Los Angeles, the fair brings together 50 emerging galleries and artist-run spaces, as well as presentations from independent curators.

Working under the theme “In Excess,” participants put together maximalist, delightfully garish, and over-the-top installations that bring a marked contrast to the drab grey of the second floor industrial space. These range from New York artist Greg Haberny’s dozens of expressionistic painted and collaged paper plates, to David “Mr Starcity” White’s textile works and paintings in honor of those who have fallen victim to nightlife excess. The installation is completed by a table laid out with liquor bottles, and piles of (fake) cocaine and (real?) cannabis.

Some galleries chose to bring together several artists for their presentations, including collective Durden & Ray’s dystopian vision, inspired by the Siouxsie and the Banshees song “Happy House.” Supercollider x Femmebit’s booth features works by female artists exploring the intersection of art and technology, and mobile art space Gas Gallery’s show “Culture” explores American identities shaped through car culture.

A few short miles from the Hollywood epicenter of this week’s fairs, Spring/Break is a welcome reprieve from the intense frenzy of the blue-chip fairgrounds.

The Spring/Break Art Show continues at Skylight ROW DTLA  (757 South Alameda Street, Downtown, Los Angeles) through Sunday, February 16. Check out our Frieze Los Angeles coverage here. 

Source: Hyperallergic.com