LAB ART LOS ANGELES: A Shelter For Street Art
Since its opening by co-owners and siblings Iskander Lemseffer and Rachel Joelson in May 2011, LAB ART Los Angeles’ reputation has been fast tracked to being one of the best known Art Galleries in Miracle Mile and it's surrounding areas. Street Art has broken out of the shadows (while simultaneously staying in the shadows) and is being recognized in a
more professional or contemporary manner by art fans just now discovering the fiercest movement in modern art history since the 1960s. If you have driven anywhere in Los Angeles, taken the bus, walked a block, used an ATM or parking meter, knelt down to tie your shoe, checked out the latest billboards on Sunset Blvd..., you've seen street art--you've seen what street art and expression means to this city; the city itself is a canvas. LAB ART Los Angeles brings Los Angeles inside and hangs it on the walls; it puts the faces, hopes, dreams, dissatisfactions, and ideologies of us up as window displays. After documentaries such as "Exit Through The Gift Shop," covering the world renowned street artist Banksy became as well known as it did, sparks of curiosity started to fly all around the scene with embers ranging from all ages, generations, backgrounds, opinions, status, and perception -- Dating all the way back to Ancient Rome, graffiti artists, back then known as Scribblers caught the attention of all who wandered past their pieces of expression. Everything from recreations of battles to the slaying of Julius Caesar to complaints concerning living conditions within the city walls were free game. They expressed the feelings and thoughts of the people within those narrow corridors, be it political, humorous, groundbreaking, whatever, street art has always been with us, ever since we figured out paint sticks to walls; an integral part of how we tell our story, how we leave our mark.... pun intended. Now street art simply has somewhere to go after school... LAB ART Los Angeles is the tip of the spear when it comes to bringing the endearingly secretive world of street art to the art galleries of Los Angeles and the world alike, showing the true light -- in a true light. LAB ART Los Angeles is the largest art gallery in the nation dedicated to street art and graffiti. Spanning 6,500 square feet of space, our gallery is located at 217 S. Drawn from the street art movement, the Grand Opening Reception exhibition brought together approximately 300 works, by over 50 artists—both recognized names as well as up-and-comers. The unprecedented line-up includes some of the most renowned urban artists in the world including: Chad Muska, Alec Monopoly, Smear, Destroy All Design, Swift, Thank You X, Mar, Army of One/JC2, Dog Byte, Felix, Jay Shogo, CYRCLE, Philip Lumbang, Gregory Siff, SEPTERHED, LOUIS # # #, Rabi, Carl Paoli, DD'$, Xvala, Silver Buck, Common Cents, Jules Muck, Random Act, Desire Obtain Cherish, AJL, KH No. 7, Lydia Emily, Bon Bon Nielsen, Becca, LoudLabs, Stu Rad, Carly Wise, ADVNTRS, Snyder, E, Fragile, Miky Fabrega, and the house photographer--BIRDMAN. LAB ART works with some of the most exciting and innovative artists who collectively defy categorization. Marking one of the most comprehensive presentations of street art, the wide-ranging exhibition brings together works from across a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, drawings, mixed-media, photography and installations. Curated under the watchful eyes of siblings and co-owners Iskander Lemseffer and Rachel Joelson, LAB ART’s collection showcases a movement that will deservedly make its mark in contemporary art history. The grand opening debuted a massive exhibition by some of the most notorious artists including celebrity favorites: Alec Monopoly, famous for his paradoxical spins of the Monopoly man, and Thank You X, known for his images of art icon Andy Warhol, and Desire Obtain Cherish whose “Delicious Mess Ice Cream” installation brings everyone back to their childhood upon first glance.
