UPDATE: The Hammer Museum at UCLA has just unveiled its highly anticipated Made in L.A. exhibition, showcasing the works of 28 artists deeply connected to Los Angeles. This year’s exhibit, which opened on Saturday, October 14, 2023, breaks from tradition with no specific title or theme, allowing the artwork to narrate the complex story of the city.
Curators Essence Harden and Paulina Pobocha emphasize the interconnectedness of the diverse pieces, spotlighting how they reflect the city’s multifaceted identity. During a sneak peek of the still-unfinished galleries earlier this week, Harden stated, “If there’s a Venn diagram, there’s a place in this Venn diagram where every artist overlaps in terms of their interest,” highlighting the shared experiences of artists influenced by the city’s unique landscape.
Featured works include striking Pop Art sculptures by Pat O’Neill, cinder block murals and neon art by Patrick Martinez, and interactive installations exploring surveillance in urban communities by Gabriela Ruiz. The exhibition also includes a poignant large-scale painting by Ali Eyal, whose journey from Baghdad to Los Angeles underscores the global impact of the city.
The thematic absence is a deliberate choice. “L.A. is a global place, and the impact of L.A. and of America is also global,” said Harden. “The relationship to this place is crucial to how the city forms.” This approach invites visitors to engage with the artwork on a deeper level, fostering connections between the pieces rather than isolating them by artist or timeline.
The exhibition’s ground floor sets the tone, featuring a re-creation of Alonzo Davis‘s mural “Eye on ’84,” originally painted for the 1984 Olympics. Davis, who passed away earlier this year, used the freeway as a symbol of unity, challenging its role in dividing communities. Harden remarked, “How do you get the most people to see the most art? And for L.A., that means the freeways.” The mural serves as a reminder of the city’s complex history and the resilience of its communities.
As visitors explore the galleries, they encounter a quote from Beat poet Jack Kerouac: “L.A. is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities.” This sentiment has long characterized perceptions of Los Angeles, but the curators aim to dispel that notion. “If you don’t live in Los Angeles, you might think that there’s no community and that everything is fractured,” Pobocha explained. “This presentation shows that there are so many points of connection, especially in the arts community.”
With its open-ended structure and focus on artistic interrelationships, Made in L.A. 2023 invites audiences to reflect on the evolving identity of Los Angeles. The exhibition runs through January 2024, offering a unique opportunity to experience the city’s rich tapestry of artistic expression.
Don’t miss this chance to witness how art illuminates the complexities of life in Los Angeles. Visit the Hammer Museum today to engage with this groundbreaking exhibition before it ends!
