Neighbourhood Guide: Culver City Art District
01/02/2019
Neighbourhood Guide: Culver City Art District
With LA Art Show taking place at the end of January, and the first edition of Frieze Los Angeles launching in Feb, there’s no better time to get art n’ about in Los Angeles. Should you want to dive deeper into the local scene, zip to Culver City Art District, home to some city’s best galleries. Stroll this way...
Once the reserve of Metro Goldwyn Mayer (1924-1986), Culver City is today LA’s designated ‘Art District’, having undergone a mega revamp with new shops, restaurants and, of course, art galleries galore. Unlike much of La La Land, this area can be easily and elegantly (ahem) navigated on foot, with most of the galleries located within a two-three block area. Here are our favourites.
Avoiding Sunday and Monday, when most galleries are closed, fire off your foray on Washington Boulevard with a fuel pit-stop at modernist Cognoscenti Coffee Bar, pouring on-trend drip, pour-over and cold-brew coffees, plus patisserie treats like triple berry pie to get you on your way.
Exit right and skip along one block to find too-hip Berlin import Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, with a portfolio of over 30 emerging artists. Currently on show are the works of Guggenheim Fellow Ellen Berkenblit (until 16 Feb), then Angeleno Kim Dingle’s eerie doll installations will take over the space in March.
Staying on the same side of the boulevard, scoot over the Ballona Creek, and swivel right onto vast La Cienega Boulevard where LA-Miami alliance Fabien Castanier Gallery awaits, tucked around the corner behind Gaby’s Express. The bulk of friendly owner Fabien’s artists are showcased in his two Miami outposts, but you can browse his top-notch portfolio here in the Los Angeles headquarters.
About turn and shimmy over Washington to continue on La Cienega where you’ll soon espy greige boîte Blum & Poe. The team is currently preparing the walls for Mika Yoshitake’s fantastic spotlight on Japanese art of the 80s and 90s (14 Feb-23 Mar), so if you’re returning to LA soon, be sure to give it a stickybeak.
At the next crosswalk, cruise across the boulevard and pass by art-collective hangar Automatic Sweat to neighbouring Walter Maciel Gallery, easily identified by its colourful stripey murals. Inside is an exhibition entitled ‘Plant Life’, including works by John Bankston, Carolyn Castaño, Colin Doherty, Hung Liu, Dean Monogenis, Katherine Sherwood and Lisa Solomon (until 23 Feb).
Last but not least, continue to neighbour but one Honor Fraser, where a drab 60s latticed-concrete facade gives no clues to the explosion of colour that awaits within, courtesy of Sarah Cain’s bright, bold showcase ‘The Sun Will Not Wait’ (until 9 Mar).
Suitably stimulated? Hold forth over an Old Fashioned at cocktail favourite Mandrake, just a few steps back the way you came. Sm-ART!
LA Art Show / 23-27 Jan / laartshow.com
Frieze Los Angeles / 15-17 Feb / frieze.com/fairs/frieze-los-angeles
Cognoscenti Coffee Bar / 6114 Washington Blvd / +1 310 363 7325 / 8am-5pm Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun / popupcoffee.com
Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects / 6006 Washington Blvd / +1 310 837 2117 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / vielmetter.com
Fabien Castanier Gallery / 2919 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 876 3529 / by appt only / castaniergallery.com
Blum & Poe / 2727 La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 836 2062 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / blumandpoe.com
Walter Maciel / 2642 La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 839 1840 / 11am-6pm Tue-Sat / waltermacielgallery.com
Honor Fraser / 2622 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 837 0191 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / honorfraser.com
Mandrake Bar / 2692 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 837 3297 / 6pm-1am Sun-Mon, 5pm-1am Tue-Thu, 5pm-2am Fri, 2.30pm-2am Sat / mandrakebar.com
With LA Art Show taking place at the end of January, and the first edition of Frieze Los Angeles launching in Feb, there’s no better time to get art n’ about in Los Angeles. Should you want to dive deeper into the local scene, zip to Culver City Art District, home to some city’s best galleries. Stroll this way...
Once the reserve of Metro Goldwyn Mayer (1924-1986), Culver City is today LA’s designated ‘Art District’, having undergone a mega revamp with new shops, restaurants and, of course, art galleries galore. Unlike much of La La Land, this area can be easily and elegantly (ahem) navigated on foot, with most of the galleries located within a two-three block area. Here are our favourites.
Avoiding Sunday and Monday, when most galleries are closed, fire off your foray on Washington Boulevard with a fuel pit-stop at modernist Cognoscenti Coffee Bar, pouring on-trend drip, pour-over and cold-brew coffees, plus patisserie treats like triple berry pie to get you on your way.
Exit right and skip along one block to find too-hip Berlin import Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, with a portfolio of over 30 emerging artists. Currently on show are the works of Guggenheim Fellow Ellen Berkenblit (until 16 Feb), then Angeleno Kim Dingle’s eerie doll installations will take over the space in March.
Staying on the same side of the boulevard, scoot over the Ballona Creek, and swivel right onto vast La Cienega Boulevard where LA-Miami alliance Fabien Castanier Gallery awaits, tucked around the corner behind Gaby’s Express. The bulk of friendly owner Fabien’s artists are showcased in his two Miami outposts, but you can browse his top-notch portfolio here in the Los Angeles headquarters.
About turn and shimmy over Washington to continue on La Cienega where you’ll soon espy greige boîte Blum & Poe. The team is currently preparing the walls for Mika Yoshitake’s fantastic spotlight on Japanese art of the 80s and 90s (14 Feb-23 Mar), so if you’re returning to LA soon, be sure to give it a stickybeak.
At the next crosswalk, cruise across the boulevard and pass by art-collective hangar Automatic Sweat to neighbouring Walter Maciel Gallery, easily identified by its colourful stripey murals. Inside is an exhibition entitled ‘Plant Life’, including works by John Bankston, Carolyn Castaño, Colin Doherty, Hung Liu, Dean Monogenis, Katherine Sherwood and Lisa Solomon (until 23 Feb).
Last but not least, continue to neighbour but one Honor Fraser, where a drab 60s latticed-concrete facade gives no clues to the explosion of colour that awaits within, courtesy of Sarah Cain’s bright, bold showcase ‘The Sun Will Not Wait’ (until 9 Mar).
Suitably stimulated? Hold forth over an Old Fashioned at cocktail favourite Mandrake, just a few steps back the way you came. Sm-ART!
LA Art Show / 23-27 Jan / laartshow.com
Frieze Los Angeles / 15-17 Feb / frieze.com/fairs/frieze-los-angeles
Cognoscenti Coffee Bar / 6114 Washington Blvd / +1 310 363 7325 / 8am-5pm Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun / popupcoffee.com
Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects / 6006 Washington Blvd / +1 310 837 2117 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / vielmetter.com
Fabien Castanier Gallery / 2919 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 876 3529 / by appt only / castaniergallery.com
Blum & Poe / 2727 La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 836 2062 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / blumandpoe.com
Walter Maciel / 2642 La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 839 1840 / 11am-6pm Tue-Sat / waltermacielgallery.com
Honor Fraser / 2622 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 837 0191 / 10am-6pm Tue-Sat / honorfraser.com
Mandrake Bar / 2692 S La Cienega Blvd / +1 310 837 3297 / 6pm-1am Sun-Mon, 5pm-1am Tue-Thu, 5pm-2am Fri, 2.30pm-2am Sat / mandrakebar.com