ART SQUARED GALLERY: World Art Day Celebrated in Los Angeles

World Art Day, officially observed on April 15, the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, will be celebrated in Los Angeles this year by the International Association of Art-USA, in a COVID–appropriate manner with a new mural at 415 Main St in downtown Los Angeles, an installation of six 9’ by 9 ‘ panels at the Pershing Square Art Squared outdoor gallery, a mural on the square at 5th and Olive, and a YouTube video released on the evening of April 14 (see iaa-usa.org). The city of Los Angeles is also preparing a proclamation through the office of Council Member Kevin de Leon, declaring World Art in LA. The day is also marked on the official UNESCO calendar.

World Art Day is an international celebration of art created by the International Association of Art, a UNESCO partner, to promote recognition of the profound importance of art and artists to inspire and enrich the lives of all human beings. The first World Art Day was observed in 2012. The date of April 15 was chosen to honor Leonardo da Vinci, recognized as a champion of freedom of expression, tolerance and brotherhood. Leonardo is also celebrated for works that that elegantly illustrate the influence of art on a wide range of human endeavors.

The International Art Association was born in Beirut in1948 at the Third General Conference of UNESCO when the director was charged with discovering “what obstacles of a social, economic, or political order lay in the path of artists in the practice of their art.” The IAA became an independent organization in 1954 and declared a UNESCO partner. Its membership is spread over five continents divided into four regions (Latin America, Europe-North America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Arab States). The Los Angeles chapter is IAA’s first in the United States. Artists such as Miro, Braque, Delaunay, Moore, Calder, among many others, have contributed to the growth of the group. At its core, the IAA is all about freedom of expression, artists’ rights and the role of the artists in society.

The mural at 415 Main St. commissioned by IAA/USA on a 79-foot long, street level wall made available by property owner Tom Gilmore, was created by the celebrated British mural artist CBloxx. It titled “Elemental” and includes an exquisite profile portrait of a person overlooking a fecund Southern California desert landscape into which a rusting, lifeless Cadillac, slowly decaying in the hot sun, has intruded. CBloxx mashes gritty realism with incandescent surrealism. Half of the celebrated muralist team, Nomad Clan, CBloxx is one of the most talented muralists in the United Kingdom. CBloxx has created murals in Marseille, Poland, Flint, Michigan and throughout the UK. colabs.us, nomadclan.uk, vimeo.com/317791285

The Pershing Square installation includes a 30 ‘x 15 ‘ mural by on the square at 5th and Olive by Carol Cirillo Stanley, a photographer whose work is both realist and abstract with subjects ranging from cityscapes to floral personas. The mural, titled “Still Life,” is a series of dramatic blown-up black and white photographic images of flowers. Carol says, “Finding the intrinsic design and unique personality in each portrait was compelling. In these pandemic times, grabbing on to that which is normal in its existence, inherent in its beauty and imaginative in its complexity provided both a creative focus and an exciting outcome!” Cirillo-Stanley was recently a solo exhibiter at the Fine Arts Building in Los Angeles. More at Carolcirillostanley.com.

The artists whose works are featured in the six, 9’ by 9’ panels of the Pershing Art Square Art Squared Gallery are:

• Ezra Bejar: a scientist and artist from Mexico City. His art is guided by his experience of temporary loss of vision and 30 years of scientific discovery. Ezra searches for an alternative reality distilling color and shapes with traditional and modern methods. His paintings are provocative, energetic and innovative. Rich in color, geometries, textures and aesthetics. His work has been exhibited and collected in the US, Europe, Asia and Mexico, Since 2010, he has participated in over thirty solo and collective exhibitions in the US and internationally. artpal.com/ezrabejar
• Edem Elesh, artist and musician: His works encompasses mixed media painting, sculpture, installation, drawing and music composition. His music (seen as an integral part of his artistic expression, giving sound to vision if you will) has been featured in TV and film. His work has taken him, in the role of an invited unofficial U.S ambassador for the arts to Southeast Asia and Europe. edem-art.com
• Jonathan Jerald studied at California College of the Arts and apprenticed in the workshop of the protest poster artist Klaus Staeck in Heidelberg. His work has been featured in The Artist Catalog and he has shown most recently at the Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts, Gloria Delson Contemporary Art Gallery and the Choo-Choo Lounge. See more at jonathanjerald.com
• Rick Robinson works in steel and mixed media, creating graphically sleek but also raw, gestural images that recall petroglyphic or totemic figures but reference the allure of Pop art and the quirks of modern life. His knack for a pared down visual vernacular that is somehow both simple and direct as well as emotional and mysterious could rightly be said to have been honed during years spent as a creative force in the outdoor graphics business. Primitivepop.net
• Stephen Seemayer is a Los Angeles-born performance artist, filmmaker and painter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he has mounted performances and exhibitions at galleries and museums across the United States. Using fire and other controversial imagery, Seemayer has confronted his audience with the question of what it means to be human in a dehumanizing society. His film “Young Turks,” released in 2013, documents the early wave of artists who moved into downtown in the 1970s. His latest documentary, “Tales of the American,” delves into the history of the Arts District and the landmark building at its center, the American Hotel. stephenseemayer.com
• Damon Martin studied oil painting at UCLA. He has shown at ICALA Museum in Los Angeles, the Scope Art Fair in Miami, the Armory show in New York, and the Los Angeles Art Fair. He has been a resident at the Fountainhead Residency in Miami. He also worked with the French artists, JR, on his Times Square “Inside Out” installation. He is working on a new oil on canvas series that focuses on endangered species. @damonmartinart

Full press release available here.

CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA

The Pershing Square children's play area is open 7 days a week with fun safe equipment. There are two playgrounds located on the south end of the park. Try out the Spider Man web climb or the giant swing. Younger children will also find fun activities in " Little Kids Play Area". The play area is a collaborative effort between the Recreation Department and the Pershing Square Park Advisory Board.

CHESS AREA

A Chess Terrace game area located on the north west corner of the venue is available with game pieces and chairs available for loan from the recreation office. Wi-Fi is available for free to the public.