LeBasse Projects

NEWS has moved to our website

2011-04-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you for following our news here for the last two years. LBP has just launched a new website and our NEWS feed will be live there. Please follow our rss at the new website:

LeBasse Projects new Website:

Second Helping :: Saturday February 26th

2011-02-23T16:00:00.001-08:00

'Second Helping'
A One-Week Exhibition

February 26th - March 5th, 2011
Opening Reception: Saturday, February 26th, 6-9p

LeBasse Projects presents a one week opportunity to view artwork from some of the most intriguing names in contemporary art. 'Second Helping' will include work from:

Banksy, KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Faile, BAST, Aiko, Camille Rose Garcia, Antony Micallef and more...

The artists included in this exhibition have been prominently featured in galleries, museums and auction houses internationally - and are some of the most talked about contemporary artists working today.

This exhibit will only be on display for one week and will serve as LeBasse Projects foray into the inclusion of secondary market artwork to the gallery's inventory.

For information on sales or future consignments email:
contact@lebasseprojects.com or 310.558.0200

Opening Jan. 8th :: Vernissage 2011

2011-01-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Vernissage 2011
Artists Reception, January 8th, 2011, 7-10pm
Exhibition runs: Jan 8 - Jan 15

LeBasse Projects is pleased to open the new year with a one week exhibition and preview of 2011. Included are some of the artists the gallery will be exhibiting throughout the year.

Vernissage will present work from artists including Yoskay Yamamoto, Andrew Hem, Mike Stilkey, Shark Toof, Herakut, Edwin Ushiro, Melissa Haslam, Thomas Doyle, Nate Frizzell, Ken Garduno, Matt Haber, Eric Fortune and more.

The gallery has an exciting series of solo exhibitions planned for 2011 as well as upcoming news about a second museum curatorial project, 2011 Fair schedule, and additional exhibitions outside of Culver City. Please join us this weekend for a preview of the coming year.

December Artist Update

2010-12-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

LBP artist are keeping busy this month. Nate Frizzell, on the heels of his solo exhibition, just painted another work for a show at The Hundreds which will be showcased along with work from some great artists.

Yoskay Yamamoto just released an amazing piece of functional art in the form of a limited edition porcelain teacup. You should order one here right now.

We are also getting ready for a very busy January here at the gallery. On January 8th we will be previewing work from some of the artists showing here in 2011 and then later in the month we will be hosting an exhibition featuring the work of Korean Contemporary artists - many showing in the US for the first time.

Andrew Hem will also be featured at the LA Art Show, painting a 12' x 12' canvas as part of the LA Art Machine's exhibit at the fair.

Recently Melissa Haslam was featured as part of publisher Curvy's exhibit in Sydney. They made some oversize banners for the exhibit in which we can see Haslam's work in scale.

Print Release: Nate Frizzell

2010-11-18T10:50:00.001-08:00

After his highly successful show, Nate Frizzell has just released a print on Paper Tiger. Its a really nice oversize print and a very small edition so go grab one before they are gone.

Video: Melissa Haslam

2010-11-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

Melissa Haslam: Painting from Suzie Haslam on Vimeo.

LBP artist Melissa Haslam recently released this video showing some behind the scenes in her studio. Melissa will be taking part in several events in Australia this month for Curvy and you will be seeing her stateside again soon.

More details coming.

November News

2010-11-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

Nate Frizzell 'I Should Know Who I Am By Now.' from Jeremy Asher Lynch .

It has been a busy month so far here at LBP with the recent opening of Nate Frizzell and Eric Fortune's shows. The opening was very well received with numerous reviews and accolades for both artists. You can catch images of the opening on our flickr page.

Thank you also to Jeremy Lynch and Darrin Unke for producing the video teaser for Frizzell's show (seen above).

Make sure to drop in to see the show before it comes down December 4th.

Nate Frizzell @ LeBasse Projects (11/6)

2010-10-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects Fall Season continues a run of exhibitions with Nate Frizzell's second solo show with the gallery titled ‘I Should Know Who I Am By Now’

The new exhibit continues to revolve around the themes of self-discovery through an examination of the human condition. The exploration of personal identity and individual choices made over the course of a lifetime are viewed in Frizzell’s winter themed paintings and his first sculptural elements.

To make the opening even more a must see show we will be showcasing Eric Fortune in the Project Room. New preview images coming soon.

Mark your calendars.
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 6th, 7-10pm

LeBasse Projects @ The Portsmouth Museum of Art

2010-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Portsmouth Museum of Art and LeBasse Projects present:

‘SugiPOP!:
The Influence of Anime and Manga on Contemporary Art’

October 13th 2010 – January 16th 2011
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 14th 2010

PORTSMOUTH, NH – ‘SugiPOP!: The Influence of Anime and Manga on Contemporary Art’ opens on October 13th at the Portsmouth Museum of Art. The show is a collaborative effort, co-curated by Beau Basse of LeBasse Projects in Los Angeles and Katherine Doyle of the Portsmouth Museum of Art. It features the work of approximately 30 artists tracing the origination's of manga, the rise of Japanese Contemporary Art and into how the art forms have influenced artists around the world.

The exhibition features an international roster of artists including Japanese masters Hokusai and Kuniyoshi in a display of original Edo period woodblock prints. The exhibit also features Japanese Contemporary artists Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, Yoshitaka Amano, Mr., Ai Yamaguchi, Junko Mizuno and Hisashi Tenmyouya. International artists contributing to the exhibit include KAWS, Gary Baseman, Simone Legno, Natalia Fabia, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Yumiko Kayukawa, Seonna Hong, Hush, Morgan Slade, Edwin Ushiro, Luke Chueh, Andrew Hem, Mike Shinoda, Melissa Haslam, Audrey Kawasaki, Yoskay Yamamoto and more. Finally the exhibition includes original cels from some of the most significant anime films ever made, including Cowboy Bebop and Princess Mononoke.

For more information contact@lebasseprojects.com

Thomas Doyle 'Firing for Effect'

2010-09-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

LBP artist Thomas Doyle recently participated in the Grand Rapids Michigan 'ArtPrize' event taking place all over the city. Part arts festival, part social experiment, the international contest is decided solely by public vote. Thousands of venues and artists place work on display across the city for a $250k first prize.

Thomas Doyle submitted a new piece titled 'Firing for Effect' and was chosen to showcase his work at the Grand Rapids Museum.

For more images of this amazing piece visit Doyle's ArtPrize page and contact LeBasse Projects for inquiries.

Shows: Herakut @ LeBasse Projects 9.18

2010-09-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

‘Hope’s Reply’
New work from Herakut

September 18th – October 31st 2010
Artist reception: Saturday, September 18th, 7-10p

Los Angeles, CA – German art duo Herakut and LeBasse Projects proudly present ‘Hope’s Reply.’ The exhibition features 10 new canvas mixed media paintings showcasing Herakut's unique style and aesthtics.

German artists Hera and Akut have been operating under the name of Herakut since 2004, when they began producing collaborative pieces in the burgeoning street art scene.

The visual and textual content of their work is an insightful expression of their generation's mental state. Much of their subject matter involves narrative and character studies involving multilayered textual explorations. Herakut are masters of creating independent, self-contained worlds full of melancholy and profound humor and in doing so, they see themselves as a part of an overall cultural movement, without any artistic barriers between a wide array of mediums, be it drawing, text, music or film.

Through the strength of their work, coupled with the demand for their unique style, Herakut are now regarded as some of the most exciting contemporary artists working today. Their ability to work seamlessly both on the street and in a gallery setting has only added to their collector base.

‘Hope’s Reply’ is a response to their huge installations and Herakut will go in an opposite direction with a smaller number of more finished canvases. The new work is heavily layered and collaged and will be displayed in a more ‘white walls’ style exhibition where the work can no doubt be appreciated for its intricate detailing.

Alexandros Vasmoulaki Going Global

2010-09-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

Greek artist Alexandros Vasmoulakis has been crossing the globe getting up on huge city walls. Recently he partnered up with a group in Shenzen China and with his usual partner Paris in Slovenia for the mural above.

Slovenia project below:

Interview: David Choong Lee

2010-08-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

LA's People Map_David Lee .

Thanks to blogger Niki for posting a great impromptu interview as we opened David Choong Lee's recent solo show. Make sure to see this amazing installation before it comes down on September 10th.

Seen: David Choong Lee Opening Recepion

2010-08-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

David Choong Lee's show opened this weekend and it was an unquestioned hit for all that attended. This is a show that is a must see for both the scale and level of detail in the body of work over 4 years in the making.

The preview is now online at LeBasseProjects.com and opening photos are on our flickr page.

For a better look drop into the gallery to view in person.

Shows: David Choong Lee :: Aug. 14th

2010-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects is proud to announce David Choong Lee’s exhibition, ‘Acquiring Signal’ – his first major solo in Los Angeles

‘Acquiring Signal’ will be David Choong Lee’s second major Installation based exhibition. Completely wrapping the gallery walls, Lee’s 500+ piece installation pays homage to street people and the cities they inhabit. A combination of paintings and sculptures, his large scale wall collage will be his most inventive architectural work to date.

Based out of San Francisco’s street art movement, Korean born artist Lee reflects on social conditions within youth culture, urban environments and generation “next,” tapping into both American and Korean visual aesthetics. Sociopolitical and economic issues surrounding homelessness and youth populations are at the heart of Lee’s paintings, which play with the subcultures’ politics of power, judgment and perception. Lee’s on-location assemblages embody concepts that float between his choice of subject matter, material and technique. The graffiti-like amalgamations fold in traditional figurative portraiture and promote public discourse, challenging the notion of what is considered fine art.

David Choong Lee :: Acquiring Signal
LeBasse Projects
Opening: Saturday August 14th, 7-10pm

Summer News @ LBP

2010-08-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Put August 14th on your calendars as LeBasse Projects will showcase a mammoth installation from SF based David Choong Lee. The exhibition will feature more than 500 pieces from Lee's body of work and will take up the entire gallery space - a first for any artist in our gallery. Lee is coming off his solo exhibition in 2009 at the University of Arizona's Joseph Gross Museum and will be showcasing work from that series along with new paintings from the last year.

Also keep a look out for LBP artists showing across the country. Andrew Hem, Nate Frizzell and Morgan Slade all take part in the Invitational show at Jonathan Levine NY this week. In early September you will see Yoskay Yamamoto and Edwin Ushiro in Seattle at RoqlaRue.

More news soon about upcoming fairs in San Diego and the return to LA by the German duo Herakut...

Melissa Haslam @ LeBasse Projects

2010-07-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects presents:

'Botanica'
New Work from Melissa Haslam

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 17th, 7-10pm

Australian artist Melissa Haslam has based her recent paintings on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Specifically focused on interrupted cycles of life, her figures surrender to nature and allow themselves to be overtaken by the wild and lush landscape that the artist so beautifully creates.

In 'Botanica,' Haslam continues to explore her fascination between the idea of femininity and nature. As flowers and roots take over the canvas, her figures react as reminders of our symbiotic relationship with nature. Her female characters take on animal characteristics - sometimes playing aggressively and other times placid. In the animal world this kind of playfulness becomes preparation for the violence that is needed for survival, a primitive state of existence that is present in human nature but disguised by civilization.

For preview information please contact the gallery: 310.558.0200

Morgan Slade @ LBP

2010-07-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

'Savage Justice'
New Work from Morgan Slade

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 17th, 7-10pm

Morgan Slade creates one of a kind mixed media paintings by altering his own digital photographs of scantily clad women with paint, pen, pencil and collage he transforms straightforward images to chaotic madness. His pieces prey on primitive natural instincts with a youthful aesthetic appeal and bright, vibrant colors. By defacing exceptionally attractive people, Slade aesthetically changes his figures to appear flawed in some manner. He creates visual metaphors of consumerism, advertising and technology by inventing his own symbols or by appropriating familiar icons.

For 'Savage Justice' Slade goes one step further by collaborating with iconic designer Betsey Johnson. This exhibition was shot on location in the Betsey Johnson flagship store in Los Angeles utilizing clothing and models from Johnson's own line.

For more info visit: LeBasse Projects

Print Release: Yoskay Yamamoto @ LBP (7/10)

2010-07-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

Yoskay Yamamoto: ' Familiar Strangers'
CLOSING Reception: Saturday, July 10th, 5-8pm

The gallery will host a closing reception this Saturday for artist Yoskay Yamamoto's solo exhibition.

In conjunction with the closing reception the gallery will release a series of limited edition giclee prints. Yamamoto's extremely popular 'Four Seasons' series of paintings will be released as prints at the closing.

Each 'Season' will be released in an edition of only 20. Sales will be first come first served on the night of the closing, with a few prints to be released Monday the 12th online at: Paper Tiger.

Mikito Ozeki in the Project Room

2010-06-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

Japanese paper cut artist Mikito Ozeki is on our Project Room this month, and with all the excitement about Yoskay Yamamoto's sculptures and paintings, you still need to see these unbelievable pieces from Ozeki.

The artist freehand 'draws' with an exacto blade and creates stunningly detailed paper cut pieces.

See more on his YouTube page.

Yoskay Yamamoto :: Saturday June 12th

2010-06-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend we open the third solo exhibition from Yoskay Yamamoto. The exhibit is an amazing combination of painting and sculpture showing off Yamamoto's range of talents. Join us this Saturday...

‘Familiar Strangers’
New work from Yoskay Yamamoto

June 12th – July 3rd 2010
Artist reception: Saturday, June 12th, 7-10p

Los Angeles, CA – LeBasse Projects is proud to announce, 'Familiar Strangers,' a solo exhibition from Japanese artist Yoskay Yamamoto. This will be the artist’s third solo exhibition with the gallery, and will mark his most diverse body of work to date. The show represents a breakthrough in work from Yamamoto containing both painting and sculptural work. The show will reflect a continuation of intimate statements of self-expression that began in his last series of exhibitions.

You can view a preview online at: lebasseprojects.com/current

Culver City Artwalk :: Saturday June 5th

2010-06-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Culver City Artwalk is coming up again and LeBasse Projects will be hosting its annual group showcase. This year several new artists will be exhibiting in the gallery including Jean-Pierre Roy, Adam Wallacavage, Ryan Schude, Greg Gossel, Marissa Textor (pictured), Jonathan Darby and Andres Guerrero.

Also on view will be some new work from the gallery's artists like Andrew Hem, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro, Melissa Haslam, Herakut, Thomas Doyle and Blaine Fontana.

Culver City Artwalk 2010
Group Showcase
Saturday, June 5th, Noon-8pm

Email contact@lebasseprojects.com for preview info

SF Fine Art Fair :: May 20-23

2010-05-07T12:37:00.001-07:00

LeBasse Projects is excited to announce our attendance at the SF Fine Art Fair.

SF Fine Art Fair
May 20-23, 2010
Fort Mason, San Francisco

We will be taking new work from several artists including Edwin Ushiro, Melissa Haslam, Seonna Hong, Alexandros Vasmoulakis and more. The gallery will be located in booth #17 just off the Main Art Lounge.

For free day passes courtesy of the gallery please visit here or contact us at 310.558.0200

Blaine Fontana @ LBP April 24th

2010-04-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

In addition to Thomas Doyle releasing a new series of sculptures this weekend, LeBasse Projects will also feature a return to the gallery for Blaine Fontana. After a several year hiatus from gallery shows, Fontana is returning with a full body of paintings that have been in development over the last year.

Blaine will also be adding an installation mural and have some gift giveaways for those who come early. Join us Saturday:

Blaine Fontana
'The Golden Record'
Saturday, April 24th 7-10pm

Add yourself to the FB RSVP here.

Thomas Doyle @ LBP (4.24.10)

2010-04-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Opening in our Project Room, the gallery presents Thomas Doyle's first Los Angeles solo show. Doyle's work mines the debris of memory through the creation of intricate worlds sculpted in 1:43 scale and smaller. Often sealed under glass, the works depict the remnants of things past - whether major, transformational experiences, or the quieter moments that resonate loudly throughout a life.

For 'Collateral Damage,' Doyle continues to explore the impact of memory through his Distillation Series. Based on the premise that a personality can be distilled down to certain key formative events, the work in this series centers on the home and family life. Doyle begins with this safe, archetypal space, then distorts reality through a warped and dreamlike lens, in much the same way the mind recalls events through the fog of time. The result is a world where houses are inverted, earth crumbles away, and people sink into the ground - all trapped under glass and frozen in time.

Thomas Doyle :: 'Collateral Damage'
Opening Saturday, April 24th, 2010
LeBasse Projects
6023 Washington Blvd.

There is a great interview with Doyle on our friend Amanda Erlanson's site here.

Showcase Series :: San Francisco :: April 2nd

2010-04-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

LBP is on San Francisco this week opening our second 'Showcase Series' after a successful run to NY last Fall. For this show the gallery is adding some new artists to the roster with Herakut, Seonna Hong and Alexandros Vasmoulakis. Also included are Yoskay Yamamoto, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro, Melissa Haslam and Andrew Hem.

We hope you can join us for this four day exhibition in SF's Japantown. We are taking over a beautiful gallery space from April 1-4th. The Artists Reception opens Friday April 2nd from 7-10pm.

More details at LeBasseProjects.com

Here are a few previews from our setup...

Two big shows for LBP artists

2010-03-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Two of the LBP artists are opening their first big solo shows outside of Los Angeles this week.

Edwin Ushiro opens his first solo exhibition in NY at Sloan Fine Art titled "At Night, Lights Fell and Loved Ones returned Home" on Thursday March 24, 2010 from 6-8pm. If you are on the East Coast go to this show and see Edwin's work in person....you will not be disappointed.

Nate Frizzell also debuts his solo show in the UK at Bath's bo.lee gallery.
"Every New Beginning Starts with Another Beginnings End" is a new body of work as Frizzell switches to using oils for the first time in his gallery career. The show opens March 26th from 6-8.30pm.

For info on either of these shows contact the gallery directly or email us here in LA.

Opening: Alexandros Vasmoulakis :: March 20th

2010-03-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects presents:

"Is Everybody Happy?"
A Solo Exhibition by Alexandros Vasmoulakis

March 20th – April 17th, 2010
Opening reception: Saturday, March 20th, 7pm-10pm

Los Angeles, CA - LeBasse Projects is excited to present, Is Everybody Happy?, the first US solo exhibition from Greek artist Alexandros Vasmoulakis. In this anticipated solo project, Vasmoulakis brings his first major body of work to the US after becoming recognized across Europe for his work both on the streets and in galleries.

Vasmoulakis is mostly known by his work in the streets of Athens, as he has painted on and embellished various buildings across the city of Athens, Greece and is expected to do the same here in Los Angeles. While recognized for his street work, Vasmoulakisʼ paintings are beginning to reflect the maturity of his work as an artist.

His worksʼ main theme is the psychology of his figures. The struggle, the element of the conflict dominates in the pairs of his figures and in each character separately. With the perceptive analysis of his characters Vasmoulakis achieves through his work, he persuades us that he has penetrated into their mentality by holding a role of a competent and gifted anatomist, of an expressive soul searcher.

Alexandrosʼ work is predominantly character based and these creations explore the core values of human nature such as love, desire, seduction and hate. His work is very much driven by his state of mind and will reflect the mood of any given day. He uses mixed media including both collage and paint to convey the relationships between these emotions

Yoshitaka Amano in the LA Times

2010-03-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

Our current exhibition with Yoshitaka Amano was recently reviewed in the LA Times. Thanks to reporter Liesl Bradner for the positive comments. You can read the full article online here.

Don't forget that the last day to see the exhibit is this Saturday March 13th.

Yoskay Yamamoto Installation and Release Event

2010-02-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday night we open with two unbelievable shows. Yoshitaka Amano, the legendary and influential Japanese artist and animator is going to be complimented by our own rising star Yoskay Yamamoto.

Yoskay is putting in a huge installation in our Project Room and debuting his first limited edition sculpture - a cast resin wall mounted 'Face.' We are releasing these at the gallery on Saturday and don't expect to have them last more than a few minutes...

Join us this weekend.

Yoshitaka Amano @ LeBasse Projects

2010-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

LeBasse Projects presents:

"Deva Loka: Los Angeles"
A Solo Exhibition by Yoshitaka Amano

February 20th – March 13th, 2010
Opening reception: Saturday, February 20th, 7pm-10pm

LeBasse Projects is excited to present, Deva Loka: Los Angeles, an exhibition of work from Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano.

Legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano will make a rare U.S. appearance with his newest exhibit, DEVA LOKA, created especially for a U.S exhibition and named for the ancient Indian land of God. As an ode to his childhood love for American comics, culture and automobiles, Amano’s latest breathtaking and vibrant pieces are boldly coated with auto paint and metallic glitter.

Amano is widely acclaimed for his work in animation and video games. He is renowned for designing the characters for the hit video game, Final Fantasy, as well as for anime films including Vampire Hunter D, Guin Saga, Final Fantasy, and Front Mission.

Deva Loka will be Amano’s first major exhibition in Los Angeles.

Tessar Lo and Nimit Malavia in Toronto

2010-02-03T16:05:00.000-08:00

Two of our favorite Canadians are showing in their home town of Toronto this weekend. Tessar Lo and Nimit Malavia look like they have done some fantastic new work for their respective solo shows opening February 6th.

Our friend and TBA Magazine contributor Amanda Erlanson just posted great interviews with both on her blog. Make sure to check out the exhibit at Show and Tell.

Opening Photos :: Andrew Hem + Rebecca Urias

2010-01-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was the kickoff of the 2010 calendar for many galleries and the neighborhood energy created an even larger than normal buzz around Andrew Hem’s opening at LeBasse Projects. Andrew put together a fantastic body of new work, featuring very personal paintings, some extraordinary charcoal drawings and a series of small sculptures all painted by Hem. The image above is a process picture of Hem working on a small mural in the gallery entrance.

The show will be up through the 13th of February so make sure to drop in if you missed the opening…or visit the work online here.

Also showing is Portland based artist Rebecca Artemisa Urias making a return to LA. Rebecca was also in attendance along with an entourage of family, friends and collectors who came to see her new work, which was featured in our Project Room.

You can see a full photo montage at DailyduJour.

Opening :: Andrew Hem :: Jan 16th

2010-01-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

LeBasse Projects could not be more excited to be hosting Andrew Hem's solo exhibition. As a long time fan of his work I really believe this is his strongest body of work to date. Emotionally deep paintings, amusing sculptures and haunting charcoals comprise a truly complete solo exhibit.

You can see all the work online now, but I hope you join us this Saturday, January 16th from 7-10pm for the Artist Reception.

Interview: Andrew Hem

2010-01-12T07:23:00.001-08:00

As we get ready for Andrew Hem's solo exhibition at the gallery, our neighbor blog "Erratic Phenomena" has run another in depth interview with the artist. Here is an excerpt:

"Andrew was still at work finishing up a few sculptures for the exhibit when he sat down to tell me a bit about where he's coming from right now.

Erratic Phenomena: In our last interview, you said, "I love creating worlds that do not exist. A world where people don't care about others' appearance, and nobody has to worry about fitting in or being an outcast. Where everyone is accepted... I've experienced and witnessed too many times where people are disgusted with the different." Growing up as one of the few Asians in a Hispanic Los Angeles neighborhood was not a particularly pleasant experience for you, and you didn't really find acceptance there until you began to paint graffiti in high school. Is this dream of a world without bias an idea you've contemplated all your life? Do you make a conscious effort to draw attention to our ingrained xenophobia in your work?

Andrew Hem: I just enjoy seeing different cultures in one image. Every time I'm in LAX, I spend extra time looking around in the international section. That's the only place I know where you have so many races in one place. For some strange reason, I enjoy being there. Maybe it's because everybody's so busy trying to catch a plane that they don't really pay attention to their surroundings. You could find any ethnicity at any time at LAX, and nobody looks twice. I just want to transfer that feeling into my work."

Read the full interview at: commandax.blogspot.com

Tonight: Closing Reception for Linda Kim and Scott Belcastro

2010-01-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Saturday the 9th is the last opportunity to see Scott Belcastro and Linda Kim's shows before we turn it over to start our 2010 calendar. Hope you can join us from 6-8pm or stop by during the day...

Update: Melissa Haslam

2009-12-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

Melissa Haslam is gearing up for 2010 and just sent me a study of some new work she is developing for her busy schedule next year. I can't share the other images, but I will tell you that Haslam has clearly been putting some hours in at the easel...refining her technique while working towards a photo-realistic style.

We should finally see some finished work from her this April for our SF exhibition and than in shows in LA and London. You can expect a new print from her to release early January on Paper Tiger as well.

Preview: Andrew Hem

2009-12-29T17:08:00.000-08:00

Prior to the Christmas holiday weekend I had the pleasure of dropping by Andrew Hem’s studio to check on progress for his upcoming solo show this January. Hem has been working on a new body of work focused on his memory and study of his native Cambodia. The show is titled “One Leads to Another” and is driven by the mythical “Butterfly Effect” – in which the theory goes that any action creates consequences and new actions from anyone and everything around it.

In this case Hem considers the possibility of lives transformed had the Khmer Rouge never taken power in his native country. The idea is fantastically executed in his series of dark blue hued paintings – where a sense of the emotional resonance behind each central figure and the detailed environments behind them is evoked at first glance.

Hem is still working on a series of sculptures that will balance the new paintings and I expect it to be an incredible body of work all around. For more preview images visit my blog on: DailyduJour.com

Andrew Hem
‘One Leads to Another’
LeBasse Projects
Saturday January 16th, 7-10pm

Tessar Lo Update

2009-12-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

Tessar Lo just posted a beautiful recap of his 2009...its a great illustrated look into the life of a very talented young artist. Tessar will be opening his next solo show at Toronto's Show and Tell Gallery this February so keep your eyes peeled as we are all looking forward to his new work.

Video: Scott Belcastro preview

2009-12-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

Scott Belcastro "Chasing the last Glimpse of Light" Preview from Jeremy Asher Lynch .

Thanks to Jeremy Lynch for sending over another great video teaser of December's solo exhibition for Scott Belcastro.

Opening Saturday: Scott Belcastro and Linda Kim

2009-12-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

This Saturday December 12th we will be hosting the first US solo exhibition for Scott Belcastro, as well as the debut exhibit for recent Art Center graduate Linda Kim. I just posted both of their previews online:

LeBasse Projects

More details here soon...

Seen: 'Natural Wonders'

2009-11-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

On LeBasse Projects' first Friday opening we were excited to host 'Natural Wonders' with Jeremy Asher Lynch, James Roper and Kevin E. Taylor as well as the debut solo exhibition of Eric Davison in our Project Room. The show was a great time...so great that Superman showed up. Davison actually painted a series of portraits of the Hollywood Boulevard costumed streetwalkers and several showed up to celebrate with Eric.

The show runs through December 5th, so drop by to see Davison's photorealistic watercolors and some excellent new work from Lynch, Roper and Taylor.

More images online at DailyduJour

Recap: 'Go East' in NY

2009-11-13T11:44:00.000-08:00

Our recent pop-up show in NY was a huge success...thanks to everyone who joined us over the 3 day exhibit. It was great having most of the artists with us and quite a few fans were lucky enough to get their sketchbooks filled. If you want to see the actual artwork from the show please visit the gallery website here.

Prints will also be available on Paper Tiger this week and next…

To see more images check out my blog on DailyduJour.com

Video: Jeremy Asher Lynch

2009-11-12T08:00:00.001-08:00

"A Fly on the Wall" Jeremy Asher Lynch from Modus Films .

Jeremy Asher Lynch has a show in our Main Gallery this Friday, along with UK based James Roper and Kevin E. Taylor. Lynch just provided us this "Fly on the Wall" teaser of his work in progress.

'Natural Wonders' opens Friday November 13th, 7-10pm

Preview: Eric Davison at LBP

2009-11-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

'Hollywood Ambassadors'
new work from Eric Davison
LeBasse Projects :: Project Room
Friday Nov. 13th, 7-10pm

Eric Davison debuts his first solo show in our Project Room this Friday. Davison was a part of my curated 'Kids are Alright' Tour but is one of the most talented recent graduates from Art Center in Pasadena. Davison spent weeks with the costumed characters on Hollywood Boulevard and documented their lives on both the street and in their homes.

His amazing photorealistic portraits show both the humor and despair in the lives of the men and women who play dress up for tourists. We are certainly looking forward to his new show and if you have not seen Eric's work in person you should definitely keep an eye out for him as an artist to watch, starting now.

For more info: contact@lebasseprojects.com

'Go East' is open in NYC

2009-11-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

We are officially open for our New York based "Go East" exhibition. While the Artist Reception is not until Saturday night, feel free to drop by daily from 1-6pm as we will be open for viewing. If you cannot make it Saturday night you should definitely drop in during the day as there is a fantastic selection of work from the artists.

The work is now online as well, so if you are not in NY check out the work on our website.

Teaser: 'Go East' NY pop-up show

2009-11-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

LeBasse Projects Go East Preview from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Thank you Jeremy Lynch for the great teaser video's. You can see Jeremy's paintings next month in LA, but for now enjoy this teaser for this weekend's 'Go East' show in NY.

Video: Tessar Lo Time Lapse

2009-10-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

folding futures + a visit; time lapse from tessar lo.

Tessar Lo, who will have some new work in our upcoming 'Go East' NY exhibition just released this beautiful time lapse video of his recent work. Join us in NY next week to see more of Tessar Lo's work in person.

Preview: 'Go East' LBP in NY

2009-10-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

Next week we open our first pop-up exhibition with "Go East" in New York November 7th. The gallery will be taking over a space in the Lower East Side for a 3 day exhibition featuring Yoskay Yamamoto, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro, Tessar Lo, Mia, Joao Ruas and Eric Fortune.

We received a few amazing paintings from Eric Fortune just in time to pack them in the crate and take care of some print editions which will debut in NY.

We hope to see you there. Details on website or Facebook.

LBP x Hello Kitty

2009-10-22T15:09:00.001-07:00

This weekend several LeBasse Projects artists help celebrate Hello Kitty's 35th birthday at Royal/T in Culver City.

Yoskay Yamamoto, Melissa Haslam, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro and Tessar Lo all have prepared Hello Kitty themed paintings for the show. Make sure to check out the celebration this weekend.

Prints: Edwin Ushiro on Paper Tiger

2009-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Edwin Ushiro just released two prints on Paper Tiger today from his recent solo exhibition with us. One is a super limited edition of only 5, so better get one now. They also have some copies of the Catalog we produced for the show here.

The Kids are Alright: Final show

2009-10-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

In its last stop of a five city tour, The Kids Are Alright is a collection of 12”x12” paintings from a group of 25 emerging artists, all of whom are still attending or recently graduated from art school.

Hailing from some of the most prestigious art schools such as Art Center, Parsons, Otis, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and the Rhode Island School of Design, this group of artists includes Ching Ching Cheng, Asia Eng, Julian Callos, Nicole Dreyfuss, Mylan Nguyen, Nimit Malavia, Yuta Onoda, Martha Chan, Dominique Fung, Jeremy Lynch, Wendy Cogan-Toyoda, Eric Davison, David Jien, Linda Kim, Timmy Lee, Diana Kim, Jared Schorr, and Chelsea Lewyta.

Preview now online:

'The Kids are Alright' in the project room:
Opening: Saturday, October 17th 7-10pm

Video: Nate Frizzell 'Lost in the Thicket'

2009-10-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Nate Frizzell "Lost in The Thicket" Teaser from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Our friends at Modus Films just sent us this great preview/trailer for Nate Frizzell's upcoming show this weekend. You can get a few glimpse's of whats going on as we setup the show and installation earlier this week.

The preview of the show is online already, but you will have to come to the gallery to see all the pieces as we are saving some for those who attend the opening.

Updates: Thomas Doyle

2009-10-13T22:52:00.001-07:00

Artist Thomas Doyle has been a busy guy. After sending a few new pieces to LeBasse Projects for the Beyond Eden Fair he managed to find time for interviews and editorial work for Newsweek.

Doyle has an interview out with Underworld Magazine here, and is featured in the October 19th issue of Newsweek - where they used an image of his piece "Displaced Persons" to accompany an article about the new trend towards localism in America.

Doyle will have more work for us soon as he is preparing for a solo show with LeBasse Projects early next year.

Beyond Eden Art Fair October 10-11th

2009-10-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend LeBasse Projects will also be participating in the Beyond Eden Art Fair in Los Angeles. We have some great new work from Morgan Slade, James Roper (pictured), Thomas Doyle and Holly Thoburn. We also have a few preview pieces from Nate Frizzell's upcoming solo show and even some custom Koibito's from Yoskay Yamamoto.

Here are a few preview images from the show via our Flickr.

Join us this weekend and catch Nate Frizzell, Yoskay Yamamoto and Scott Belcastro painting live on Saturday night as well.

Closing Show for Ushiro and Ogino: 10/8

2009-10-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

We will be hosting a closing party and print/catalog release for Edwin Ushiro at the gallery October 8th from 7-9pm. Hope you can join us as we release two different prints for Edwin.

Mr. Ushiro will also be on hand signing the catalogs and giving away some special hand made gifts for those in attendance.

LBP at Beyond Eden Art Fair

2009-10-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects will be attending the Beyond Eden Art Fair here in Los Angeles from Oct 9-11th.

We will be participating in the art fair with new work from Morgan Slade, James Roper, Thomas Doyle, Holly Thoburn and Alexandros Vasmoulakis (pictured above).

Beyond Eden is a multi-gallery event celebrating the new contemporary art scene in Los Angeles. Beyond Eden will showcase the works of over 15 galleries and will be held inside the beautiful confines of the historic Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery during the weekend of October 9th, 10th and 11th, with an opening night celebration planned for Saturday, October 10th.

Beyond Eden will also feature an 'Artist Village' in the courtyard outside of the LAMAG in the beautiful confines of the Barnsdall Art Park. The 'Artist Village' will feature an array of live painters including LeBasse Projects own Nate Frizzell and Yoskay Yamamoto.

More details at BeyondEdenArtFair.com

Ushiro and Ogi show Extended til Oct. 10th

2009-09-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

Edwin Ushiro and Ogi show has been extended to October 10th, and we are hosting a closing party as well.

Make sure to visit the Fall Season opening exhibition before it closes or join us at the Closing Reception for a signing of Ushiro's new catalog and a limited edition print release. Both artists, Edwin Ushiro and Ryuichi Ogino have put together fantastic bodies of work that need to be seen in person.

The show has received press and praise from a large number of publications including THE Magazine, Artslant, Art Moco, DailyduJour, NotCot, SlamxHype, HypeBeast, Arrested Motion, hustler of culture and more. Come see what all the talk is about.

Closing Reception:
Thursday, October 8th from 7-9pm
Edwin Ushiro print release and catalog signing

Interview: Edwin Ushiro on SlamxHype

2009-09-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

Edwin Ushiro has a great interview in SlamxHype this week...and has more news to share. We will be hosting a closing party and print release with Ushiro before the show comes down. Details coming soon.

If you have not seen Edwin and Ryuichi Ogino's shows, make sure to check it out before it closes next month. Online here as well.

Interview: Yoskay Yamamoto x Scion

2009-09-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Yoskay Yamamoto Interview

New interview with Yoskay Yamamoto as part of Scion's Installation Tour - currently in LA. You can bid on Yoskay's painting, which is being auctioned off for charity along with all the other artists. The auction is online at artnet here.

Keep up with us as Yoskay prepares for his next show that LeBasse Projects is producing in New York this November.

Edwin Ushiro on DDtv

2009-09-11T10:44:00.001-07:00

Today we will broadcast a live streaming interview with Edwin Ushiro on DailyduJourTV.

Ushiro will tell us a bit about his process, the ghost stories and the Hawaiian Mythology that infuse his paintings. Tune in today at 3pm PST.

Live at DDtv

Interview: Edwin Ushiro via Erratic Phenomena

2009-09-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Amanda Erlanson just posted this insightful interview with Edwin Ushiro. The interview took place as he was working on pieces for the upcoming solo exhibition and is a great dialogue and view into Ushiro's stories and process.

Read on:

In anticipation of the show, Edwin invited me over to chat about his work, rather than replying to my questions via email. As a result, the interview is rather lengthy and a bit strange… and occasionally takes detours into unmapped territory.

When I arrived, Edwin was in the midst of the stage of his process where he applies transfers to a thick sheet of clear vinyl with a layer of matte varnish in between. The painting he was working on is one of himself and his little brother as children, heads together as they watch a tiny green chameleon that is perched on a leaf. As we begin, Edwin is bent over the vinyl, with the image face-up, rolling air bubbles out from between the vinyl and the transfer paper.

Edwin Ushiro: Sorry it’s taking me a while to get this together. I think I mounted it wrong, so I got more air bubbles than I normally would get.

Amanda: That’s OK. It’s interesting watching you do it.

Edwin: It’s fun watching me push air bubbles out? We should make this a documentary. I can do this for hours. (laughter)

The thing that’s challenging at this stage is that when you have the ink under here – and between the ink and the vinyl is this matte varnish – it actually loosens up the ink and kind of lifts it off the transfer paper, so if I squeeze too hard, I can destroy this whole piece… and actually did, here. But that’s part of the fun, that I’m never in control of this whole medium. After maybe two years of doing it this way, I still haven’t mastered it, because there are too many points in creating this that I can totally mess up. And I have. That’s when it’s not fun. But when you can overcome it and not mess up too much, that’s when it’s really cool and you can pat yourself on the back a little bit. Which lasts only for like, two seconds. Until you realize, “Hey, I’m not even done yet.”

Amanda: So how many versions of this one have you done so far?

Edwin: Actually this is the lucky one. This one I just did once, and if I don’t mess up here, I feel pretty confident that I’m in the clear right now. Because I knew exactly how I saw it in my head – so it’s that whole process of trying to communicate it as best you can, from what’s inside your head to what you see in front of you. On this one I did it all right.

For the FULL interview please visit: http://commandax.blogspot.com/

Join us for "Softly Encompassing the Womb" Saturday Sept 12th. Details here.

Teasers: Edwin Ushiro

2009-09-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Edwin Ushiro Solo Show Teaser from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Our friends at Modus Films just made this great teaser video for Edwin Ushiro's upcoming show next weekend. If you want to see the preview, please email the gallery: contact@lebasseprojects.com

Edwin Ushiro teaser on DailyD

2009-08-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

The following is from a teaser of Edwin Ushiro's upcoming show at the gallery via DailyduJour:

"Dailydujour recently caught up with Edwin Ushiro as he was prepping one of his larger pieces for his upcoming ‘Softly Encompassing the Womb’ solo which opens September 12th (7-10 PM) @ Lebasse Projects in Culver City. Edwin’s work has an ethereal quality which is accentuated by his intricate process he’s developed on his own through experimentation. We’re not going to try to fully explain all the nuances, but the basics are that he creates several smaller pieces on transfer paper (used for their transparency which lets light flow through the work) which he then aligns into a larger piece by adhering them to a clear sheet of vinyl. That’s what you see in the picture above and the others after the jump.

As you can see, it’s not for the faint of heart. Take a basically complete piece and then apply heavy amounts of varnish (also acts as an adhesive) and sandwich between a layer of vinyl. Then, patiently and meticulously roll and squeegee out bubbles. As you can imagine Edwin’s had some less than stellar results in the early stages of using this process, but he seemed perfectly calm today."

The rest online here:

Interview with Mike Shinoda

2009-08-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I interviewed Mike Shinoda for DailyduJour.com as he put the finishing touches on his show at the Japanese American National Museum that opens tonight, August 28th.

Make sure to visit a great show that Mike has put together and check out the interview on DDtv here.

Eric Fortune video...

2009-08-28T07:45:00.001-07:00

Eric Fortune is one of 6 artists LeBasse Projects is taking to New York for a 3-Day exhibition this November. While working on some of the new pieces for the show Eric created a short time lapse video of part of his process. Eric has sold out all three of his last shows and the waiting list for the few pieces in New York is getting long.

Keep an eye out for the new Hi Fructose Magazine for an interview with Eric. More details on Eric and 'Go East,' the NY show soon.

The Fall Season Opens Soon...

2009-08-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects presents:

'Softly Encompassing the Womb'
New work from Edwin Ushiro

'Idealistically Hypocritical 3'
by Ryuichi Ogino in our project room

Artist reception: Saturday, September 12th, 7 to 10pm
Music and Beverages sponsored by DailyduJour

Los Angeles, CA - LeBasse Projects proudly presents the return of artist Edwin Ushiro to the gallery with a new solo exhibition, Softly Encompassing the Womb. His latest collection of multimedia paintings will be complemented by that of fellow Japanese artist Ryuichi Ogino, whose Idealistically Hypocritical 3 is featured in the gallery's project room.

Whereas his last foray with the gallery, 2008's While Tides Guide You Back Home, was a bittersweet homage to his native Hawaii, Ushiro's new works continue to use childhood memories as a main source of inspiration, this time with a more distanced perspective as he tangles idealized tales of his own adolescence with fantasy and folklore. Concentrating on his years in intermediate school, this series introduces a cast of characters modeled after real fixtures of Ushiro's past. Woven into the dreamlike scenarios he illustrates is imagery from ghost stories the artist encountered and relished in this period of his youth. The result is a collection of work that is decidedly darker and more mature than others in his repertoire.

While both artists take inspiration from Japanese anime, Ryuichi Ogino keeps the focus on Pop Art, creating work that is more conceptual than figurative. Ogino's artwork ranges from whimsical to edgy with a nod to Takashi Murakami's postmodern 'Superflat' style. The latest of his ongoing series, Idealistically Hypocritical 3, combines elements of modernist illustration, text, sculpture and installation.

Visit with Mark Dean Veca

2009-08-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of dropping by the home and studio of artist Mark Dean Veca this weekend as he prepared to send work off to his upcoming solo exhibition at Jonathan Levine Gallery next month.

Mark was gracious enough to unwrap some of his new work and talk about where the work is going. Mark actually stepped away from his usual style of fully patterned paintings and focuses our attention on individual images…all the while keeping his signature pattern work inside the character boundaries.

After several shows with massive installations, Veca will be taking a break and letting viewers focus on the work alone, which is actually a nice change of pace. Even in his studio, the ability to focus on individual paintings give you the chance to see his outstanding technique and skill with a brush.

Make sure to catch Veca’s show:

Mark Dean Veca
As Cold As They Come
Jonathan Levine Gallery
Sep 12 thru Oct 10, 2009
Opening Reception- Saturday, September 12th, 7-9pm

We also have a few pieces of Mark's to offer through the gallery, so email me if you are interested.

NEW People building opening in SF

2009-08-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

The New People building launched this past weekend in SF with what will be an annual festival in Japantown. It was pretty crazy out there with a Lolita fashion show, JPop bands from MTV, a street fair of foods and beverages and a giant line to gain access to the new building.

If I still lived in SF this would be my new go to spot, much like Royal/T has become in LA.

More pics on my DailyduJour blog:

Yoshitake Amano in SF

2009-08-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

I had done a bit of consulting for the newly launched SuperFrog Gallery in SF and they were nice enough to invite me to the private opening and reception for Japanese Pop Artist and illustrator Yoshitake Amano this past weekend.

The SuperFrog is part of an unbelievable new building in Japantown that holds a theater, two levels of Japanese boutiques and the gallery on the top floor. The opening was attended by an interesting mix of several prominent city officials, Harajuku Lolitas and a posse of Amano’s direct from Tokyo.

After the opening we were invited to join the General Consul of Japan at the Japanese Embassy for a reception honoring Amano and the launch of the New People building as part of the revitalization of Japantown. If you are in SF make sure to visit the gallery and New People building…

More pictures on DailyduJour.

Interview: Edwin Ushiro

2009-08-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

LBP artist Edwin Ushiro is hard at work preparing his next body of work which will be opening our Fall season this September 12th. He did take a few minutes away from painting for a great interview on "A Thousand Stories." Here is an excerpt:

....Tell me a story from your childhood. A vivid one. A startling one. Are you willing to recount all the details?

One afternoon in his studio, Edwin Ushiro did. He brought to life each child that appeared in a large, unfinished piece of work—pointing them out to me, clearly remembering all of them by name. And they each had a story.

Let him tell you a story.

“Storytelling is so much part of society, you know? Like with the drawings in the dark cave. When a young child comes of age, where he becomes a man, they would take him into the cave and look at the drawings and you would kind of realize where your place is,
you know?”

Edwin’s expressions came slowly, deliberately. As if only a few very particular words or phrases were the ones to spur his incredible imagination, and then conversation. Such a vivid mind. Focused. Thoughts deep in folklore and myth....

Read the full interview here:

Nate Frizzell preview...

2009-07-30T11:25:00.001-07:00

LBP artist Nate Frizzell recently sold a recent series of paintings in the UK with bo.lee gallery, and is working on what we expect to be a breakout series of work for his solo exhibition this October. In an early preview we can see he is starting to feature some fully rendered backgrounds and adding some cohesive elements to the series.

I have seen more, but this all until we get closer. Keep an eye out for Nate's work in NY this November as well.

Yoskay Yamamoto on CNN

2009-07-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

What vinyl sculpture does the CNN reporter on iReport need to get this year? Yoskay Yamamoto's Bronze Koibito of course...

David Flores new work...

2009-07-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Dave Flores just opened up his show with us, but just returned from a trip to Hong Kong where he made just a little impression with Block 28 and Disney at the Times Mall. He also is working on some crazy looking apparel and watches with Chouette.

Take a peek.

And check out some of his new work including a great series of painted vintage photos.

David Flores x Esquire Hong Kong

2009-07-17T22:20:00.001-07:00

David Flores just cut himself some crazy Hong Kong licensing deals. Check the covers of several HK magazines including the new Esquire for his now ubiquitous style...or see his new work in the gallery tomorrow...

Tomorrow Night @ LeBasse Projects

2009-07-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

LeBasse Projects is proud to announce, ‘A Distorted Lens,’ a two-artist exhibition featuring gallery artists David Flores and Lisa Alisa. Both artists have worked with the gallery since the first group show hosted by director Beau Basse in 2005. Coming full circle, the artists are each presenting new bodies of work to open the summer season at LeBasse Projects’ new gallery.

LeBasse Projects
‘A Distorted Lens’
New work from David Flores and Lisa Alisa
Artist reception: Saturday, July 18th, 7 to 10pm

In his first Los Angeles show since 2006, Flores delivers all new artwork that embodies his unique interpretation of pop iconography. In addition to his paintings he has embellished dozens of vintage fashion, music and news magazine spreads with his vision of the world around him. Flores’ stained-glass window style creates a warped view of the pop icons he simultaneously idolizes and mocks.

Lisa Alisa is clearly influeced by Japanese artists like Hayao Miyazaki and Takashi Murakami, but her work tends to have much more bite. Generally featuring thinly veiled self-portraits, her paintings are what she refers to as ‘new feminist’ artwork. While bloody and violent, the paintings are a metaphor for both the brutality of life and the desire for change within the artist herself. There’s a thick vein of dark, surreal humor running through the images

The pair both paint in the ’superflat’ style, but have clearly found their own voices in making their individual commentary on society. Alisa is openly shouting her feminist views while Flores’ work is subtly, but undeniably masculine. Together Alisa and Flores reflect both sides of the dynamic that distinguishes between men and women.

The Kids are Alright @ Black Maria Gallery

2009-07-17T05:43:00.001-07:00

Black Maria Gallery opens “The Kids are Alright”, an emerging artist showcase series this weekend. “The Kids are Alright” is a five city showcase tour of 25 young artists that have either recently graduated or are still attending art school. The Series was designed to give young artists an opportunity to develop their talents while receiving direction and feedback from a curator and several different galleries.

The Tour is curated by me to create a platform for young artists to gain experience working with galleries in order to properly prepare them for future success as professional artists.

For the show at Black Maria artists were asked to work exclusively in black and white.

The Kids Are Alright
July 18th through August 8th, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, 18th of July, 7:00 - 10:30pm

Artists join the program from Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London and hail from some of the top art schools in the world including Otis, Art Center, Sheridan Institute, RISD and Parsons.

Participating artists will have new work at each of the five gallery exhibitions. This Tour will premiere at T and P Fine Art (Philadelphia, PA) and make its way to Subtext (San Diego, CA), Black Maria (Los Angeles, CA), Show and Tell Gallery (Toronto, Canada) making its final stop at London Miles Gallery (London, UK).

“The Kids are Alright” will remain open through Saturday, August 8th, 2009.

Alexandros Vasmoulakis dominates the Athens skyline...

2009-07-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Greek artist Alexandros Vasmoulakis, showing with LBP in 2010, just finished another large scale mural in Athens. No guerilla work here, as the project was commissioned for greek, film director Nikos Perakis.

Perakis is shooting a docu-fiction film which shows the life and the difficulties of young artists today. Vasmoulakis plays himself in the film while working on the mural.

Alexandros tells us:

"...according to the script, this mural is a commission from a big company and the boss is not satisfied at all with my work so a hard conflict between him and me rises. Iit was not too bad to play there, i dare say it was funny..."

While the mural is a commission, the content was left to Alexandros and he was strongly influenced from the wide riots that had taken place in athens in December 2008.

We are looking forward to his show with us, his first in LA and first solo in the US, next year.

Tessar Lo on Erratic Phenomena

2009-07-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Tessar Lo recently moved back to Toronto but has certainly kept up his evolution as an artist. Our friend Amanda recently covered Lo's change in direction quite eloquently on her blog Erratic Phenomena.

An excerpt:

"In his latest body of work, Tessar is reaching for a looser aesthetic, trying to see with a child's eye and a naive heart. One could say he's trying to get lost as an artist – to break loose from the habits and preconceptions of the past and find a new path around which to construct his dreamlike themes of transformation and desire. This exploration involves an element of improvisation, which is inherently risky in an art movement wedded to the idea of the unique "brand" or "style," though it is accepted and even lauded at the higher end of the contemporary art market."

Read the rest here:

Opening Reception: David Flores and Lisa Alisa

2009-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to opening a new show this weekend with a pair of our old favorites, David Flores and Lisa Alisa...

“A Distorted Lens”
New work from David Flores and Lisa Alisa

July 18th – August 8th
Artist reception: Saturday, July 18th, 7-10pm

Los Angeles, CA – LeBasse Projects is proud to announce, A Distorted Lens, a two-artist exhibition featuring gallery artists David Flores and Lisa Alisa. Both artists have worked with the gallery since the first group show hosted by director Beau Basse in 2005. Coming full circle, the artists are each presenting new bodies of work to open the summer season at LeBasse Projects’ new gallery.

While each artist works in a very “Superflat” style they each have very different cultural influences. In his first Los Angeles show since 2006, Flores delivers all new artwork that embodies his unique interpretation of pop iconography. In addition to his paintings he has embellished dozens of vintage fashion, music and news magazine spreads with his vision of the world around him. Flores’ stained-glass window style creates a warped view of the pop icons he simultaneously idolizes and mocks.

Lisa Alisa also follows the superflat style laid out by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, although her work tends to have much more obvious bite. Generally featuring thinly veiled self-portraits, her paintings are what she refers to as “new feminist” artwork. While bloody and violent, the paintings are a metaphor for both the brutality of life and the desire for change within the artist herself. There's a thick vein of dark, surreal humor running through the images

The pair both paint in the “superflat” style, but have clearly found their own voices in making their individual commentary on society. Alisa is openly shouting her feminist views while Flores’ work is subtly, but undeniably masculine. Together Alisa and Flores reflect both sides of the sexual dynamic that rages between men and women.

For more info email: contact@lebasseprojects.com

LBP at the Japanese American National Museum

2009-07-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Several LeBasse Projects artists are taking part in the Kokeshi show this weekend at the Japanese American National Museum. Tessar Lo, Edwin Ushiro and Yoskay Yamamoto all have custom Kokeshi dolls in the show.

Join us at the museum tomorrow. More details here.

Japanese American National Museum
369 East First Street
Los Angeles California 90012

Nate Frizzell in the News

2009-06-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

LBP artist Nate Frizzell has been popping up a bit in the news. Check out a recent feature on Lifelounge and another quick bit on the LA Times' new Brand X online. He also just sold another piece at Exhibit A Gallery's ode to skate legend Tony Alva.

Join us this Saturday at the "Seasonal Change" group exhibition to see a new piece of his as well.

Roadtrippin' SF

2009-06-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

I took the weekend off from LA and roadtripped to San Francisco with Yoskay Yamamoto to check out some of the culture up there. Our first stop was Giant Robot in SF which had a drawing show up in its gallery room.

Got a chance to scope some cool work from Kids are Alright artist and Art Center student David Jien...

Also picked up the Beasts 2 book, which featured another of our artists Tessar Lo and his rendition of the ancient Kirin.

I also picked up the catalog form Yoshitomo Nara's "A to Z show. Expensive book, but as close as I am going to get to the real deal.

More to come...

Thomas Doyle x New York Times

2009-06-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

One of our new artists, Thomas Doyle just was commissioned to do a piece for the New York Times Magazine this past weekend. Thomas created an amazing piece, though maybe not as intense as some of his regular work.

We have a few pieces in the gallery, and are expecting more in the future. Take a look for Thomas' work here or at the gallery here.

Tessar Lo in Toronto

2009-06-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Our man in Canada, Tessar Lo, has a great piece up tomorrow night at a gallery in Toronto. This gem is quite large at 48x60"...but its your for the taking. It is a continuation from the series he did for his recent solo show with us here. Take a look at some of his solo pieces as well here or here.

Looking forward to seeing whats next...and seeing new work for our upcoming show this Fall in NY.

Ryuichi Ogino in Tokyo

2009-06-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Our main man in Japan, Ryuichi Ogino just opened a show at AMP Gallery in Tokyo pushing his ideas of critical thinking and pushing us to think about the next level of the “Superflat” movement. Besides the deep context to Ogi’s work, they flat out look spectacular…especially for the graphic design set.

Keep an eye out for more from Ogi as we expect to have him back in LA sooner than later. For more pics visit my blog on DailyduJour.com

ArtCenter x Beau Basse

2009-06-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

I was invited by Pasadena's Art Center College of Design to participate in their Business Dialogue Series this week. I didn't expect anyone to show up, but was surprisingly joined by 2 dozen students and another half dozen staff. I got some great questions from students and we talked openly about all aspects of the gallery world and opportunities for young artists.

Seems like there are certainly a few ambitious Art Center students about to descend on the gallery world this summer. I hope Art Center invites me back, because I had a great time chatting and staying in touch with the young artists.

Artwalk 2009 at LBP

2009-06-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the 4th Annual Culver City Artwalk and our 1st year participating in the new gallery. With a much larger space tha last year, we still managed to fill the gallery with walkers, baby-strollers and dogs. We also had a new show on view with work from gallery represented artists like Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro, Tessar Lo and Yoskay Yamamoto, alog with work from some new artists to the gallery like Thomas Doyle, Morgan Slade, Alexandros Vasmoulakis and Joe Black.

Joe Black show stopper...

Some of the new faces created some real showstoppers. Joe Black’s 2000 button collage was creating a bottleneck all day into the back rooms, and we were forced to post interns to protect Thomas Doyle’s sculptures from the hands of eager children and their equally enthralled parents.

Al the new work should get posted online this week for those of you unable to make the Walk…otherwise just drop in to the gallery this month and see it for yourself or visit DailyduJour for more photos.

Tessar Lo Update

2009-05-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

My main man Tessar Lo, freshly returned to the Great White North just sent us some updates. He has some great gocco prints for sale and a new Tshirt on his site here, and has an awesome custom Kokeshi doll in the upcoming show at the Japanese American National Museum here in LA.

The Kokeshi doll has been severely modified and would have been a perfect fit for his recent solo show. An island unto itself...

Some pics of his Kokeshi:

Charity Event Sunday 5/31

2009-05-28T10:27:00.001-07:00

If you miss the Culver City Artwalk this Saturday make sure to stop by LeBasse Projects on Sunday from 2-5pm for a charity event hosted by KidFlicks, an organization dedicated to providing DVDs to pediatric hospitals across the US.

For this years Artwalk show, LeBasse Projects will be showing work from a group of artists including Tessar Lo, Nate Frizzell, Joe Black, Alexandros Vasmoulakis, Thomas Doyle, James Roper, Rebecca Urias, Meryl Donoghue and more. So you can see all this new work and help support a great charity.

Koibito Release Party

2009-05-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, Wednesday May 27th will be Yoskay Yamamoto's Koibito Release Party at the gallery. Lots of goodies from a new print, to signed exhibition catalogs and some other surprises.

Yoskay wil be in house signing and drawing away for those patient enough to wait in line. See you all here.

News and Notes

2009-05-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Couple gallery updates to share...

Wednesday, May 27th from 7-10pm we will be hosting both the closing party for Yoskay Yamamoto and Melissa Haslam's shows, while also releasing the new gallery Koibito from Yoskay and Munky King. Lots of things for Yamamoto fans to pick up at the party from postcard sets, our first exhibition catalog, a new print and some other surprises for those who join us.

The busy week continues on Saturday May 30th for the Annual Culver City Artwalk where we will be showcasing work from gallery represented artists as well as artists we will have coming up in the near future. We have some excellent new work from our usual suspects, plus work from Alexandros Vasmoulakis, Thomas Doyle, Joe Black, Morgan Slade and several others new to the gallery. Make sure to come visit with the masses that will be descending on Culver City.

Eric Fortune process video

2009-05-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

Eric Fortune just completed a great first featured exhibition with us, and now he is working on pieces for 1988LA and RoqlaRue in Seattle. Take a few minutes to watch his process in the video he just posted or take a look at some available work here.

We get to work with Eric again later this year so stay in touch.

Mike Shinoda x DC shoes

2009-05-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Mike Shinoda and DC Shoes are releasing a sweet summer version of last year's collaboration sneak. Somehow I managed to get a preview pair of the "Xander's" sent to the gallery. Not normally a hi-top fan...or even a sneaker freak...I really dig these. They are like more slick versions of my Rod Laver adidas. Plus they have one of Mike's signature illustrations on the soles.

The shoe sales actually go to support the Michael K. Shinoda Endowed Scholarship at Art Center College of Design, benefiting students based on financial need and artistic merit.

Still not sure if I want to wear em or keep em clean on my side board at the gallery. We will see. Maybe I will save them until Shinoda's next big art show at the Japanese American National Museum this August...

Yoskay show pics

2009-05-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

No time to clean up these images, so I apologize in advance. Thanks to all who came out for Yoskay's second solo exhibition. We are looking forward to our next show in NY. More details to come.

In the meantime, enjoy the remaining images. Make sure to drop by the gallery before it closes on May 28th...or visit us on May 27th for the Koibito release party.

More pics on my blog at DailyduJour.

Yamamoto teaser

2009-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

We are only a day away from the show, and everything is hung and ready to go. We have prints in hand...one of the few times we will actually sell prints in the gallery. Just to even things out we have a Melissa Haslam print on hand too.

Here are some pics to share. You will have to come to the show to see what this is...

Tessar, Lisa and Edwin in NY

2009-05-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

If you are in NY this weekend, please go see LBP artists Edwin Ushiro, Lisa Alisa and Tessar Lo as they showcase work in the Scion Installations Tour.

Scion Installation Five: Self-Portraits NYC Preview from Scion ART on Vimeo.

Tessar's first solo just came down, and we are prepping for Lisa Alisa to return to LA this June. Edwin is gearing up for a massive scale of work this September...I have studio shots, but I am not allowed to tease anything yet. Be patient...

Great process shots

2009-05-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Arrested Motion have some great process coverage of Yoskay's show...

check it HERE.

Hello and Goodbye

2009-05-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

We are getting ready for Yoskay Yamamoto and Melissa Haslam's opening this Saturday. All the work is on its way to the gallery after getting framed and prepped for us. Yoskay is in house building in a "chandelier" of cranes and sculpted teardrops.

Melissa is off exploring Hollywood, and we just hope she can make it back in one piece.

See you all this Saturday. Gallery site for more details.

Yoskay Preview video

2009-04-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yoskay Yamamoto "Hello and Goodbye" Video Teaser from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Our friends at Analog Color just released this preview of Yoskay Yamamoto's upcoming solo. If you want to get on our preview list email us...