Looking for something suitably spooky, The Welcoming Committee (1987) by Chicano artist Alfredo de Batuc makes quite an impression. Against a blazing red sky, two menacing black cats bare their fangs from atop dark, rocky outcroppings. Between them, a tall, glowing silhouette of Los Angeles City Hall rises in the distance, creating an eerie focal point in the otherwise ominous landscape. The cats’ exaggerated features and sharply pointed ears give them an almost supernatural presence, while the intense red-and-black palette heightens the drama. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: The Welcoming Committee By Alfredo de Batuc→
One of my favorite things about exploring urban landscape is stumbling across unexpected works of art while just going about your day. While wandering through a grittier corner of downtown Los Angeles last December, my friend and I came across this wonderfully beat-up Honda Odyssey that has become a rolling canvas for street art. Continue reading I Love You Graffiti Art Car in Downtown LA→
At first glance, The Candy Store (1969) by Richard Estes looks like a photograph. But spend a moment with it, and the illusion begins to unfold into something far more complex.
Painted at the height of the emerging Photorealism movement, The Candy Store captures a New York City storefront window filled with jars of sweets, signage, and fluorescent lighting. Yet what makes the painting so compelling isn’t just the meticulous detail — it’s the layered reflections that transform a simple shop window into a study of perception. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: The Candy Store By Richard Estes→
At first glance, Happiness (1994–95) by Victor Estrada seems to promise exactly what its title suggests: something bright, buoyant, and easy to love. The sculpture greets viewers with a riot of color and a playful, almost cartoonish presence. But as is often the case with Estrada’s work, things get more complicated the longer you look. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Happiness by Victor Estrada→
Kelly Akashi’s work often explores the impermanence of the natural world. In 2024‘s Monument (Regeneration), the artist draws inspiration from nature’s regenerative resilience. A delicately latticed borosilicate-glass sphere – balanced between fragility and strength – rests a top a weathered, steel plinth reminiscent of a tree trunk. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Kelly Akashi, Monument (Regeneration)→
