Kicking off with its Breaking Convention Summer Soiree on July 15, Axelrod is taking over Barnsdall Art Park and its famed Frank Lloyd Wright Hollyhock House for three days. Located on the Park’s West Lawn, the event will preview his work, which includes multiple mediums, visual activations and a ‘not-to-miss’ surprise performance.
Breaking Convention Summer Soiree
July 15th 2016 @ 7:00pm
Dark Matter Exhibition
July 16th & July 17th 2016 from Noon – 9:00pm Daily
Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Artist Aaron Axelrod will take over Barnsdall’s vibrant cultural campus, which houses Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) and Frank Lloyd Wright’s UNESCO-nominated Hollyhock House with multi-media exhibition, Dark Matter. This three-day, one-of-a-kind presentation will launch at the “Breaking Convention” Summer Soiree on Friday, July 15th at 7:00pm, where guests will enjoy an exclusive preview of the work and interactive evening of arts, food and entertainment. With generous support by Swarovski, Baxter and Bombet Hospitality Group, the progressive fundraiser, which turns the gala concept on its head, will take place throughout the Park from Hollyhock’s West Lawn to Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG). Patrons are encouraged to don their chicest cocktail attire for an extraordinary night featuring DJs and live musical performances under the stars (from a children’s choir to an award-winning violinist). The evening’s cuisine will be curated by executive chefs from Terrine, Faith & Flower, Hanjip, and Viviane, four of Los Angeles’ top restaurants along with a curated cocktail menu by Cazadores and Bombay Sapphire under Bombet Hospitality Group.
Creating a provocative visual experience over the course of the evening, Axelrod will be projection mapping the iconic Hollyhock House; marking the first time this historic landmark has been a part of a public art installation. Guests will also preview a spectacular Axelrod and Swarovski collaboration art piece housed at LAMAG, featuring almost 700,000 multi-color crystals.
Dark Matter, Axelrod’s first solo career retrospective survey show, will debut to the public Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17, showcasing an extensive body of the artist’s work. Dealing in a vast array of mediums from painting to photography as well as installation and video art, the presentation will feature 40 pieces of art with 8 distinct themes including the inventive multi-media series “Melting Rainbows,” a performance piece which was depicted in a national commercial campaign on MTV; “Freedom of the Press,” a series of large-scale pastel paintings of scrambled news channels; “String Theory,” a series of neon-light mixed-media paintings and several abstract resin sculptures in addition to the monumental Hollyhock House projection mapping and Swarovski collaboration.
The “Breaking Convention” Summer Soiree will support the Park’s ongoing work to nurture and promote the creative fabric of Los Angeles with its year-round programming, exhibitions and events. General admission tickets cost $75 per person in advance and $100 at the door. For a $1000 purchase price, and available to the first 26 people to sign up, there will be a pre-event VIP reception at Hollyhock House’s inner courtyard from 6-7 p.m. with light bites & libations, bespoke sponsor gift bags and a one-year Barnsdall Art Park Conservator Membership. There will be a second-tier of pricing for $500 for admission, Barnsdall Art Park Foundation Premier Membership and Barnsdall swag bags.
Influenced heavily by children’s fairytales, psychedelia, and the occult; Axelrod is known for his unique use of the spectacle & aesthetic choices; inspired by Dr. Seuss, Walt Disney, donuts, and the unknown. A practitioner of vast disciplines including painting, installation, performance, sculpture and video art, Axelrod’s work has been displayed in galleries, museums and public spaces in cities across the country. Collaborations have included projects for Walt Disney, KCRW, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, TOMS, Myspace, PTTOW!, Coachella, Skee.TV, Vans, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to name a few. A CalArts graduate, Axelrod currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. @TheAxelrod for all social media.
Tickets for the “Breaking Convention” Summer Soiree can be purchased via http://barnsdall.org/events/breaking-convention-summer-soiree/. For more information visit the Facebook Event Page and follow @BarnsdallPark, @HollyhockHouse, @LAMAGBarnsdall, @swarovski, @theaxelrod, as well as hashtags #BreakingConvention2016, #DarkMatterExhibition, #BarnsdallxAxelrod, and #swarovski on social media channels.
About Barnsdall Art Park Foundation
Barnsdall Art Park Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture Barnsdall Park as a dynamic and vibrant artistic, cultural, and recreational destination for Los Angeles and the world. The jewel in the park is Frank Lloyd Wright’s incomparable Hollyhock House, currently shortlisted to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site – only the third such site in the entire state of California. In addition to Hollyhock House, the site houses the prominent Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, which provides a platform for art and artists across the City; the Junior Arts Center and adult art programs, which have attracted beginner and accomplished artists for over 80 years; and the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre. For more information, please visit www.barnsdall.org
Photo at the top of page by David Zentz
