NEW ART EXHIBITIONS AT LAX EXPLORE NATURAL AND URBAN LANDSCAPES

(Los Angeles, California – August 21, 2008)  Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, is proud to announce three new exhibitions on display at Los AngelesInternationalAirport (LAX) featuring works by Los Angeles artists that examine the City’s natural and urban geographies.

The exhibitions are located in Terminals 1 and 2 on the departures level, and in the lobby of the arrivals level in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The exhibitions in Terminals 1 and 2 are on view for ticketed passengers; the exhibition in the Tom Bradley International Terminal is open to passengers and public. All exhibitions are free and are on display through fall 2008.

The exhibition “Oceano Romantico” is featured in Terminal 1 and is on display in two locations: in the display case along the main corridor and along the hallway leading to Gate #2. The exhibit was curated by guest curator Giorgio Carlevaro. “Oceano Romantico” is an exhibit that captures both the beauty and the moods of the ocean. Like the many views and stories about the ocean, the exhibit reflects the different experiences of 20 local artists. Each explores how they relate to the ocean’s energy that drives their desire to capture its eternal, yet ephemeral beauty.

            Carlevaro, who grew up in a small Italian village along the Mediterranean Sea, decided to focus on the romantic view of the California oceanscape. “We are drawn to the ocean

because it is a wonder of nature,” said Carlevaro. The exhibition is on display through October 19, 2008. 

Department of Cultural Affairs curator Scott Canty organized the exhibit, “A Place in the Sun: Desert Landscapes” in Terminal 2. This exhibit features oil paintings of natural desert elements, such as cactus, rocks, and wildflowers by local artists Judith Amdur and James Griffith. These paintings remind the viewer that while Los Angeles is known for its miles of coastline, parts of the region have desert conditions and features. The exhibit is on display through September 11, 2008.

The move to Los Angeles in 1999 left guest curator Jay Lizo overwhelmed. Unsure of how he was going to learn about all that the city had to offer, Lizo decided art was the most intimate way to learn about his new home. For “Alternative Places,” the exhibit located in LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal Arrivals Lobby, Lizo asked 37 local artists to create an artwork that was approximately 12 x 12 inches and reflected upon a place in Los Angeles.

            The parameters were general: The artwork could be historical or fictional, abstract or realistic. It could be a completed artwork, or a fragment of a larger project, or an experimental piece. This exhibit, on display through October 19, 2008, is a small sample of personal explorations that will hopefully excite the curious traveler.

            The purpose of the Art Exhibits Program at LAX and LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT), is to educate and entertain the traveling public, while emphasizing a cultural experience highlighting what makes Los Angeles unique and interesting.