CCA News
CCA Wattis Institute Presents "Humans Were Here! (Building in L.A.)"
Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006, by Brenda Tucker
The CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts presents "Humans Were Here! (Building in L.A.)," an exhibition of work by Barbara Bestor Architecture, Escher GuneWardena Architecture, Fritz Haeg Studio, Taalman Koch Architecture, Francois Perrin and Alexis Rochas. Beginning to make a mark on their city and beyond, these six young and diverse architecture and design practices are part of a large community of architects and designers on the east side of Los Angeles. This exhibition was organized by Sundown Salon.
This presentation of their work illustrates the healthy diversity of architectural thought in Los Angeles. Each group will exhibit one project currently under construction or recently completed. The show will attempt to reveal the human stories behind these projects. In contrast to the slick, homogenized portrayal of architecture made to elicit desire and envy, this show will reveal the messy truths of construction for today's designers and architects.
"Humans Were Here!" will consist of two primary elements, a newspaper and a video. Both will tell the story of one project by each of the six architecture and design practices, exploring their relationship to the geography and community of the city they call home, and how that has affected their projects. The exhibition looks behind the scenes as they meet with clients, contractors and consultants to see how people come together to create a building.
A documentary-style video (approximately 30–50 minutes) will be continuously screened in the space, and the newspaper will be distributed for free. A table and seats will provide a comfortable place to read the paper, watch the video and study the construction documents and specifications for each project. The exhibition will also include a black-and-white photocopied map of greater Los Angeles, wheat pasted to the walls, that will reference the locations of the architecture studios, recent project locations and other points of interest.
The exhibition opens at the CCA Wattis Institute on Tuesday, September 12, and runs through November 11, 2006. In conjunction with the exhibition, there will be a series of three evening conversations in the gallery, where architects and designers from each of the six firms will participate: Linda Taalman and Alan Koch with Francois Perrin on September 13; Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena with Barbara Bestor on October 18; and Fritz Haeg with Alexis Rochas on November 1.
About the CCA Wattis Institute
Established in 1998, the CCA Wattis Institute serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of leading-edge local, national and international contemporary culture. Through exhibitions, the Capp Street Project residency program, lectures, symposia, performances and publications in the fields of art, architecture and design, the CCA Wattis Institute fosters interaction among the students and faculty of California College of the Arts; art, architecture and design professionals; and the general public.
About California College of the Arts
Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts is the largest regionally accredited, independent school of art and design in the western United States. Noted for the interdisciplinary nature and breadth of its programs, CCA offers 20 undergraduate and 6 graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design and writing. The college offers bachelor of architecture, bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of arts and master of fine arts degrees. With campuses in San Francisco and Oakland, CCA currently enrolls 1,600 full-time students. Noted alumni include painters Nathan Oliveira and Raymond Saunders; ceramicists Robert Arneson, Viola Frey and Peter Voulkos; filmmaker Wayne Wang; conceptual artists David Ireland and Dennis Oppenheim; and designers Lucille Tenazas and Michael Vanderbyl.