It’s been almost 25 years since Bergamot Station made its initial splash in L.A.’s art scene, but the space continues to reinvent itself. “It doesn’t lose its vibrancy, it just matures,” says Wayne Blank, who founded the Santa Monica complex, which now has more than 40 art galleries inside. “Our artists get younger, so we stay in tune and in step with what’s happening.” Here’s a look at Blank’s top four gallery recommendations and why you should visit them.
1. Robert Berman B7 Gallery
“Dennis Mukai: Abrasive Affirmations,” Feb 18–Mar 25
Berman’s gallery was one of the first to move into Bergamot and rotates exhibitions of work by midcareer and established artists. Next up are nine works by L.A. artist Dennis Mukai. “An exploration of double entendres” is how he describes these lifelike paintings, which he creates by carefully sandpapering away dark paint to reveal the white plaster surface underneath.
2. Peter Fetterman
“UNSEEN: Silhouettes and Shadows,” through Feb 25
This gallery is an ode to the art of photography, boasting an impressive inventory of 20th-century humanist and documentary photographs. This season the gallery shines a spotlight on silhouettes and shadows with its collection of more than 80 never-before-exhibited photographs by various artists. The black-and-white images beautifully play with light to evoke feelings of intimacy, nostalgia and wonder.
3. Latin American Masters
Recent Works by José Alberto Marchi, Feb 4–Mar 18
The gallery showcases contemporary Latin-American art with a rotating roster of solo exhibitions by living artists. This show will focus on the work of Argentine artist José Alberto Marchi, known for fusing mediums by transforming photographs into paintings.
4. Building Bridges Art Exchange
“Are All Women Dangerous?”, through Feb 15
Founded by Argentine artist Marisa Caichiolo, Building Bridges aims to connect communities and contemporary artists. This season, Caichiolo, along with Fabrik Media editor Chris Davies, has curated an exhibition celebrating the work of 17 L.A. female contemporary artists, each of whose work illustrates their personal struggles with gender presentation.
Bergamot Station is located at 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica; 310-453-7525, bargamotstation.com. Tue–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 11am–5:30pm, various times for individual galleries; free.
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