I’m excited to announce my latest solo exhibit debuting at the George Billis Gallery LA on October 15th: Wonderland. This series has been over a year in the making, exploring and studying the precursors to the Midcentury Modern architecture we know and love in Los Angeles. In this body of oil paintings, I trace the development of this early Modernism from Frank Lloyd Wright through his many students and apprentices. Please join me at the opening reception on October 15th from 4-7pm to see these large-scale paintings in person. The exhibit will remain on view through November 12th.
From the Exhibition Statement:
“Wonderland:” the word instantly conjures images of fantastical worlds; spectacular environments of colors, shapes, and lighting; a menagerie of images both inspiring and disorienting. It is a fitting word to describe the boon of development and architectural innovation that took root in Southern California in the 1920s. The father of American Architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright, would go on to flourish in the warm Mediterranean climate of Los Angeles during this time, bringing with him steadfast principles in design, but adapting them to a new environment. He would also bring with him a group of students that would contribute their own design sensibilities to his philosophies of organizing space and the use of materials. One can trace a common thread from Frank Lloyd Wright through his disciples, ever evolving over time, which defined the look of architecture as the region approached the midcentury’s Modernism style. Altogether, their advancements in the field would forever change how we envision the built space.
In this latest series, I want to trace how these seminal projects in early Modernism adapted to unique parameters, often influenced by the cultural backgrounds of their respective architects, and how they brought about a bold new mindset of design. I cover monumental and lesser-known work starting with Frank Lloyd Wright and trace his design principles through his son Lloyd Wright, and students Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, and John Lautner. My paintings pay close attention to how many of these projects started as a collection of simple shapes, squares and rectangles, jumbled up and cantilevered over hills, in order to create a dynamic living arrangement specific to each client. One can see the strict lines and rigid architectural forms often set against and within the natural world around them. My goal is to evoke how striking these creations are; how they were groundbreaking for the time, but continue to inspire today. They are an astonishing achievement where creativity meets practicality – a daring venture into the improbable. The fact that so many of these homes developed in the same geographical region lends a dreamlike quality to the area. Fitting, as Los Angeles has long been considered the City of Dreams – but I see it more as a “Wonderland.”
-Danny Heller
George Billis Gallery
2716 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
www.GeorgeBillis.com
