La Luz de Jesus Gallery celebrates the 30th anniversary of their annual juried group show, LALUZAPALOOZA. The storied exhibition opened Friday night and will be on display through March 27. As every year, the artists on the roster are stellar and viewed together, form a cohesive picture of the contemporary Los Angeles art scene. “I read all the major publications…and the consensus is that what’s happening in Los Angeles is impacting the rest of the art world more so than anywhere else,” says gallery director Matt Kennedy. The artists this year bring to mind Hieronymus Bosch, graphic novels, Spike and Mike, Salvador Dali, and everything in between. The gallery rooms are jammed with exciting – and accessible – art for your viewing and collecting pleasure.
Being accepted to the show is a coup for the artists, as well. Roberto Benavidez, who specializes in painstaking piñata art and has shown in LA and Austin, says, “I like the art that (La Luz) puts in front of people, and I also feel that it’s a gallery that takes chances, which I really like. There are a lot of galleries that I can go to and they’ll see what I’m doing but keep me at arms length…I feel like this show in particular is a very nice show for people like me to be introduced to the LA art world.”
Many of the pieces were already spoken for at the opening, but with over 270 submissions there are plenty left. Says Matt Kennedy, “Patronage is supporting artists in a tangible way, and when the work is this good, buying it is as much a reward for the patron as the artist.”
