Forest Lawn Museum's Eclectic LA exhibit draws huge crowd representing the city's many cultures - Cover Story - Artículo Breve - Noticia de Portada

Hispanic Times Magazine, Fall, 2002

GLENDALE, Calif. -- Nearly 300 people, attended the recent opening celebration of Forest Lawn Museum's "Eclectic LA: Celebrating Diversity Through Art in Los Angeles" exhibit featuring 26 artists whose works have been displayed throughout the world. The exhibit is now open to the public through August 25. It is located at the Forest Lawn Museum within the Forest Lawn Memorial--Park in Glendale.

Forest Lawn Museum organized the exhibit as a means of building bridges between cultures. It features artists of American, Philippine, Mexican, Russian, Polish, Scottish decent. Artworks on display include wood sculpture, oils, silk-screen transfers on acrylic, and wood, marble and alabaster sculptures.

"We want to bring the many cultures within this city together and offer healing through art," said sculptor Martin V. Garcia, one of 26 artists whose life-celebrating works will be on display.

"Eclectic LA: Celebrating Diversity Through Art in Los Angeles," taps into the diversity of the city and its artists, with works on display from such popular contemporary artists as Hideo Sakata, whose survival of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II influences his work; to Monticello, who encouraged graffiti artists to turn their talents to canvas and oils; to New Zealander Theo Ray, who recently created artwork for the Sandra Bullock movie "Murder by Numbers."

"This exhibit represents a celebration of life of all cultures," said Alison Bruesehoff, Forest Lawn Museum executive director.

For Garcia, a native of Mexico who moved to Los Angeles at age 8, the exhibit "brings a whole diversity of art from various cultures, and creates a different point of view."

Garcia comes from a long line of artists, and his works have a Mezzo-American feel to them, reflecting his cultural heritage. Many have a religious theme, such as his sculpture "Pointing to Heaven," made of black marble. Also on display at Forest Lawn Museum will be his monoprint on silkscreen, "El Abrazo" (The Embrace), which depicts the innocent love of a father and his son. The artist said he prefers working with natural materials, such as wood and stone, because of its beauty.

His works have been widely shown at exhibits throughout California and Mexico, and are part of museum collections in the United States, Mexico, Germany and Scotland.

Other locally based artists whose works will be featured in the "Eclectic LA" exhibit are Richard McDowell, Gaspar Gharibyan, Danuta Rothschild, Luis Huffington, Jesus Benicio Jr., Marisa Caichiolo, Trudy Joost, Mark Justiniani, Joy Mallari, Robert Quintana, Alexander Sadoyan, Maria Leon and Nancy Uyemara.

A lecture series will be offered each Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., featuring two of the artists whose works will be on display. On several Saturdays, visitors will have a chance to hone their own artistic talents. Films and slide shows will be followed by such opportunities as participating in the creation of ah L.A.-influenced mural.

The exhibition is perfectly suited for Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Glendale, home to a fascinating museum filled with rare paintings, bronzes, stained glass, jewelry and ancient coins.

"Eclectic LA: Celebrating Diversity Through Art in Los Angeles" at the Forest Lawn Museum will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Glendale, is located at 1712 S. Glendale Ave. For more information, call (800) 204-3131 ext. 4781 or log onto www.ForestLawn.com.

List of Artists on Exhibit

Alexander Sadoyan
Danuta Rothschild
David Lee
David Martinez
David Tirado
Gaspar Gharibyan
Hideo Sakata
Jesus Benicio Jr.
Johanna Girard
Joy Mallari
Kristine K'Kim
Luis Huffington
Maria Leon
Marisa Caichiolo
Mark O. Justiniani
Martin V. Garcia
Monticello Miller
Nancy Uyemura
Phemi Adeniran
Rey Zipagan
Richard McDowell
Sinan Revell
Tadashi Hayakawa
Theo Ray
Trudy Joost