Art Show to Reveal Palisadian Colors

By JOHN HARLOW | Editor-in-Chief

It’s only around 220 days away, but a lot will be happening in May 2018.

There will be the Copenhagen hockey world cup, state elections in India, the Palisadian-Post will turn a spritely 90.

And Pacific Palisades will, if the wheels of fortune mesh together, enjoy its first public art fair.

The town already has an impressive array of private art collections, from a Rembrandt in The Highlands and a Warhol in Marquez Knolls to a famed director collection of Norman Rockwell’s in The Riviera. But these pieces are rarely seen beyond the salon.

Now there is a drive, spearheaded by Maryam Zar, Pacific Palisades Community Council chair, to hold a community-based art fair, where artists and the artistically minded can show off their works, and maybe even sell or barter a few items.

“Here in Pacific Palisades, there is a rich history of creative talent, and a current wealth of creativity in so many art forms that permeate our lives,” Zar said last week.

“Just last week, Mayor Garcetti had an event at City Hall to celebrate the resurgence of creative industries back to LA. His focus was on the fashion industry and the return of the ‘Made in LA”’ label. He noted the thriving arts scene we have here in Los Angeles and the robust literary and creative industries we host, which nourish the entertainment capital of the world.

“From writers and authors, to painters and sculptors, to videographers and music composers, to photographers and vloggers—we are a community replete with creative inspiration and diverse talent. An art walk will be the perfect springtime showcase for our artists, and an opportunity to recognize the tapestry of our unique creative richness.”

The plan is both in flux and evolving.

The original idea was for a low-key, intimate gathering in The Village, but there are reports that Councilmember Mike Bonin is willing to waive street-closing fees so it could take over a street in The Village. And organizers could bring in an art world star to open it.

Or it could be an actual art walk, or shuttle, similar to the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club ever-popular Home Tour, between several collections around the town.

There is a danger of “over-reach”—originally, as it was proposed at the PPCC, it was due to take place in September. It was going to be a simple selling showcase for local artists.

But an art show, however formatted or scaled, is complicated to organize.

There are venue and insurance issues and big cultural questions—there will be space for local favorite plein air, a school of landscapes that become popular in the 1840s, creating the stereotype of the beret-wearing palette-wielding creative.

But what about the more controversial and shockingly urban graffiti art?

It is popular among many young Palisadians, or those smart enough to invest in a Basquait or Haring in the 1980s. Will someone be selling aerosol-sprayed fragments chipped from a wall?

There is already much local expertise. Michael Finger, whose collection of 1960s pop art is world famous, is ready to step up to the advisory plate.

And, say observers, Highlands photographer Richard McLaren, whose images from Nelson Mandela to Tina Turner are instantly familiar, could bring a contemporary touch to any art fair.

Zar and the community council are lighting the torch: Now, say passionate PPCC supporters, it’s time for the town to show its
creative colors.