BENAH LOVES | VENICE BEACH

It's no surprise that we have a slight obsession with the Californian lifestyle since it's so similar to Sydney. But it might come as a surprise that we have a soft spot for Venice Beach. I find people either love or hate it, and yes, it's a little bit like Bondi on steroids but there is so much to love, so look out for our guide to Venice Beach coming next month.

But for now enjoy these amazing aerial shots of the Venice Beach boardwalk, beach and skate bowl from local but now LA based photographer Trevor King. 

 

 

 

 

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BENAH BOOK CLUB | NEON LOVERS GLOW IN THE DARK

Welcome to Benah Bookclub. Where we explore books we love, own or admire and celebrate independent and interesting publishers, books stores and sites. Owning beautiful books is one of the great joys in life. 
Print is not dead, just more luxurious!

Publisher/Copyright : Museum of Neon Art Los Angeles
Artist : Lili Lakich

Printed and Bound by Dai Nippon Co. Tokyo Japan

Pages: 96 pages

Cover: Hardcover cloth bound with foil emboss

Publication Date: 1986

Language: English

 

Lili Lakich (born June 4, 1944) is a pioneer of neon sculpture. She began making art in the 60's and choose neon because at the time no one had considered it a medium worthy of fine art. It was a medium for advertising - sleazy bars, shoe repair shops and cheap motels. It was the connection between the stigma of neon and the equal contempt with which emotions are regarded in our culture that informed Lili's early work. Her first light sculpture was a self-portrait with tiny light bulbs controlled by a motor, blinking down her face like tears. 

"For the first time in my life, I felt that I had really and absolutely expressed myself. For me, art is cathartic—-a means of packaging emotion and exorcising it. Once I had made a portrait of myself crying, I could stop crying. The sculpture cried for me. If you can express mangled feelings in a work of art, you can overpower them. They then exist as a set of lines, colours and forms. They're no longer an amorphous nausea eating away at your gut. They're incorporated into an object. You can see it. You can hang it on a wall. And if you can make it beautiful, you can somehow feel that it has sanctity...that it is an icon capable of arousing an emotional response in other people as well." 

"We are given support for denying our emotions, for not being 'hung up', for not wallowing in depression or pain, for not expressing and opinion for fear of hurting someone. I believe in emotion. I believe in wallowing in it"

It was these emotions that lead her to create our favourite work in the book - Vacancy/No Vacancy (1973). A contemporary Madonna who puts forward her availability or lack of it in no certain terms. A flick of a switch will change her from an open and willing seeker of intimacy to a woman who needs nothing from anyone.

Neon Lovers Glow In The Dark was published in conjunction with her exhibition of the same name in 1986. But its so much more than a catalogue of the art, its a personal journey through her creative process and inspirations which lead to the development and creation of each sculpture. Featuring illustrations, photos and colour plates, It is a highly personal document by one of the pioneers of neon art.

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Benah Loves | Kathleen Whitaker

Kathleen Whitaker’s launched her line in 2003 and we are big fans of her brand. Designed and made in downtown Los Angeles she is known for her “staple” and “sequin” studs and has recently expanded to include beautiful stones. These one-of-a-kind, limited-edition designs combine semi-precious gemstones with the simplest geometric forms. All handmade, the gold components contrast with the organic, elemental stones while adhering to a balance of form and proportion. The result is incredibly striking in their simplicity but so rich in appearance.

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ART | George Byrne: Instant

This month at Sydney's newly opened Chasm Gallery, Australian-born LA artist George Byrne returns to his hometown to present Instant, an exhibition documenting his LA story. 

Byrne makes use of the bold colours and perfect symmetry of Los Angeles' urban landscape, and as the name of the exhibition suggests, has cleverly captured all images for Instant on his iPhone.

                                                                        Photos | George Byrne Instagram

Byrne, also brother to actress Rose Byrne, describes LA as sun-drenched and beautiful sometimes, but at other times fascinatingly vast and ugly.

A limited number of prints are available to purchase (framed or unframed) from Chasm Gallery. With their palettes of muted pinks to bold blues, the photographs would make a stunning addition to any contemporary interior.

Sydney: Chasm Gallery. 26 July- 5 August

Melbourne: I Dream a Highway. 7-11 August

www.chasmgallery.com

www.georgebyrnephotography.com

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THIS IS MY CITY | Alia Penner's Los Angeles

Los Angeles and California have become some of our favourite places to visit over the past few years. We love the same kinds of things that artist Alia Penner loves about it: the sunshine, the silliness, the history, the glamour. We knew we had to ask Alia - a multi-talented, multi-skilled artist who works across collage, photography, illustration and design, all with her signature flair for colour, whimsy and playfulness - to share her favourite things about the city of angels. This is Los Angeles, by Alia.

one. Best thing about Los Angeles? Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows.

 The permanent rainbow at the Sony Pictures lot | Alia Penner

two. Worst thing about Los Angeles? How much money you have to spend to keep your car running. 

 My Mercedes | Alia Penner

three. Favourite secret spot? I grew up in Topanga Canyon, so I have a lot of secret spots there. Some have to stay secret :)

Topanga Canyon | Alia Penner

four. Favourite everyone-knows-it-but-it's-still-good spot? Home. I love to stay home, thats what's so great about LA, you can have space. If you are just visiting: make friends with someone who has one, preferably with a pool. 

Artwork by Alia Penner in her home in Mount Washington

five. What was your newest discovery in Los Angeles? I just started taking walks at the Hollywood Reservoir. It's so beautiful & it makes you feel so far away even though you're right under the Hollywood sign.

 Hollywood Reservoir | Alia Penner

six. Where is the best place for.... morning coffee/pick-me-up? meal with friends? romantic rendez-vous? late night drink? even later-night boogie?

morning coffee/pick-me-up - Proof Bakery in Atwater or Kitchen Mouse in Highland Park.
meal with friends - Stella on Sunset Blvd. or The ACE Hotel Downtown LA
romantic rendez-vous- Dan Tana's on Santa Monica Blvd. or The Ivy on Robertson Blvd. if it's aromantic brunch.
late night drink- Jumbo's Clown Room or Tiki-Ti on Sunset Blvd.
even later-night boogie- Punky Reggae at La Cita 

ACE HOTEL rooftop, designed by Commune, awnings designed by Alia Penner | Alia Penner

The Ivy | Alia Penner

seven. Where are Los Angeles' style spots? Where is the best shopping? I love Shareen's, it's my favorite dress shop in LA. It's only girls allowed and its in a giant warehouse in Downtown LA. They have dresses from every decade and you lay them all on a beautiful bed and play dress up. I also love Golyester for more high end, insanely rare, special vintage pieces. For books I go to Alias Bookstore in Atwater Village. 

Petra Collins and India Salvor Menuez in Shareen Vintage styled by Alia Penner | Alia Penner

eight. What is something you can get/read/experience/eat that you can only do in Los Angeles? Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. My boyfriend started the screenings 13 years ago, now I help him program and make the experience magical. It's truly a LA right of passage. The grounds of the cemetery are beautiful and you can pack a picnic and watch the sun go down before the movie. We show films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Almost Famous & Blue Velvet to a crowd of 4000 people. 

Cinespia | Alia Penner

nine. You can tell a lot about a city from their airport. Describe Los Angeles'. I don't travel internationally very often, If I go to NYC I like to fly out of the Bob Hope Airport. Its so much easier. They showed it in an episode of Mad Men this season and it did seem quite classic. There aren't any fancy restaurants but you can always grab In & Out before you leave California.

ten. How would your describe Los Angeles to someone who has never been there before? I believe in the Hollywood dream. Don't be put off by all the tourists on Hollywood Blvd, stroll down the Walk of Fame. See a movie at the El Capitan Theatre. Place your hands in Marilyn Monroe's prints in front on the Chinese Theatre & then go get a martini at Musso & Frank. It's always sunny outside and there is always a good movie to see. 

 Alia Penner

Read more of our city guides here.

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BENAH LOVES | Cody William Smith

With our growing commitments and even busier schedules, it’s nice when we can take a moment to pause and reflect, and thanks to Los Angeles-based photographer, Cody William Smith, we’ve found we are able to do so. Specializing in landscape, fine art and something he calls environmental portraiture, he definitely has that magic touch. It is through his series, titled A Moment’s Reflection, which asks us to change our perspective, and notice something that maybe we haven’t seen before.

These beautifully rendered images are not your average portraits of ocean horizon lines, sprawling deserts, or breathtaking mountainous forms. The artist has cleverly placed a round mirror within the image, completely altering the perspective as well as adding new ones, and in turn completely altering the message and entrenched history of landscape photography. This simple addition of not only a mirror, but also the pure form of a circle, adds a second abstracted dimension to these images and prompts us to ask a myriad of questions as to his intent. Why was the mirror placed here? Is it a reflection of us as individuals or as a culture?

The artist had this to say of his series: “Reflections are the primary physical means through which we perceive the world around us. You and I are able to see only as a result of the diffuse reflections produced by whatever person, place or object we observe. Light energy, from any source, is partly absorbed and reflected by whatever it strikes. Photography is an art form dependent upon the manipulation and capture of reflected and refracted light through the use of lenses, filters, prisms, and sensors.”

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WANDERLUST | The Line

The Line in Los Angeles is a hotel built for people like us. Going to Coachella? Well after emerging from the valley, weary from the weekend of cali sun and music, this is the place you'll be wanting to rest and recharge in the City of Angels.

Only opening its doors on Jan 1st, The Line is brand new but with some established game players behind the set up. If it looks a little familiar you'll be happy to hear that the developers behind old favourites The Ace Hotel in New York & Palm Springs also had their hand in this.

The hotel is heavily built on collaborations with local artists & businesses. The restored mid-century building brings together some of LA's finest entrepreneur's under one roof. Such as Venice Beach design studio Knibb, responsible for the LA homes of Roman Coppola and Mark Ruffalo; who designed the overall look and feel.

Located in the hot downtown district of KoreaTown, home to southern California's highest concentration of restaurants and bars; you are able to hire bikes to explore the neighbourhood that apparently never sleeps.

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