Mandarin Gallery (Los Angeles)

Fax: 213-687-4106

Alexis Hall

www.mandaringallery.com

Related Links:
David Askevold - Artist Works Catalogues

Not For Tourists, Inc.
2005

The Art Scene in Chinatown
Edoardo Ballerini • Web Contributor

Downtown Los Angeles is enjoying a renaissance. Spearheaded by architect Frank Gehry's stunning Disney Opera House and a healthy influx of private and municipal money, this once-glorious part of the city is getting a make over. Old banks and office buildings are renovating into residential loft spaces. Restaurants and cafés are sprouting like mushrooms. Formerly dangerous streets ruled by night crawlers are giving way to bright new storefronts, celebrity hotels and boutiques. And art galleries, it would seem, are showing up everywhere—especially in Chinatown.

Even if the buildings haven't changed much in Chinatown, and the throngs of residents bustling to and fro with plastic bags of vegetables looks much like it has for years, there is a significant difference in the cultural landscape—over a dozen art galleries have arrived on the scene since 1999, and most even more recently than that. For a sense of proportion, that would mean an average of one gallery every few blocks. As it turns out, all these galleries are bound within an even more compact three-block radius, making it easy to see them all in an afternoon. That being said, it is oddly difficult to find some of these spaces. Their discretion in not wanting to disturb the look of the area is admirable, but you will probably find yourself going back and forth a few times looking for doors with small signs on them.

The burgeoning art scene in Los Angeles is showing some very savvy, witty, talented artists, and several of the gallery owners have made it their business to exhibit these artists first. The spaces are strangely coy about listing their hours of operation, but most are open Wednesday through Saturday from 12 pm until 6 pm. If in doubt, go on a weekend.

The Young and the Restless

The Chinatown art scene is like an impetuous, unpredictable teenager. It is impossible to predict what kind of works you can expect to see on a given day, and even harder to predict if there will be consistent quality. The Chinatown galleries are known for exhibiting an experimental, younger breed of artist, many of whom are still carrying their MFAs in hand and showing for the first time. Chinatown gallery owners do show some established names from the LA art world, though seasoned artists tend to be found more often in Westside locations such as Bergamot Station, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, or Santa Monica.

The influx of youth and the element of chance do make the Chinatown scene exciting. On any given day, you will not only see something you have never seen before, but it will be offered at a reasonable cost. Sadly, most art prices, like real estate in Southern California, have soared in recent years. It makes you beg for the return of a stable stock market so investors will be busy with things they're supposed to know about and leave the rest of us alone. So, while the prices in Chinatown may be a touch excessive, at least they are not grotesque.

Almost all galleries in Chinatown will try their hand at every type of art, from painting to photography to installation pieces to a combination of all three. Whether this is a sign of welcome experimentation or a simple search for identity isn't immediately clear. But the galleries are consistent in their selection of artists. That is, if they have good painters, they tend to have good photographers and installation artists. The reverse, of course, is also true. While each gallery is its own beast, all contribute to a neighborhood feeling that is nearly impossible to find in freeway-happy Los Angeles. Most of these galleries have integrated smoothly into the neighborhood and today feel like a natural fit. For homesick New Yorkers, a chance to actually walk around and see fire escapes and narrow alleyways in between the shows is always a welcome relief.

There have been a few clashes with residents, however. Some spaces have chosen to openly exhibit racier material, somehow oblivious to the fact that children and families live upstairs. When locals complained,these owners leaned unapologetically on their First Amendment right, which, while technically defensible, doesn't say much about their common sense or graciousness. But these fires have largely been put out now and galleries in Chinatown are very much an accepted part of the landscape.

Only a few galleries in the area show works of Asian artists, or artists working with Asian themes, which is a shame. With such a rich cultural and artistic history it would be good to see younger Chinese and Chinese-American artists have an outlet in Los Angeles. Perhaps as the galleries in Chinatown grow, that may become a greater possibility.

Here, then is a look at some of the notable and less-than-notable galleries in Chinatown.

[mentioned:]

MANDARIN
970 N Broadway, Suite 213
213-687-4107
Wed-Sat, 1-6 pm
www.mandaringallery.com

Despite being on one of the main streets, Mandarin can be hard to find. (It's upstairs.) Once there, you'll find one of the best galleries in the area. Mandarin represents and shows a wonderfully diverse group of talented artists and caters to an eclectic, knowledgeable crowd. It is also one of the best-promoted galleries in the area.

On occasion, the galleries along Chung King Road will have openings on the same night. It is a smart thing to do, of course, as there is strength in numbers. On these nights, the alley turns into a small street fair. People shuffle between galleries with a plastic glass of wine in one hand and a cellphone in the other, seemingly trying to find somebody who must be less than 100 feet away. Los Angeles may be changing, but let's not get carried away.

While you're there, enjoy the rest of Chinatown (NFT Map 9). Most of Los Angeles has a famously sprawling feel; Chinatown, however, is a compact neighborhood, fenced in by the 110 Freeway to the west and north, Cesar Chavez Blvd to the south, and Spring Street to the east. There is ample shopping and dining available, so take advantage of your time.

Edoardo Ballerini is a writer, actor, and director. He is told he lives in Los Angeles.