compactspace

compactspace LA is proud to present Sweet People II, the second leg of a traveling exhibition featuring the work of 6 multi-disciplinary artists from the French-speaking region of Switzerland.

From tango dancing “squircles” to a faux renegade swordfish, Sweet People uses both new and traditional media to explore themes ranging from the trials of adolescence to the aesthetics of metaphysics. While the exhibition takes its name from a play on the word Swiss, the organizing artists eschew any reliance on strict geographic or curatorial paradigms that often seek to create artificial movements or theme-based inquiries for the purpose of generating niche markets. Rather, their tandem works function as an exquisite corpse, picking up meaning and growing affinity through the artists’ similar geographic origins and the works’ disparate conceptual concerns.

Sweet People comes to compactspace by way of gallery synopsisM in Lausanne, and will continue to, among other cities, Buenos Aires and Moscow. The Los Angeles leg is being hosted by The Factory, in downtown LA. During this journey from place to place, the works evolve, metamorphose or renew themselves, unifying the show into a ‘work in progress’ that mirrors the creation of a singular work of art. The artists use ‘found spaces’ in each cor- ner of the globe as laboratories for their creative methodologies. Though the works lend themselves to definitions in and around Post-Dada and Post-Pop, the collective has transcended historical categorization and institutional will in favor of what participating artist Mauren Brodbeck calls, “a lightness of being, a feeling of romantic freedom and a freshness of expression.” The resulting concoction of sound, photography, painting, sculpture and installation invites its audience to imbibe a celebratory cocktail along with the artist/protagonists, all of whom have all traveled from afar to reassess and play with their ‘cultural product’ in its new temporary home.

Mauren Brodbeck’s photographs, bustling with activity and color, are micro-narratives which reflect the diversity of adolescence. Stéphane Ducret develops computer-generated pictures with richly colored geometric iconography inspired by the tango, the emblematic dance of his place of residence. Régis Golay’s work concerns a brand of ro- botic nostalgia that is treated with irony and humor. Hervé Graumann shows, among other works, three-dimensional objects from the ‘Patterns’ series. Olivier Rubli presents the ‘exhibition soundtrack’ on vinyl played on an installation piece made from a record player. Regina Beith investigates the contemporary relevance of mythology and classical philosophy through her evocative photographic series, ‘Dead Easy.’

An opening reception for SweetPeople will take place on Friday September 10, from 7-10pm.

compactspace
hosted by The Factory
912 3rd Street, Studio 204
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel (310) 428-7135
http://www.thefactory.la/

September 10 - October 20, 2010
Please call first for appointment: 310-428-7135
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Friday, 12:00pm to 5:00pm
By Appointment: Wednesday- Saturday, 10:30am to 6:00pm
Opening Reception: Friday, September 10, 7:00-10:00pm
Lecture with Artists: Thursday, September 9, 6:00-7:00pm