Now at The L.A. Louver Gallery Venice: Michael C. McMillen: “Lighthouse”
Fleet, 2010. unique cast bronze. five sculptures, each 3 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 5 in.
In conjunction with Michael C. McMillen: Lighthouse, L.A. Louver will present a series of the artist’s digi- tal motion pictures in the second floor showroom. There will be two screenings: 22 September, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 October, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Reservations are required: info@lalouver.com or 310-822-4955.
From L.A. Louver: (add them on FaceBook by clicking here.)
Lighthouse is the title of both the exhibition, and the new installation piece that McMillen will exhibit in a dramatically lit gallery environment. Lighthouse depicts a dilapidated building that stands over six feet high. At a lopsided angle, the structure appears to sink into — or rise up from — a mysterious pool of rippling dark water. It is a building rich in detail that evokes the weight of a complex history. Classical and Victorian orna- mentation join with industrial elements such as ladders, pipes, cargo boxes and barrels, and eaves cluttered with vent pipes, old TV antennae and clotheslines, resulting in an unlikely amalgam of style and function. As McMillen describes, “It seems to be well past the tipping point of imagined history.”
Black and white digital motion pictures created by the artist are projected onto a billboard screen attached to the building’s roof. The film element embraces both a narrative of Lighthouse and a series of related paint- ings and unique sculptures that will also be on view. Each of the sculptures has been created out of found materials of humble origin, such as scraps of wood, string and cardboard, which have then been cast into bronze.
The installation, sculptures and paintings are set within an environment designed by McMillen: at the en- trance a wall of corrugated metal guides the visitor through two doors that open into a dimly lit space. After entering, the weathered doors automatically close through a series of wheels, cables and pulleys that span the width of the gallery. The visitor is then presented with a series of illuminated bronze sculptures and oil paint- ings in two gallery spaces. A second doorway opens into a third gallery in which Lighthouse is installed.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, after earning both M.A. and M.F.A degrees at UCLA, Michael C. McMillen established himself as an early exponent of installation art. One-person museum exhibitions include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1977, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1978 and Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, 1980. McMillen’s work has been presented in numerous group shows includ- ing the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; San Diego Museum of Art; and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. McMillen has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, the Flintridge Foundation and the J. Paul Getty Trust Fund.
In May 2011, a retrospective of McMillen’s work, with major installations including The Pavilion of Rain, 1989, Train of Thought, 1990 and The Red Trailer Motel, 2003, will be presented at the Oakland Museum of California. The exhibition will be on view through December 2011, and accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with texts by Rosanna Albertini, Stephanie Barron, Paul Karlstrom, Phil Linhares, Jeremy Strick, Paul Vangelisti and Paul Young.
In conjunction with Michael C. McMillen: Lighthouse, L.A. Louver will present a series of the artist’s digital motion pictures in the second floor showroom. There will be two screenings: Wednesday 22 September, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 October, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Reservations are required: info@lalouver.com or 310-822-4955.
Second Floor Gallery Alison Saar: Foison and Fallow is an exhibition of new sculpture and works on paper that depicts the sea- sons of the year, and addresses issues of aging.
Skyroom Mark di Suvero: sculpture
Michael C. McMillen
Lighthouse
15 September – 30 October 2010
L.A. Louver Gallery
45 N. Venice Blvd
Venice Beach California
90291
