Category: Gallery Row

DIRECTOR FOR NEW MUSEUM.In planning a new contemporary art and…



DIRECTOR FOR NEW MUSEUM.

In planning a new contemporary art and design museum, Tom Gilmore, a pioneer of real estate development in Downtown Los Angeles, has been focused on the architecture, commissioning futuristic — some say fantastic — building plans. Now, he’s turning to the art; he just hired as his museum director, Allison Agsten, curator of public engagement at the Hammer Museum. “We are especially interested in L.A. artists and finding new ways to support them,” Ms. Agsten said. It has not been determined whether the Old Bank District Museum, as it is unofficially known with a nod to its historic neighborhood, which is now packed with lofts and restaurants, will be a collecting institution or a kunsthalle, a flexible exhibition space. Plans by the architect Tom Wiscombe, under review at the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, show the project will span three existing structures Downtown on South Main Street. The idea is to preserve and reuse original bank vaults and pneumatic tubes from a 1905 neo-Classical-style building, while carving out new spaces.

At the Hammer, Ms. Agsten worked with artists on projects that didn’t fit the traditional exhibition models or galleries, from “microconcerts” in a cloakroom by Machine Project to Mark Bradford’s new community center in Leimert Park. Now, she said, “I cannot wait to let artists loose in the bank vaults.”

Mr. Gilmore, who is chairman of the board at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, nearby, estimated construction could run to $50 million and take four to five years. JORI FINKEL

Art Battle LA Trailer

Art Battle LA

In anticipation of an online streaming release, here is the new trailer for Art Battle LA, written/produced by Nic Cha Kim and directed/edited by Eric Heights.

Art Expert

Today, I worked as an art expert in a criminal court case involving art theft. Deposed for almost one hour, I was cross-examined by the defense and provided my thoughts on the value of a new artist that had never shown professionally in a gallery before, but good enough to showcase and guest lecture at a community college.

I thoroughly enjoyed answering questions by the defendant’s attorney.

Downtown LA Art Walk – LAPD & Protesters Clash!

After a great afternoon and evening of giving my usual tour of Gallery Row during the Downtown LA Art Walk, we were stopped by a line of police officers on our way back to our cars blocking Spring Street between 5th and 6th. It was around 10pm and the group now consisted of actress/blogger Beverly Sotelo, Niche.LA Production Manager Norberto Briceno, and our amazing new Gallery Row intern, Nicolei Gupit.

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Co-Presenting Rat Fever at the Hollywood Brazilian Film Festial on June 10th, 9PM

June 10th, 2012
American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Sponsored by Vale, the General Consulate of Brazil in Los Angeles, the Foreign Relations Ministry, and Copa Airlines

The 2012 Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival and Gallery Row Organization invite you to a special screening of the film Rat Fever when it makes its North American premiere on Sunday, June 10th at 9pm.

For special priority seating at this screening of Rat Fever, please RSVP at members@hbrfest.com.

A FEBRE DO RATO (RAT FEVER) – Closing Film
Brazil 2011, 97’- 35mm
Sunday, June 10th, 9 pm.

Co-Presented by Nic Cha Kim

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LA Express Park

LA Express Park

LOS ANGELES, CA – On May 21, 2012, Nic Cha Kim participated in the LA Express Park video featuring Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. A project of LADOT, LA Express Park is a new Downtown street parking strategy using veri-message signs, wireless sensors, pay stations, smart meters, and smartphone apps.

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Art, Entertainment & Social Change at UCLA

LOS ANGELES – Nic Cha Kim, Founder/President of Gallery Row Organization, will be guest-speaking at UCLA on Nov 21, 2011. Recommended by Downtown Art Walk board member, Qathryn Brehm, Nic will discuss the emergence of Gallery Row and the Downtown Art Walk at an honors class called Art, Entertainment, & Social Change taught by Terri Anderson, Executive Director of AMP: Artists’ Meeting Place and Resource Collective.

New Video: White House AAPI Initiative “What’s Your Story?”

White House AAPI Initiative “What’s Your Story?”

LOS ANGELES, CA – On Oct 30, 2011, Niche.LA Video Art submits new video “Nic Cha Kim, Founder of Gallery Row” to the White House AAPI Initiative “What’s Your Story?” video challenge. Seeking stories about Asian-American community activists, Nic Cha Kim hopes to represent Downtown LA in Washington DC. A select few will be invited to the White House to attend a briefing concerning AAPI Issues.

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The Aftermath

Some time has passed since the tragedy on Spring Street, though not enough to gain any real perspective. I’ve been tweeting every article posted online regarding the Art Walk Accident… trying to help keep everybody informed of all the opinions out there. It’s painful, reading the stories… then reading all the comments that follow. Because the accident is so completely tragic, attitudes are hot and rightfully so.

There are many art walk babies out there. In my tours of Downtown, I’ve encountered numerous couples who met during an art walk. They fell in love and had babies. Those are happy stories and I got accustomed to hearing that so it’s terribly humbling to hear the exact opposite occurring in the streets of Gallery Row. I simply cannot accurately express how saddened I am for the grieving couple for the loss of their newborn.

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Tragedy on Gallery Row

Last night, a terrible tragedy occurred on the streets of Gallery Row during the monthly Downtown LA Art Walk.  A mere one block north of where Niche.LA is located, this accident hits terribly close to home.  From what I understand off reports from BlogDowntown and LAist, a baby was killed when a car jumped a curb while parallel parking.  The driver mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brakes.  Drugs and alcohol are not suspected and the driver was not charged… but it still leaves a mother and community at an unspeakable loss.

I don’t know how to articulate exactly how I’m feeling.  Based on the current reports, it was an accident.  The driver was not under the influence, but was driving barefoot during the moment in question.  The mother was taking her two month old baby on a stroll during the Downtown Art Walk at 9 at night.  Then they met… and that changed everything.

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New Signs Are Wayfinders For Gallery Owners

New Signs Are Wayfinders For Gallery Owners

The new Gallery Row signs get noticed by BlogDowntown.  A little annoyed with this post considering nobody contacted us for the story, but instead interviewed someone who had nothing to do with the project.  Not to mention, the signs are for visitors, not the gallery owners.  We already know where the galleries are.

click pic for story