Desert Gold 2018 rears its sun-soaked head again this weekend, with DJ sets by Little Dragon, Bonobo, Reverberation Radio, dublab, the do-over, and more good stuff than we can shake a date shake at. Come hang with us ‘neath the San Jacintos.
Laura Berger is a Chicago-based multimedia artist whose work is beloved for its graphic compositions, rich hues and for reminding us that we’re all in it together. We were lucky to have her paint a mural, “Lifting the Sun,” on the Commune wall at Ace Hotel & Swim Club, and sat down to talk daily rituals, sun-lifting and Al Capone’s booth at the Green Mill cocktail lounge.
Where did the concept of the mural stem from?
Creatively, for me, ideas feel less singular and more like a stream that moves forward — but also contains stuff from the past. I’ve been working a lot with ideas of community, family and unity, and also with desert-inspired elements and color palettes. Of course, I’m also thinking about what’s going on right now in the world around me, as we all are. The title for the mural is “Lifting the Sun” and the image is about our collective interests as a community of humans, supporting each other to hold up or restore what’s good on a individual, societal or environmental level.
When creating a work do you have the viewer in mind or is it completely self-reflective? Is there a message you’d like to convey or a feeling you wish the viewer to walk away with, or do you want to leave it up to their own interpretation?
I definitely don’t have a set thing that I’m intending — everything is open to interpretation. Painting is a way for me sort out ideas or feelings on a deeper, less cerebral level, which I hope will resonate with other people in some way. I think art in any form can be a really important way to foster empathy and a general feeling of connection. I like to paint things the way I wish they were, like an idealized sort of vision. I got into painting as a way to distract myself when I was going through a really hard period in my life so I’ve just always approached it from that angle, even when I’m feeling dark things. Since paintings take a long time to make, it’s nice for me to spend all of that time with positive or calming imagery.
How much does context play into your work? What's the process like planning for a mural in the California desert? How much did you think about past murals on the Commune wall, or your audience of hotel guests and Palm Springs locals?
For a public art piece, I think context can have a really big role, and it definitely had an impact for this project. Luckily in this case, my imagery and colors were already pretty well-aligned because I’ve always been in love with the desert and I draw from it a lot in my work in different ways. For the mural, I spent a lot of time sketching and working with different concepts, narrowed it down to a handful and then worked through those further with the Ace creative team. Murals are an interesting challenge because the size and shape of the wall has a lot of effect on the image you can create. Typically, when I’m working on a piece for an exhibition, I’ll create the image first and then decide what size it looks best at, so its basically approaching the creative process from the opposite direction.
What’s your process like? Do you find yourself sketching and writing on anything and everything, or do you sit in front of a blank slate and let the mood strike you?
I keep little running notebooks of ideas and visuals that pop up in my head, color combinations or interesting forms, a thought — anything that inspires me. I refer back to these when I’m going to start a new painting or series of work. I’ve always wished I was one of those people who can just sit down with a blank surface and go wild, but I spend a lot of time sketching and planning out composition before I paint. Deciding on color has always been a really natural, intuitive process for me, so that part feels more loose.
What gets the juices flowing while you work? Do you have any rituals? What are you listening to?
Lately, almost every day, I just wake up and work until I go to bed, haha! That’s not very interesting, but it’s true. I do think the necessity of deadlines helps infinitely with motivation, though it’s no less daunting. Starting work everyday always feels a little scary or intimidating — each time it’s like that moment when you sit down to start writing a paper. I literally just force myself to start and then once I do, it feels natural and i wonder why I resisted starting. I’m working for 12–15 hours most days so, for listening, I usually do a big mix: some talking (NPR, podcasts, etc), some music, some silence. I’m all over the board with music just depending on how I’m feeling. If I’m in a good place and things are going ok, I listen to more upbeat stuff — usually a lot of world music, hip hop, older reggae, and newer artists like Sylvan Esso, José González, Juana Molina (some of my current favorites) and then I do something like classical or ambient stuff if I’m stressing.
You speak of your decades-long practice of yoga in a lot of interviews, how has this impacted your day-to-day being and work?
I think yoga philosophy is a big part of my belief system, so that definitely informs the themes and vibe of my work. I’ve been so busy the last year that I haven’t kept up with the physical practice as much as I used to. But I try to meditate as well, and I’d say both of those things help with gaining clarity, focus and a sense of calm. This year has been particularly tough for so many people and it feels like these spiritual and creative practices are important in new ways. They feel like a sort of life raft, something bigger to hang on to and find some larger, more quiet meaning.
Women and persons that share a commonality in profile make a prolific appearance in your pieces, can you speak to this?
I guess I’m painting myself and every woman. Having them all share a common look is a way for me to take the focus off of a woman’s features and place it instead on just her presence or being. It also is a way to depict a commonality between us all.
Having studied theatre and worked as a scenographer, you got to step into a world of make-believe as an adult. A fantastical element is present in your pieces; were there any specific or defining instances that have shaped who you are as an artist and your style?
Angels In America was one of the first plays I was in, and I think it definitely had an impact on me. There’s a lot of fantastical elements woven into that play while it still deals with super heavy real-life stuff. The stylized element is a really interesting way to escape from or lighten our issues while also providing a new framework for examining them. I also love Hilma Af Klint and a lot of abstract artists like Carmen Herrera.
Are there any contemporary artists currently exciting you?
Yes, many! I’m not sure how to choose so I’ll just pick a few : Kevin Umaña, Kathryn MacNaughton, Francisco Diaz Scotto, Lena Gustafson, Cannon Dill.
As a long-time resident of the Windy City, can you share a few of your favorites?
Place to caffeinate: Intelligentsia in Logan Square is my neighborhood coffee shop so I’m there the most; I love Sawada for their matcha and espresso drinks, so delicious; and C.C. Ferns for the great atmosphere.
Place to people watch: hanging out at the lakefront or sitting at the foot bath downtown on a hot day — you can look at the wildflower gardens, people and a good skyline view. Plus, cool your toes all at the same time.
Place to eat: Avec is probably my all-around long standing favorite, Momotaro for amazing sushi, Giant for my favorite neighborhood spot, Tank for pho or Takeya for ramen on a freezing day, Elske for cozy fireplace vibes and to visit my hubby :)
Tourist activity: The Art Institute, see some jazz at the old Green Mill club in Uptown (you can sit in Al Capone’s booth!) or blues at Rosa’s. Walking/biking/beach time at the lakefront, grab a picnic and watch a free concert on the lawn in Millennium Park — such a beautiful place to see a show.
We are among many charmed by the new mural on the Commune Wall at Ace Hotel & Swim Club, painted during Desert Gold by Block Shop Textiles artists and sisters Lily and Hopie Stockman. This video, a feast of color and clouds, was made by Jacob Garcia. It sends us into a tingling kind of daze that’s hard to describe. So we just watch it again.
