urban desert

Tracking creative social innovation in los angeles  >>>

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Women’s Center for Creative Work (WCCW) creates a stunning river engagement performance joining forces with homeLA to acknowledge and dynamically connect to their new space adjoining the LA River. 

photo 1: Samantha Mohr leans back close to the river’s edge. | Photo by Adriana Feketeova

photo 2: Constance Strickland reaches out into the L.A. River during homeLA’s performance of “Frogtown” | Photo by Adriana Feketeova

“Raindrops fell from gray skies, as three site-specific performance pieces converged on the riverbanks adjacent to the Women’s Center For Creative Work (WCCW).” by Christina Campodonico.

Click here for full blog post >  https://medium.com/neon-tommy/it-may-have-been-raining-on-saturday-but-that-didn-t-stop-the-artists-of-homela-from-nearly-diving-4bd775c7d740

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Tom Los Angeles gives us a charming video tour of the LA River.

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There is nothing extraordinary about the space under the North Spring Street Bridge just north of downtown Los Angeles. But that has done nothing to diminish its power to suggest and actually become a refuge from gang violence, a no man's land where the regular rules of street life were suspended, a gallery for graffiti and other art, a stage for music, a performance studio, a workshop, a town hall, a place for weddings and birthday parties, and even a Garden of Eden for some. 

http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2014/11/la_needs_a_department_of_inter.php      LETS GET INTERSTITIAL!

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The Unfinished: An Obelisk Along the L.A. River

As has long been the case on the river, these projects transcend the boundary between public art and urban planning in fostering new senses of place (what is now termed creative placemaking)

L.A. River tour. | Photo: Lila Higgins, Excavation team camping on the Bowtie Site during construction | Photo: Alexis Chanes and Francisco Mojica http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/brief-history-of-public-art-the-la-river.html

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Here's a fun way to pass an afternoon: Walk out of your place. Begin going in whatever direction you choose, wherever your spirit takes you, for an hour or so. At the end of that time, turn around and take a different route back home. But while you're going on this walk, pay careful attention to how many small pockets of urban agriculture blanket the city. Parkway gardens. Neighborhood nurseries. Schoolyard veggies poking their heads out of carefully maintained planters. If you do it in the afternoon, you might find a farmers' market of some sort. Such is the current ever-expanding landscape of urban agriculture in our fair city.

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urban desert sunset, Los Angeles. photo by, Chris Yniguez 

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Making LA,  take a tour of the Nature Gardens at the Natural History Museum to learn how the museum's scientists worked closely with designers atMia Lehrer + Associates to create an outdoor classroom for the city. Then take a very special peek inside The Elysian, a former municipal water department building that's been turned into gorgeous apartments by Linear City and Studio Hus. 

http://www.designeastoflabrea.org/event/nature-gardens-tour-at-the-natural-history-museum

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YOUKNOW:DOSA@SMMoA (Santa Monica Museum of Art)

“White is the reflection of all colors, yet has the distinction of none. It is simultaneously complete and empty.” says Kim. Informed by her Korean heritage, Kim designs in a palette of white to express simplicity and subtlety. “Working in monochrome quiets the larger details and allows nuances to step forward, making more legible the variances in tone and shade. Much is hidden in plain sight, discovered only when one learns to see. I use white fabrics to evoke lightness, and to inspire moments of dreaming.” Dosa Summer 2014

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Get lost (or found) in this captivating video of Downtown Los Angeles ...

https://vimeo.com/101231747

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Sunday, July 20

at 4:00pm - 8:00pm Join Fallen Fruitt and Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) at Levitt Pavilion, from 4:00-6:30pm. They will make fruit inspired art with Fallen Fruit and celebrate the Urban Fruit Trails' newly planted fruit trees in MacArthur Park!

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The Hammer's biennial exhibition Made in L.A. 2014 features works by 35 Los Angeles artists with an emphasis on emerging and under recognized artists. FREE! Closes Sept 7.

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Urban Desert beauty shot.

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Echo Chamber Creative Headquarters A fully collaborative headquarters for the L.A. independent art and music community aimed at creation, experimentation & storytelling. THIS IS GOOD. Support on Kickstarter.

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http://www.change.org/petitions/santa-monica-city-council-and-arts-commission-save-bergamot-station-arts-center-from-overdevelopment SAVE BERGAMOT STATION! PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!

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Sillage - A participatory scent-scape project about Los Angeles.

Museum visitors are invited to share their zip code and wear their neighborhood's scent. https://smmoa.org/programs-and-exhibitions/sillage/ SATURDAY, JUN 28, 2014  11AM–6PM Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Free Admission! 11am-6pm

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Planting & Composting Workshop by Womens Center for Creative Work. http://womenscenterforcreativework.com/events/planting-and-composting-workshop/  THIS SATURDAY $20.

PHOTO BY IAN HUGHES

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First-ever LA River camp out!

Rio de Los Angeles Bowtie Parcel | 2800 Casitas Ave. | LA, CA 90039

Check out ths KCRW interview to find out how the First ever LA River campout went :) http://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/design-and-architecture/angelenos-claim-public-space-at-the-beach-and-at-the-river