Human Resources Los Angeles

Human Resources Los Angeles
Map
Established2010
Location410 Cottage Home St. Los Angeles CA 90012[1]
Coordinates34°4′2.8258″N 118°14′16.9303″W / 34.067451611°N 118.238036194°W / 34.067451611; -118.238036194
Typeperformance art
FounderKathleen Kim, Eric Kim, Giles Miller, Devin McNulty, Dawn Kasper[2]
Websitehumanresourcesla.com

Human Resources Los Angeles (HRLA) is a non-profit exhibition and performance space located in Los Angeles's Chinatown dedicated to supporting interdisciplinary, performative and experimental art practices.

History

Human Resources Los Angeles was founded by siblings Eric and Kathleen Kim in 2010. They were joined by three of their friends Giles Miller, Devin McNulty, and Dawn Kasper with the intent of featuring performance art over traditional static displays.[2][3] Instead of being organized by a single curator HRLA utilizes a content programming committee, organizing displays through collaboration. The name "human resources" refers to the fact that the gallery is a resource for artists rather than an institutional setting.[2][4] Doug Harvey, writing for The New York Times mentioned HRLA among the "D.I.Y. artist-run project spaces evolving into an art-world destination" in Chinatown, the "surprise flashpoint of Los Angeles's rise as an international art center."[5]

In 2011 HRLA moved from its original location, a small space at Bernard Street shared with other artists, to a much larger nearby renovated movie theater (previously occupied by "Cottage Home" gallery).[6][7] At 4,000 square feet (370 m2), the location has been described as "cavernous."[1][8]

Events

Even as a programmer at Human Resources, you never really know what you're going into at a show.

Frieze described Human Resources Los Angeles as a "hot house for music and performance."[9] It has hosted performances by a range of Los Angeles artists, including Ron Athey, Rafa Esparza, Dawn Kasper and My Barbarian. Artists from outside the region who have shared work through HRLA include Rocio Boliver, Ligia Lewis, Narcissister, Keijaun Thomas and Geo Wyeth. Notable group exhibitions include Katherine Garcia and Sarvia Jasso's "Queering Sex" (2011)[10][11] and Kelman Duran's "The Border, Again" (2014).[12]

Human Resources Los Angeles has also presented exhibitions of work by Carmen Argote, Fayçal Baghriche, Math Bass, Scott Benzel, Sabrina Chou, Leidy Churchman, Helga Fassonaki, Fritz Haeg, EJ Hill, Candice Lin & Patrick Staff, Pearl C. Hsiung, Emily Joyce, Rasmus Rohling, Anna Sew Hoy, Sille Storihle, and Martine Syms. HRLA's music and sound program has featured Southland Ensemble, LA Fog, Dorian Wood, Jackie O'Motherfucker, Pedestrian Deposit, Pinkcourtesyphone, Postcommodity, Terre Thaemlitz, Lawrence English, and Touch artists. HRLA's programming extends to readings (e.g. Penny Arcade, Eileen Myles, Luis J Rodriguez, and Raquel Gutierrez).[13][14][15] and screenings. In 2013 the gallery hosted a viewing of Andy Warhol's Sleep.[16] In 2014 HRLA hosted Abraham Cruzvillegas's 2009 film Autoconstrucción and a Pokémon-themed exhibit called "Who is Ken Sugimori?" by Johnnie Jungleguts.[17][18]

HRLA also collaborates with Los Angeles organizations such as VOLUME and ONE Archives.[19][20] In June 2012, HRLA hosted a fundraiser, headlined by indie bands No Age, Tearist, and L.A. Fog, opposing the introduction of Walmart to the neighborhood.[21][22]

In a calendar year, HRLA may present as many as 90 events, installations and exhibitions. In 2012 LA Weekly recognized Human Resources as one of the best arguments "that Chinatown is still a vital art neighborhood."[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Cheh, Carol. "Best Argument that Chinatown is still a Vital Art Neighborhood (2012)". LA Weekly.
  2. ^ a b c Fitzpatrick, Kyle (May 30, 2013). "Human Resources Los Angeles, The DIY Performance Space Collective". Los Angeles Im yours. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  3. ^ Dambrot, Shana Nys (4 May 2012). "Show and Tell:Human Resources". LA Canvas. 2 (4): 29 – via Issuu.
  4. ^ a b Duelund, Theis (December 19, 2014). "Art Takes You Out of Your Comfort Zone at Human Resources L.A." Los Angeles.
  5. ^ Harvey, Doug (April 15, 2011). "Like a Magic Candle, Los Angeles's Chinatown Relights". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Berardini, Andrew (December 22, 2011). "Pacific Standard Time to Night Gallery: The Year in L.A. Art". LA Weekly.
  7. ^ Cheh, Carol (January 20, 2014). "François Ghebaly Debuts a Downtown Los Angeles Arts Cooperative". KCET.
  8. ^ Berardini, Andrew. "Cottage Industry". artnet.
  9. ^ "LA City Report". Frieze (134). October 2010. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  10. ^ Kraus, Chris (December 2011). "What is Beauty?". Art in America.
  11. ^ Dawn Kasper. "This is How I Fuck My Environment". Vimeo.
  12. ^ Moffitt, Evan (22 April 2015). "The Border Again". Frieze.
  13. ^ Cheh, Carol (May 3, 2012). "25 Alternative L.A. Art Spaces to Check Out Now". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  14. ^ Miles, Kathleen (April 5, 2012). "Things To Do In LA This Weekend". HuffPost.
  15. ^ "Malik Gaines". Hunter College. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  16. ^ Turan, Kenneth (November 6, 2013). "Critic's Pick: Catch some z's at late showing of Warhol's 'Sleep'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014.
  17. ^ "The Agenda: This Week in Los Angeles". Art in America. November 19, 2014.
  18. ^ Bos, Sascha. "Who is Ken Sugimori?". LA Weekly.
  19. ^ "X-TRA 12.4 Launch Event with Brandon LaBelle and Benjamin Lord". X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly.
  20. ^ Villegas, Arely (January 14, 2011). "The Weekly Art Round Up: Art in LA". Laist.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.
  21. ^ Wiener, Jon (June 30, 2012). "Los Angeles Chinatown Rages Against Walmart's New 'Neighborhood' Strategy". The Nation.
  22. ^ Sharp, Elliott (27 June 2012). "No Age has beef with Walmart". Noisey.