Last night, CULTURED and esteemed guests came together to fête “HEIST,” a new group show on view by appointment only at Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio’s LA outpost. The exhibition gives the masters of the California Light and Space movement their due, crafting a site-specific experience further enhanced by the unique setting.
Larry Bell’s Glass Box with Ellipses, 1964, is an evocative mirror. Puerto Rican native Gisela Colón’s parabolic monolith, 2024, embodies the space-age futurism of the ‘60s, equally mesmerizing and mystical. A series of transfixing beams by Peter Alexander recall an unlit neon sign. Helen Pashgian’s Untitled (Emerald Green Sphere), 1967, evokes both spherical weight and flatness.
“All of the works in this show possess a sculptural and translucent, almost magical quality,” says “HEIST” curator Carl Larsson, who sought to create “a dialogue between past and present within the space.” Other artists on view include Laddie John Dill, Phillip K. Smith III, De Wain Valentine, and Ray Howlett, each of whose artworks are not only in conversation with the space itself but also “[offer] viewers a constantly shifting perspective,” per Larsson’s estimation.
The event brought out the who’s who of West Coast art and design. Co-director of Marta Los Angeles Benjamin Critton and Carlyle Packer of her eponymous gallery were out in fine form. Designer Ulysses de Santi and SIZED founder Alexander May added aplomb to the evening. Iván Pol—founder of The Beauty Sandwich—and visual artist Ser Serpas rounded out the stylish set.
Guests mingled as they observed the show’s many offerings, the light trickling through the many translucent artworks. The essence of California was made manifest.
