Nickel Diner (some people call it 5¢ Diner because of their sign) is a great neighborhood restaurant in the Historic Core Downtown Los Angeles, within one block of our gallery and home. They are especially famous for the bacon donuts. The catfish is very delicious, too. For vegetarians, there’s grilled veggie sandwich that is just phenomenal. Here’s a segment from last year’s episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri, featuring Nickel Diner.
After living in Downtown Los Angeles for a while, I can say that, YES, it’s true that it is like living in a backlot of a movie studio. Movies, TV shows, commercials, photography, etc., you name it, are done here regularly . One time it was so busy that you ran into a film crew every corner you turn in the Old Bank district. CSI: NY films in the Historic Core quite a bit. Yes, you heard that right, CSI: NY in Los Angeles. Inception filmed a couple of important scenes right here in the neighborhood. Remember that scene in which a locomotive crashed through the street? Filmed right here on our street. The new Victoria’s Secret commercial? Filmed across the street on the second floor. The rooftop of our building was used for Iron Man 2, and most recently for Southland. Our mysterious marble basement, which is an old bank vault, was used for filming for a few days. I wish I knew for what. I’ve never seen the basement, but I’ve heard that it is really grand. I should ask someone to give us a tour.
One of the most fun moments was when the Muppets used the big entrance next to our gallery as a police station entrance. They filmed the Muppets exiting the station, walked pass the gallery to Broadway, then broke out a musical number. At first they changed the name of our gallery to, wait for it, OB1 Gallery (may the force be with you.) But CB told them we really wouldn’t mind our real name being used, they changed it back. So, look out for a cameo appearance of CB1 Gallery in The Muppets, in movie theaters this November.
Another fun moment was when they filmed a video game commercial, setting up the outside of the gallery as a cafe. The game’s name is da Blob, with strange colorful characters. Lots of bluescreen with this one.
And, just a few days ago, they transformed the sidewalk in front of the gallery into a New York street scene for this season’s finale of CSI: NY. They forgot to take the fake bus stop signs with them! The signs were still up the next day. How confusing was that for the bus riders!
Added: just found this Law & Order: Los Angeles promo that was partly filmed in front of the gallery.
SLIDESHOW
We are very happy that Los Angeles Times published a wonderful review on Larry Mantello’s show.
Larry Mantello’s second solo show in Los Angeles picks up where his last one left off: using cheap souvenirs and tacky novelties to tell a story whose high points revolve around love, loss and redemption and whose low points look toward meaninglessness as a welcome release from the despair of self-loathing.
Mantello’s first solo show in L.A. was 18 years ago. Back then, his installation stuck out like a sore thumb on steroids. At a time of hyper-serious identity politicking, his mind-scrambling extravaganza threw its lot in with pleasure and excess to herald a new era, which has gone a long way to define the present.
At CB1Gallery, “Together Again” is tighter, more focused and loaded. It reveals an artist whose vision and delivery have matured, growing more complex and nuanced while losing none of the youthful insouciance — and cheeky verve — of Mantello’s earlier works.
Edith Beaucage also had a couple of interviews. One was featured on Huffington Post.
Edith Beaucage’s “hurluberlu” paintings, which feature idiosyncratic figures and architectural references are about the rich interaction of the imagination and social spaces. Beaucage’s new series has a Rococo energy, and is peopled by an engaging cast of lusciously painted faux-naif characters. The paintings are sweet, challenging, and utterly original.
To better understand the artist’s ideas, I sent her a set of questions, and also asked her husband, Glen Irani, if he would add his perspective.
She also did an interview with blogger Jeff Tutt. Here’s an excerpt:
Q: You speak of painting in terms of language – signs of abstraction or portraiture – and of the characters that inhabit your paintings as narrative ‘types’. Do you see painting as a literary or theatrical operation?
A: The paintings are just images, but the process that takes place in my mind while I am painting is closer to a literary composition. I built the sign of a figure that is next of kin to a character. I use the character as a way to make the image more interesting to me and to the viewer. The abstractions are also signs and characters. I am not using photographs or models to build the figures. They come from my mind: a memory image repertoire. I consider the image development as a similar exercise as if I was building a character for a literary text.
The entire interview can be downloaded as PDF.
A local art blogger Tracey Harnish also wrote a review each for Larry and Edith. Click on the links to read them. 
Wow, last Saturday’s opening reception for Larry and Edith was really fantastic! Two great exhibitions and lots of people. We ran out of wine at one point and had to run across the street to get more. Better be more prepared next time. It was sunny, too! Rain was in the forecast up until Saturday morning. Lucky for us that the sun decided to be out all day instead.
There were some famous faces, too. OK, I am bragging a little, but I can do that once in a while, right? I will not mention names, but you will probably spot two in my Flickr photo album if you look carefully.
Hi all! It’s been a while again. Life is just busy, busy, busy here in Downtown Los Angeles. I am again back in school, too. Just trying to keep learning and staying fresh, good for the brain.
We got two solo exhibitions coming up with the opening receptions on Saturday, February 26. Here’s some info for you. I hope to see some of you at the gallery!
Larry Mantello
February 26 – April 3, 2011
Opening Reception: Sat., February 26, 5 – 7 p.m.
CB1 Gallery is proud to present Larry Mantello’s return to Los Angeles for his first solo exhibition in six-years. The exhibition, Together Again includes several series of works ranging from Floats (sculpture), to Off-Springs, and Rijiggers, which include temporary tattoos on paper and multi-layered wall-hangings.
Mantello’s current work is redolent with a pop-culture critique, which he packages with a reminiscence of childhood, a temptation with the body, and his interest in “the value of pleasure”. Throughout these works he suggests a subtle sense of sadness just below the surface, which is as important to the works as exuberance and celebration.
Read more and see more pictures on the exhibition page.
Edith Beaucage
February 26 – April 3, 2011
Opening Reception: Sat., February 26, 5 – 7 p.m.
CB1 Gallery also presents “.hurlurberlu”, our first solo exhibition of the work of Los Angeles painter Edith Beaucage. The exhibition continues the artist’s exploration of painted images that investigate relationships between signs of abstraction and figuration and how we derive meaning by simple juxtaposition of these signs.
Beaucage invents characters and places them side by side with an abstracted form into a scenario that mimics what happens in a social space. The emotional thread woven into the paintings, the social spaces, is meant to stimulate discourse with the audience.
Read more and see more pictures on the exhibition page.
