Picture of the Week #372 "Vhal in the Dark" Los Angeles, California 2016 Signed & Stamped
Eliane Gans, a dear friend and accomplished art dealer and I went downtown L.A. to check out the galleries. I had been going through a funk as I wasn't inspired for a new project so the thought of going to a new territory was intriguing. Obviously I had heard of and been downtown before but what happened to us this day was unique and inspirational. After we checked out a show at the Nicodim Gallery we wandered down the street and encountered some young men spray painting a wall in an alley. A young Chinese guy named "Ash"started talking with us. He took us under his wing and said; "C'mon I'll show you around". He led us up to some what looked like derelict building and opened the door. We went in. We wandered through halls and stairwells that were in decay. The 2 X 4's were exposed and the place was near ruin. Then suddenly there was a large wall with a painting on on it. Not graffiti but a painting. I say not graffiti as it was no one's name or gang affiliation or any act of vandalism. It was art. And some of it was very good. We were amazed. Ash led us around and told us that he & his family own many of these buildings and he gives the spaces over to the local street artists to come in and paint. He even supplies them the spray cans. If they sell something he asks to be re-imbursed. That's all. No rent or maintenance. He introduced us to "Sek" who I later learned was really named Luis. Then to "Sart" whose given name is Adrian, and finally to Vhal. I don't know if that is his real name or a handle as most commando artists have tag names. Vhal was very intimidating as he was about 6 foot 6 and 250 pounds, and ensconced in the standard black hoodie. That was until you talked to him. Then he became a very amicable and what I later learned an extremely talented artist. I told them I'd like to come back and photograph them with their art. They all agreed. Two weeks later on a rainy Wednesday I did just that. I met Sek at 1 then Sart at 2 and finally Vhal at 3. They were all on time and open to my camera. I told them that I will not pose them, or ask them to stand in the light or anything like that. Instead I wanted to talk to them about their work and their background. And all the while I will snap away. It worked like a charm. Sek told me of his troubled past with being in and out of jail and drugs and how expressing himself in pictures became his salvation. Both my art dealer friend Eliane and I found his work intellectually stimulating. Then I photographed the youngest member of the group Sart. Who at first was shy and not looking at the camera. But as our hour was ending he painted on the wall and said that this was for me so when he looks at it it will remind him of me. I was very touched. Then I took Vhal, who is also camera shy. But near the end of my time with him he suddenly threw open his hoodie and showed me a shirt that he had silk screened. I'm not sure it was of his art as he has branded himself with the recurring image of eyes. When I got home I took out the background and replaced it with black giving the portrait a touch of intimidation. I'm sure during this year I will be posting more of my new found artist friends.
