‘Made in L.A. 2016: a, the, though, only’ Shares the Inexplicable Story of Los Angeles

Rachael McDonald

This summer, UCLA’s Hammer Museum’s “Made in L.A.” series explores Los Angeles’ role as a nexus in the global art scene in its newest installment. This third installment of the ongoing biennial series entitled “a, the, though, only” continues to uncover the process and practices of Los Angeles-based artists while delving into the roles that an artists’ environment plays in their work and vision. Highlighting underground and emerging artists, the exhibit debuts new installations, videos, sculptures, performances and paintings by 26 contributing artists.

Featuring artists from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Germany,  Lebanon, Spain and Switzerland, finding a unified message or aesthetic amongst the featured works would be more than an enigmatic task. Rather than attempting to create or define a specifically “Los Angeles” practice, aesthetic or identity for the exhibition “a, the, though, only” defines itself a little more organically by simply showcasing and celebrating the projects and bodies of work that have evolved independently throughout the Los Angeles area. As an international destination, the city exists as a home and source of inspiration to artists of tremendously different backgrounds and practices and it is through its obscuring of categorization that “a, the, though, only” embodies the diversity that lives within Los Angeles itself.

The format and showcasing of the exhibit exist as another diverse element of its storytelling; While presenting in-depth explorations of the bodies of work of some of the featured artists, other emerging or unknown artists have also been commissioned to share elements of their bodies of work. Exploring realms from dance to film, music and fashion, a handful of younger artists have also been invited to explore the roles of other literary and visual forms of expression within their own practices. Altogether, this eclectic collective of artists, practices and expressions share the inexplicable story of Los Angeles.

“Made in L.A. 2016: a, the, though, only” will be on view through Aug. 28 at the Hammer Museum.