Last Saturday night the folks behind the Lucie Awards, the Oscars of Photography, debuted their latest love letter to photography: MOPLA, or Month of Photography in Los Angeles.
With 2 galleries exhibiting work, B+ spinning ,and libations flowing long and strong, the celebration got a solid turnout at Bergamot Station, with the crowds maneuvering to find the rare parking spots, so they could join in the festivities.

Along with celebrities like Matthew Perry, the enthusiastic crowd saw the first of a series of outdoor projection (Pro’jekt LA) featuring the night photography of Felipe Dupouy, Amanda Friedman and Helen K. Garber. Very appropriate.

So all this month, you can go to lectures, seminars, workshops, and catch 3 more outdoor projected events at various venues around town.

Start it off this Tuesday at the Pacific Design Center, and then on Thursday we all go back to the Annenberg Space for Photography, the latest jewel in LA’s photographic crown.

That’s right, New York. The left coast is becoming a contender.

Now also around town:

At the Getty Museum, we had a little inspiration for lunch the other day, with a side of incredible view, and some soup.
The current exhibit concentrating on color, features the carbro prints of Paul Outerbridge, and the more current techniques of Jo Ann Callis.
If you have never heard of Carbro prints before, they were a 3 neg, 3 tissue, complex color process which created an image that was, and is perhaps the most stable color process we’ve ever seen.

Image at right, Paul Outerbridge, Jr. © 2008 G. Ray Hawkins Gallery, Beverly Hills, California

Outerbridge didn’t invent it but was one of the most prominent photographers using it.
And as many artists are wont to do, he created some pretty controversial images, including nudes, with gardening gloves, which at the time (30’s) had Edward Scissorhands appendages at the fingers. We won’t show the image here, but you do the math.
However the entire body of work, including his magazine covers, still lifes, and other commercial work give you a glimpse into his colorful mind.
Unfortunately, his more unique, perverse images, caused his career to nosedive, and after his death in 1958, his widow destroyed most of the images, and the negs used to create them. Ouch.

Image at right, Self-Portrait with Orange Coffee Cup © Miller Family Trust A
Gift of The Miller Family Trust

Richard Miller was another practitioner of the carbro process and the Getty has put together an very informative show that includes a full physical set of every part of the carbro process, and the resultant print. They have some books in the museum store of his work , the quirkiest called Woman in Hats, with the most intense colors you’ve ever seen.

Image below,right © Jo Ann CallisWoman Twirling, 1985

There are books available for the Outerbridge show, Richard Miller, and Jo Ann Callis (we will cover her show in more detail) at the Getty Store and we’re considering a giveaway based on this show.
Oh yeah, there is also an overview show on Portraits with everyone from Nadar to Arbus.
Thank you Getty for having a photographic oasis in LA, complete with an excellent restaurant.
We highly recommend you visit the site as you will get the chance to hear and see so much more.

And one more thing: shout out to Track 16

with an exhibit of photographer Sam Cherry’s work. Charles Bukowski was one of his prime subjects and the early days of that literary genius. Also at Bergamot Station.

Not to be missed.
If you do catch some of the MOPLA events this month, come up and say hello.
I’ll be the guy with the camera. Oh, and a big smile.

We’ll gave you links, but when are you coming out to LA?

Tags: Annenberg Space for Photography, Bergamot Station, Galleries, Getty Museum, Jo Ann Callis, Lucie Awards, MOPLA, Paul Outerbridge, photography, Sam Cherry, Track 16