See This: Gil Veni Vici's East Side Story at HVW8

Art, Read
Shout out Gil, Alex, and all the other artists apart of this show ! screen-shot-2016-09-19-at-3-34-44-pm img_4180 A weekend only celebration of East Los Angeles through the perspective of Gil Veni Vici. Born and raised in El Serreno, Gil shares a glimpse into his personal lifestyle by featuring 17 artists and tasking them with creating a piece of work that embodies the feel and culture of East Los Angeles. This group of artists, which includes emerging and established photographers, will pay homage to the Latin landmark and community-driven culture that this neighborhood represents. The featured photographs are taken in East L.A. and depict Gil as the main focus, celebrating his Mexican- American heritage.
The first photograph exhibited is on the exterior windows of the gallery, featuring a storefront size image taken by Gil of his daily encounters, placed parallel to the hand painted welcome signs. Entering the space one will feel as if they are stepping into a common East L.A. party or celebration scene, including a layered cake with pillars and colorful lighting, alongside the photographs being exhibited. The entire presentation explores the idea of a collective neighborhood and its deep-rooted traditions. The exhibition will also feature a large-scale installation and performance piece in the form of a poker game sequence. The characters depicted include opposing gangsters, a recontextualized childhood image of a surreal experience. In this dream state, confirmed by the mermaid character playing the dealer, one can imagine a collapsed encounter of different subcultures in a moment full of whimsical surrealism. Gil invites the viewer to step inside an intimate storyline that is stopped in time and representative of his upbringing.
On View September 23 - 25 at HVW8 (661 N Spaulding Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036)