One of the coolest museums in the state of California (The Hammer) is operating a great exhibit featuring the work of the brilliant pioneering artist Robert
Heinecken. An L.A. legend whose mark was left all over the art scene of our fair city, Heinecken cultivated amazing photographic images that were
completely unique from what anyone was doing at the time.
He mixed medias such as sculpting, photography, video, collage, dark room images, reverse photography, print making and more into a cosmic soup that
culled images and themes related to the human body, sex, gender identification, commercialism, colonization, and dreams.
A lot of what the man who once dubbed himself a "para-photographer" remains relevant today, as he is a precursor to a state of mind that is currently very
very in style (and has been for at least the last 30 years). Heinecken (much like Araki) took things that were racy, dark, and to some perhaps perverted and he
literally stylized them, flipped them, and reconstituted them. A lot of what has been happening in fashion, and cinema over the course of the last 20 years can
be linked to his contribution the world of beastWAVE.
The Hammer is a free institution, and Heinecken is a beast that doesn't get enough accolades in our humble opinion. So with that being said, its a great way
to spend an afternoon in L.A. and to take in the work of a legend.
