Openings: Andrew Hem – “Cold Water” @ LeBasse Projects

This past weekend, Lebasse Projects in Culver City presented an exhibition by artist Andrew Hem (interviewed). Titled Cold Water, the show displayed the LA-based artist’s impressive aesthetic which utilizes oil and acrylic as a starting point. However, beyond these simple materials, the works on display, which ranged from character-based paintings to small wooden-like figurines, bring out a sense of story telling that makes the art an incredible sight.

It’s interesting to point out that Hem’s artistic trajectory began with traditional graffiti. Yet, this exhibit clearly shows his transition from that style of art to a more personal and inclusive style which is able to capture richly textured paintings entirely focused on the individual. This exhibit goes hand in hand with a mural he worked on a few weeks back, in which he utilized the concept of family as a way to tell a story. In a sense, that mural was able to integrate his roots in graffiti with his more recent character-based artwork showing in this exhibit.

More opening photos after the jump…