A new vision for art galleries in L.A.

Young entrepreneurs change the art gallery scene in Los Angeles

An art gallery should be a welcoming place where all types of people feel comfortable to learn about and acquire art, and that's exactly what Hold Up Art aims to do.

Located in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles' cultural hub of food and art, Hold Up Art strives to make art accessible to people of all backgrounds.
"I think an easy way to look at this gallery is like a clothing boutique. We try to create a comfortable environment where you're not freaked out by a $500 leather jacket next to a pair of socks next to a pair of jeans that are priced all over the place," said Ben Kaufman, co-owner of the gallery. "If there's a celebrity buying some really nice thing and you can't afford that and you're buying the socks or the necklace that doesn't matter so much here."
The owners of Hold Up strive to break this impersonal cycle that closes art off to large parts of the public by making it inaccessible.


Hold Up Art opens its doors from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and until 10 or 11 p.m. on weekends, allowing a much larger audience for its exhibits.
Their extended hours open the gallery's doors to a broad range of people. "There's kids, there's Latinos, there's people buying food and eating around here, kids messing around on bikes going up and down here stop in, drunk Japanese guys that have been out drinking in Little Tokyo, tourists staying at the Kyoto hotel, totally a large spectrum of people," said Kaufman.
"Galleries should play a bigger role in society, they can offer a lot more. We try to engage everybody who walks in here," said Kaufman.
Some galleries come across as cold or intimidating, but accessibility and friendliness mean everything to Hold Up's owners. "We pull stuff out of the drawers and open up storage so you can see it and it doesn't matter if you have enough money to buy it or not, the idea is if you seeing it and thinking about it and telling people about it is better for the artist, it's better for us, it's better for society in general," said Kaufman.

Although it may seem the pair's youth would be a disadvantage in the art world, it hasn't always been.
"It definitely hurts and helps in some respects," said Kaufman of their age and inexperience in the gallery world.
Their youth and interest in technology has allowed them to employ a variety of marketing techniques like a strong reliance on Facebook that many other galleries lack and allows them to connect with a younger audience.
"

What resonates with these guys is that we are on the same page, sometimes street artists will come in and walk around and not introduce themselves and kind of check you out first," said Kaufman.
Kaufman said some of his and Lee's biggest challenges were establishing credibility and a body of art to open the gallery.
"

We really try to consign all the art but we had to invest maybe $10,000 or $15,000 into art just so that we could get the art in here, because a lot of people wouldn't consign to a guy they'd never heard of with no gallery and no website," said Kaufman.
Kaufman admits the gallery is not a non-profit, and although he and Lee are in it to make money, they are also in it to bring art from artists they believe in to the public in a fun, relaxed way.
In the future, the pair would like to make Hold Up Art into a cultural hub in Little Tokyo, incorporating food, drink, fashion and music into the gallery experience.
"Being there to help educate all the people is definitely a cornerstone of our philosophy," said Kaufman.


Until then, Hold Up will continue providing great art to all types of people.


The gallery offers artist prints and posters for $20 to one-of-a-kind artist pieces upwards of $2,000.
"All the artists make it already, there's just not one place that sells it," said Kaufman of the prints. "You have to go to the poster shop or the gallery, you can find posters all over the place but can't often find originals in the same place."

This makes Hold Up unique among more traditional galleries in Los Angeles.

Kaufman co-owns the gallery with long-time friend and fellow University of Southern California graduate Brian Lee. The pair came up with the intention of opening an art gallery one night when throwing around ideas about the future.

Kaufman and Lee's youth and unconventional concept of what a gallery should be bring a fresh perspective to the relationship between art and the viewer.

"The art industry and art galleries have not been reevaluated—what's different about an art show now than in the 1970s, than in the 1950s or 1930s? It's exactly the same," said Kaufman. "There's wine and people mingling and looking at the art and then they all go home and then the gallery is open three hours a day, four days a week and then they have another opening three months later."
Video: The gallery's current exhibit features student art alongside professionals and benefits Room 13, an art studio in a Los Angeles middle school where students have the opportunity to practice art alongside professionals and have their work displayed in public.

What L.A. offers up-and-coming bands that the local market can't

A big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond. Many life decisions involve this dilemma, and navigating the music industry is no exception. Except in this case, the fish are bands living in local- or major-market waters.

Small towns appeal to musicians because of their local markets and ability to provide a fan base, but large entertainment cities such as Los Angeles and New York glow with possibility and lure aspiring musicians to move and become famous.

But which is better for aspiring bands? Is a relocation, possibly across the nation, really beneficial or will a new band get lost in a sea of hopeful artists all fighting for the same big break? Musicians must face these concerns in the decision whether or not to move to a new city to pursue music.

"I just moved here from Austin with the intention of moving my music career forward," said Jonathan Nesvadba, a 28-year-old local musician on his recent move to L.A. "With so many people living here having the intention of making a career in the music industry, I think L.A. is still a good place to learn how to make it just because of all the connections you can make with like-minded people."

Nesvadba, a bass player in the Austin-based band Paul Banks and the Carousels, moved to L.A. with no job or place to live in order to book shows for his band, become acquainted with the city's venues and find more opportunities to work in the music industry.

Jonathan Nesvadba works in his Austin
recording studio. (Paul Banks and the Carousels)

Musicians are willing to take these risks moving because cities like L.A. offer more opportunities due to the sheer number of venues, labels and other bands concentrated in one area.

"The cool thing about L.A. is you're always going to be able to get a gig somewhere somehow, and getting face time with a crowd is always a step in the right direction," said Alec Leverette, a student living in L.A. "It's about the number of venues."

Unlike other cities, L.A. is a must for any touring band and playing the city ensures its music will be heard by record labels and fans alike.

"The music scene is pretty amazing," said L.A. singer-songwriter and student Gianni Visciano. "You can go online to your favorite band's website and you better believe they'll be coming through soon enough. And then you look up that venue's calendar and see more and more of your favorite bands are going to be there soon."

The plethora of live music keeps the city alive with a bounty of choices every night of the week. Although some see the multitude of up-and-coming bands as competition, other artists see them as inspiration and a network where young bands can help each other.

"There are so many small pre-modern theaters such as the Orpheum downtown that have great shows every night," said Visciano. "As a musician L.A. is an amazing place to see live shows and play."

Small towns provide a loyal fan base to local bands that can become popular in the city's smaller market.

Lindsay Rae Spurlock plays a local bar in Baton Rouge,
a smaller market. (Lindsay Rae Spurlock)

"Musicians stay local because it is comfortable, and because they believe in focusing on a familiar market before taking their business to a competitive environment like LA, Nashville, or NYC," said Andrew Saunders, a junior majoring in music industry. "I also know that a lot of bands will stay local because of a supportive environment, especially in cities like Austin, Portland, and Seattle."

Many music-centric cities appeal to bands that fear getting lost in a giant market or are more comfortable in environments that embrace the indie-music culture and are dubious of the big labels.

Although smaller local markets are attractive because of their loyal fan base, the energetic L.A. music culture can also offer fans to new bands.

"I think the reason that the music scene is so great is because the audience is here to support it and the resources ––venues, festival coordinators–– are here to expose it," said Meghan Murray, co-author of an L.A. fashion and music blog, The Rad Diaries. "It's all about the culture man, the fans are what makes the musician famous and if a few mustached, tattooed dudes with a banjo show up at Amoeba [an L.A. music store] for a free show, their audience is bound to like them."

The experience varies depending on a band's style of music, talent and determination. The right city is unique to each performer and group. Listen to singer-songwriter Lindsay Rae Spurlock share her personal journey moving through various markets and why she ended up in L.A.

The Banjo Girl

With the rising popularity of bands like Mumford & Sons (playing at the Hollywood Palladium on October 18th), the bluegrass style of music inspired college student and music enthusiast Julia Vyborny to learn the banjo.



The videos below are included for a class project, and show my raw footage as well as the uncut interview.

Singer-songwriter Katherine Cresto shares her story

Katherine Cresto, a junior at the University of Southern California, shares her experience with music and becoming a songwriter.





Check out a video slide show about her here.

New USC venue Tommy's Place provides what Ground Zero lacks

If you're looking for a club atmosphere in the heart of the USC campus, newly opened venue Tommy's Place is for you.

The bar at the Campus Center's Traditions Restaurant.

Tommy's Place screening of the
Trojan football away game against Washington State.

A large, underground space is split between the newest reincarnation of campus pub Traditions, lovingly called Traddies, and Tommy's Place.

The new venue, part of the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, is a self-proclaimed concert venue, comedy-show stage and sport-screening location.

Previously, Ground Zero, a coffee house, was the main venue on USC's campus and attracted many up-and-coming bands from around L.A. including the Dodos and Imagine Dragons, as well as student bands The Smiles and Kiven.

Sophomore Gianni Visciano, majoring in music industry and minoring in entrepreneurship and songwriting, said playing at Ground Zero is like playing the quintessential coffee shop. "The stage calls together a crowd of people as diverse in their musical taste as the performers," said Visciano, who has played at the venue. Loved by artists for its intimate feel, "when you hit that last note on the guitar, you can hear your audience breathing," said Visciano.

Ground Zero serves shakes, tea and coffee
providing a study space for students.

T-Shirts of past performing
bands hang on the wall in Ground Zero.

Some students feared the addition of the new venue in the campus center would reduce Ground Zero's popularity.

"I really like that Ground Zero is a smaller, more intimate venue," said Faith Xue, a junior majoring in communication and minoring in musical studies. "I was excited for the opening of Tommy's Place, but worried it might take away from Ground Zero's ability to book shows."

However, the differences in the two venues appeal to a variety of performers and in the end complement rather than compete with each other.

"Open mics and other events at Ground Zero have grown significantly—not dropped—since Tommy's Place's opening," said Visciano. "Ground Zero has a special place in the University's heart."

Flyers for events cover
the coffee house's bulletin board.

The two venues could attract more acts to campus because the university now has spaces catering to every type of performer.

"A singer-songwriter or more acoustic act might feel more comfortable with the mellow Ground Zero crowd, but a rock band might feel more at home in a nightclub setting like Tommy's Place," said Natalie Angiuli, a junior majoring in theatre and music. "They definitely have two very different atmospheres, and both are cool."

This year, Ground Zero has hosted a weekly open mic night, poetry readings and improv groups.

Ground Zero hosts an event almost every night of the week.

Tommy's place kicked off its events with a Battle of the Bands, as well as local indie band Mississippi Man and screenings of football games.

Although football screenings are also offered at Ground Zero, "For football games it's better to go to Tommy's place because there is more of a social atmosphere, and for the over 21 crowd, it offers the opportunity to drink at Traddies," said Kirsley Perry, a junior majoring in accounting.

The new technology available at Tommy's Place is attractive to bands looking for a venue at USC.

Tommy's Place boasts
a projector screen and 10 plasmas.

"Since Tommy's Place is brand new, the sound equipment is more advanced —and spankin' new—so that's definitely a plus. However, Ground Zero really stepped up their game with new equipment last year, so they are definitely working to keep up with the times," said Anjiuli, who has performed at Ground Zero.

Ground Zero upgraded its sound equipment last year.

Both Ground Zero and Tommy's Place are attractive venues for bands booking shows, they each offer something different and complement each other to bring more acts to the university campus and provide more opportunities for student bands to be heard.

From the looks of it, both venues are thriving and here to stay.

A Brother From Another Mother: TLC's New Series "Sister Wives"

Kody and his three wives (TLC Press Website)

One man, three (soon to be four) wives, and 13 children.

Read my review of the series premiere on Neon Tommy.

Culture over couch: one young adult's Saturday morning spent looking at art instead of her TV screen

Abstract art from MOCA's permanent collection.

The MOCA in downtown L.A. provides an alternative to the usual weekend activities.



Get up, eat some breakfast, check Facebook, mess around online, read the paper. These are typical ways young people spend a Saturday morning. If some homework creeps in the mix, we're doing good.

Cultural considerations are seldom present in weekend plans of young adults unless required by a class or implemented by family. However, a trip to a museum can be more than an experience where you wait until it's over.

Last Saturday, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles with a friend and saw the museum's permanent collection and the current exhibit featuring Arshile Gorky.

With my student I.D. I bought a discounted ticket at $5 and entered the museum with no expectations.

Mirrors along a hallway in MOCA.

The museum's permanent collection offers a first-time visitor an impressive selection of contemporary art arranged chronologically from abstract impressionism to the most modern "light and space" art.

The first room greets you with blocks of color on canvas, as I expected to find in a contemporary art museum. Continuing through the different rooms, the art merges from the expected to the intriguing. Creative mixed media in the form of thought-provoking collages with interactive, 3-D elements keep your eyes and mind busy.


I spent several minutes examining vintage photographs decoupaged to a structure that encased a stuffed rooster and a pair of shellacked dress shoes in separate shelves.

A patron views the
Robert Frank photography exhibit.

High-profile pieces such as abstracts by Jackson Pollock and photographs by Diane Arbus and Robert Frank are included in the permanent collection, and it was gratifying to see pieces I recognized from popular culture and art history courses.

All-in-all, I felt the trip was well worth my time, and a worthwhile substitution for the usually mundane Saturday-morning activities.

Maybe next weekend I'll explore LACMA, or something else that Los Angeles culture offers.