"Looking," at Edward Cella Art + Architecture, is an exhibition focusing on the artworks of Patrick Angus (1953-1992) and Stuart Sandford (born 1978). The exhibition features drawings, photographs, and sculptures by artists, who despite working some 35 years apart share in creating artworks that represent gay culture in Los Angeles across four decades.
Patrick Angus's Los Angeles drawings capture the artist's experience discovering the city and its inhabitants at the beginning of his career as an openly gay artist. Angus created the drawings in 1979, inspired by David Hockney's book 72 Drawings, which also features portraits of men together in everyday life. His Los Angeles drawings are a direct conversation with Hockney, who remained a mentor, friend, and collector of Angus's work until the artist's death from AIDS in 1992.
"Looking" is Sandford's debut exhibition at the gallery and will feature Polaroids that were created during his fellowship at the Tom of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles, along with other selected recent works. Building on an ongoing practice investigating unbridled adolescent narcissism and the self-reflexive nature of photography in the era of selfies, Facebook, and Instagram, Sandford redeploys analog photographic process to document his experiences, preserving them for posterity with an unlikely medium.
Angus was born in Los Angeles and eventually moved to New York City, where he was deemed "The Toulouse-Lautrec of Times Square" for his works depicting young male erotic dancers at the Gaiety Theatre.
Sandford was born in Sheffield, England, and studied at Sheffield Hallam University. His work was published in BUTT's 2010 pinup calendar and has been featured in articles by Out There Magazine in the U.K., Hyperallergic in the U.S., and TUSH in Germany. Sandford is currently working on a book titled after the address of Tom of Finland's famous residence, 1421 Laveta Terrace.
Exhibition: June 20-July 18; reception: Saturday, June 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more information see Edward Cella Art + Architecture.
Stuart Sandford
Jordan in the bathroom, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus (1953-1992)
Dejeuner sur L'herbe, 1/22/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
Durk and Sharp in the garden at magic hour, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Kissers and Pool Players
Stuart Sandford
The palm trees of Laveta Terrace, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Disco Ball and Mirrors, 2/21/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
Connor's ass, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Naked Boys at Volley Ball Net, 2/4/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
David in the garden, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
The Peaceable Kingdom (after Edward Hicks), 1/30/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
Self-portrait with Leo #1, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Street Scene With Six Figures - Penis/Canse Visual Pun. 1/10/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
Patrick in the garden, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Man, Woman, Dog on Beach, 2/13/79, 1979
Graphite on paper
Stuart Sandford
It's not just a garden it's a Pleasure Park, 2014
Polaroid print
Patrick Angus
Man With Legs Spread Open
Stuart Sandford
Shawn (Death), 2014
Polaroid print
