Los Angeles and Six Countries Honor Art of Freedom
at USC Bunker Art Group Exhibit
(Back to top)
LOS ANGELES (7/14) - On July 14th hundreds of people from Los
Angeles and six Baltic countries participated in a day long
cultural celebration to kickoff a four month art exhibit of
the
Bunker Art Group at the
USC IGM Art Gallery in Los Angeles. The exhibit was
organized in collaboration with the Polish Consulate General
Republic of Poland, the Polish National Tourist Office, and
the USC IGM Art Gallery.
The opening drew international interest as
people from Russia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and
Armenia participated in a cultural celebration throughout the
day. This day of artistic and cultural awareness included a
breakfast, luncheon, press conference and a gala twilight
opening. On this day to remember, people from Los Angeles and
across the world were treated to the sights, sounds, smells
and entertainment from various ethnic groups in support of
artists who have emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The exhibit entitled "Broken
Eggs: Abstract Art, the Language of Freedom” presents
the abstract art
of the Bunker Art Group. The Bunker Art Group
represents those that created underground and were treated by
the Soviet regime as dissidents before the fall of communism
in the Soviet Block countries.
The Bunker Art Group core now lives in
America where since their arrival, they have worked to create,
build, advance and exhibit their art as symbolic expressions
of their greater freedoms and as unquestionable evidence of
the depth of their creativity. Their art passionately utilizes
color, shape, brush and assemblage to create one-of-a-kind
masterpieces of abstract expression. Instilling passion or
calm in beautiful blends of shape and color, Bunker art is a
creative, inspired and prolific expression of each individual
artist. As a Bunker advocate recently said: "The only thing
that stands in the way of greatness for this group, this
inspired movement, this tribute to free expression, is getting
the world to see them."
Bunker Art serves as an exemplary hallmark
to artistic potential that thrives when artists are free to
create. Bunker Art shines as a beacon of hope for the
benefits of a free and creative world, demonstrating that Art
is Life; Life is Art. It represents individual effort and the
effort of humanity; the struggle of the artist as it parallels
the struggle of the world. It represents anyone who lives life
attentively in service to inclusive, creativity and
unrepressed freedom of expression.
Excitement built throughout the day
beginning with the guests from the four Baltic countries
sharing the resources and opportunities of their countries
with each other and tourism representatives from the Greater
Los Angeles Area.
The twilight opening event was truly a
unique multicultural, intergenerational experience. Artists,
academics, and curious members of the public met each other
and engaged in dynamic dialog in the halls and atrium of the
USC IGM Art Gallery. The talkative upbeat crowd was obviously
stimulated by the holistic environment: art, food, speeches,
exotic Living Sculptures, award presentations and unique
entertainment. Something special or big was happening.
More than the rhythm of African drumming
and singing, musicians and dancers, Living Sculptures
gliding through the crowd, good food, dynamic discussion, and
inspiring art, something was “in the air.” More than the KIPP
Charter School student docents engaging the audience in lively
dialog about abstract art and the sense of pride all had in
these youth. More than an inner excitement generated by a
permeating presence of a positive life affirmative
spirit passion set free.
A sense that something special, larger than
any individual or group, was felt. All were in some sense
experiencing a little part of history or had the feeling they
were witnessing the birth of a movement towards something
great and lasting. There was an understanding of and
commitment to opportunity for all, inclusive, and a driving
effort for the world to change, accomplish, and create. All
present felt The Bunker Spirit.
Over the next several months numerous
events associated with the exhibit are planned at the USC IGM
Art Gallery. They are intended to gather public, private,
nonprofit, academic and media leaders to promote the exhibit
and create greater public awareness of the Bunker Spirit. The
organizers will bring local and global leaders together to
share and leverage resources to meet the challenges of rapidly
advancing technology, environmental sustainability, and genome
research implementing change management and Bunker Spirit.
The Broken Eggs exhibit at the USC
IGM Art Gallery has already drawn substantial attention for
Bunker’s efforts representing a true manifestation of global
concepts of economic self-sufficiency, social justice and
artistic freedom. It has inspired others to collaborate and
further the Bunker example of ways creativity can flourish in
free and just societies, an integral component of democracy.
The USC IGM Art Gallery, the Bunker Art
Group, the ARTery USA and others envision an international
cultural exchange with plans to travel the exhibit in service
to their missions to ensure a bright future for the world’s
children.
Los Angeles City Council Members Recognize Organizers
In recognition of this effective
collaboration, Los Angeles City Council members
Tom LaBonge (Fourth District) and
Ed Reyes (First District) provided special
City
Proclamations to the Bunker Group, the Polish Consulate
General Republic of Poland, the Polish National Tourist
Office's Baltic Seminar, Lynn Crandall, Director of The USC
IGM Art Gallery and The ARTery for their vision in
collaborating to organize a day long international trade
seminar, a press reception and an opening reception of
Broken Eggs for the public to share and recognize the
Bunker Group.
Bunker Art Group Honored by Salute America
The
Bunker Art Group, was honored at opening by the USC IGM
Art Gallery, The ARTery and the
Salute America Campaign not only for the extra effort to
emerge from an oppressive environment and for the
manifestation their talent and brilliant expressions
through their art, but also for their model for economic
self-sufficiency and social justice .with freedom. The
Extra Effort Awards were presented by Senior Senator James
"Pasqual" Bettio, Founder of the ARTery and Lynn Crandall,
Director of the USC IGM Art Gallery to
Kiki (Grigor
Mikaelyan), Founder and leader of The Bunker Group, Lark
(Larisa Pilinsky), Artist/Exhibit Curator and artists Sev
(Hachatryan, Henry), Rotch (Armen Hajian), Achot Achot (Achot
Kazarian), Narine Isajanyan, Lucine Khachatrian, Olga Rader,
and Tigran Aroutiounian.
The Art of
Freedom Team
United in Effort United
in Vision
The
accomplishments generated by this collaboration of
leaders are evident in the list of the organizations and
individuals who have come together through the extra
effort of the organizing team.
Opening Reception Organizing Committee
(Back to top)
Dr. Larry Kedes – Director, USC IGM
Lynn Crandall - Director USC IGM Art Gallery, DnA Project Mgr.
Agnieszka Miziolek – USC IGM Art Gallery Operations Officer
Larisa Pilinsky -
Artist/Curator - The Bunker Art Group
Senior Senator J. "Pasqual"
Bettio - Founder, The ARTery USA
Acknowledgements
(Back to top)
The USC IGM Art Gallery Board
Dr. Larry Kedes, Lynn Crandall, Tom Frye, Ron Bitzer, Kaz Yeghiazarian,
Luke Levandoski, Les Hamasaki, Marjorie Matsushita, Faranak
Van Patten
Advisors
Ed Vaynman,
Luis Garcia
Webwork/Digital Advisors
D.
Lindley Young, Scott Young.info, Henryk
Chrostek, Artur Patkowski
Education
Advisors
Javier
Espinoza, John Lee
Vocalist
Carmelita
Pitman, Founder, Rose Breast Cancer Assn.
Culinary Expertise
Grace Yates
Pasqual's Strut Wearable Art
Key Hair
Stylist & Stylist
Marcel Munoz
Make-Up
Artist
Aimee Torres
Living Art
Sculptures
Nickey
Anderson, Steve Anderson, Ernie Anderson, Johanna Hickey
Sibella's Divine Capes
Los Angeles
City Counsel Proclamations
Click item to enlarge
(Back to top)
Los Angeles City Counsel members Ed Reyes (First District)
and Tom LaBonge (Fourth District) honored the Bunker Group,
The Polish National Tourist Office, USC IGM Art Gallery ad The
ARTery USA with Certificates of Recognition for their
contributions. Below are some of the certificates.
_small.JPG)
Event Pictures
Click item to enlarge
(Back to top)
More event Picture
Greater
Global Connection and Communication
A Product of Vision -
The Result of Effort
Art,
universal in its ability to communicate provides an
unlimited timeless vehicle to advance understanding and
appreciation among global cultures. The
USC IGM Art Gallery,
The ARTery USA, the
Bunker Art Group,
Salute America and others will foster, encourage, promote,
create, exchange, exhibit, and otherwise advance global arts
and artists by connecting artists and their creations to
global ethnic, cultural, religious, and geographic
communities.
We are establishing
interdependent strategic alliances with independent
individuals, organizations, corporations, government entities
and government agencies to advance multicultural,
multinational creation and exchange of the arts. Through a
collaboration of local and international organizations and
public, private, non-profit, academic and media partnerships
we will participate in and encourage greater cultural,
artistic, scientific and historical exchange to advance
understanding and communication and to advance free
expression, social acceptance and greater creative
opportunity.
The primary colors of
the heart of man are
a common bond for humanity
when they are freely and truly communicated and exchanged.
)
)
.JPG)
