State of the Art LA: The Week in Latino Art

Image: Estevan Oriol

State of The Art is Remezcla’s weekly guide to Latin art openings in your city each week. Mingle with art admirers, collectors and casual passersby to check out these new works. And don’t forget to grab a free glass of wine…or three.

Estevan Oriol LA Portraits Book Release — La Luz de Jesus Gallery

Very few people can brag that they’ve photographed everyone from Danny Trejo to Ryan Gosling to Kanye West. Then again, not many people can so successfully capture the gritty beauty of LA like photographer Estevan Oriol. Working in both black-and-white and color photography, he’s captured the faces — and personalities – of characters both famous and familiar. Starting out as a club bouncer turned tour manager, Oriol has since photographed for major companies like Nike and Cadillac. This Friday, March 28, he will signing copies of his photography book “L.A. Portraits” at La Luz de Jesus Gallery from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The book is more than 130 pages of photos taken in the past 20 years. If you can’t catch the event, you can email sales@soapplant.com to reserve your signed copy. In the meantime, we’re going back to browsing his website — we just spotted a young Justin Timberlake.

Sinful Saints and and Saintly Sinners — Fowler Museum

Many Latino households know the Catholic religion well. Somewhere in your house there is probably a Virgen or a Jesus. “Sinful Saints and Saintly Sinners at the Margins of the Americas” takes a look at the complexity of these worshipped beings as they exist in Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Brazil and the United States. Showcasing the talent of more than sixty artists working in everything from installation to sculpture to painting, the exhibit will take a fantastically diverse approach to the topic. You can browse different sections that focus on themes like Catholic martyrs, sinners and icons. We’re especially interested in the work of LA-based artist Alma López who uses a lesbian Chicana lens to rethink Catholic saints. It’s not your ordinary show — and maybe not one your Catholic mama would appreciate. We’re okay with that. The opening party, featuring Day of the Dead wine and beer and Mexican Moonshine tequila, will take place March, 29 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Send your RSVP to fowlerRSVP@arts.ucla.edu.

The Painted City: Art from Teotihuacan — LACMA

As much as we enjoy finding new art on Instagram and Twitter, it’s good to step back sometimes and discover more, well, ancient art in a museum. There’s a certain beauty in a cracked, gorgeously decorated vessel that today’s art just can’t reproduce. Plus, you know, the rich history inscribed on these century-old pieces. This Saturday, March 29, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will unveil an exhibition of ceramics from Teotihuacan, an ancient city. You can see 14 vessels and a mural fragment from this region nearby today’s Mexico City. According to the museum, it was the biggest metropolis in Mesoamerica. Take advantage of this rare chance to see the vessels up close before they leave — you never know what you might find. “The Painted City: Art from Teotihuacan” runs until December 7.