On Saturday July 1, Artist Ramona Otto, known for sculptures made from found objects, will host a walk-through and reception for her solo exhibition “Inside the Jewel Box” in the iconic Fine Arts Building in downtown Los Angeles.
The show features 17 pieces encrusted with vintage jewelry, gems, charms, trinkets, and other ephemera. “Inside the Jewel Box” was guest curated by Nancy Larrew, and is part of the ongoing “Art Meets Architecture” series, curated by Lisa Ames. Otto says, “It is my intention for these art pieces to pay homage to the beauty and jewel box quality of the LA Fine Arts Building.” It runs through July 8.
Programming for “Art Meets Architecture” presents 21st century art in extraordinary architectural settings, including the lobby of the Romanesque Revival-style Fine Arts Building, a 1927 structure that was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1974.
In her Artist’s Statement, Otto says, “I love a treasure hunt: the preparation, organization, and research involved in finding something illusive, the excitement of searching for hidden gems, the thrill of finding the unexpected, and the payoff of completing a time-consuming endeavor. The pieces in my latest body of work, “Inside the Jewel Box,” all started with searching for vintage treasures at flea markets, yard sales, and antique stops…Each time I find a piece that will work perfectly, my heart skips a beat…Searching for pieces with the right shape to convey the right idea, it is very much like completing a puzzle without a picture to guide me. It is my intention for these art pieces to pay homage to the beauty and jewel box quality of the LA Fine Arts Building.”
Based in the Los Angeles area (Santa Monica), Ramona Otto has been making fine art works from found objects for almost two decades. Previous solo exhibitions include: “An American Love Story: The Art of Ramona Otto” at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles; “Found In America” at the Craft In America Center in Los Angeles (the brick and mortar space of the PBS series “Craft In America”); and “Oh Say Can You See, The Flag Art of Ramona Otto” at Los Angeles City Hall.
The lobby of the Fine Arts Building is open to the public from 8AM-8PM, seven days a week. It is located at 811 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017, just steps from the 7th Street Metro Center, which is the end of the Expo Line .
