The idea of a failed utopia is certainly nothing new as those of us who live in any bustling city like Los Angeles will tell you, but the way in which this failure is understood can, and must be, redefined according to the state of disintegration we have become accustomed to. “Grind,”  a group exhibition curated by Joshua Nathanson at Various Small Fires is an energetic, if not somewhat haptic take on the age-old theme of the city as its own crumbling ecosystem of smog and hopelessness amidst stunning skyscraper views. Spanning a variety of materials from Vanessa Conte’s beautiful and elegant acrylic on canvas works to Asha Schechter’s oddly idiosyncratic inkjet prints on adhesive vinyl of everyday objects like light bulbs and rotten persimmons, the works in this exhibition are all of a piece, and leaves one wondering if our all too digital future might very well consume us completely.

Various Small Fires

812 North Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90038

Show runs through Aug. 27, 2016