Occupying both spaces of Bel Ami, one brightly lit and the other black like a darkroom, this duo show of artists Juliana Halpert and Parker Ito is a celebration of image-making, whether that process is through painting, photography or scanning art catalogs. Reminiscent of a computer desktop or tabs in a web browser, the panoramic works in Ito’s series “Clear Sushi” layer archival images of religious icons with smaller photos in the corners, ranging from a copy of an Ingres painting to a more recent photo of a hummingbird. Capturing moments both planned and spontaneous, Halpert’s sharp images of an orchid competition, which feature the flowers as well as the judges, are paired with a tender black-and-white portrait of a close friend with a tree’s flower at her cheek. As a signifier of a point of convergence in their practices, a Jules Olitski painting from Ito’s possession hangs in between the two artist’s works, the story behind that choice detailed in their statements for the show. Perhaps the most special commonality between Halpert and Ito is that they’re both great writers: So rarely is a press release—this one featuring accounts from both artists’ perspectives on their collaboration and practices—poignant, vulnerable yet funny, and undoubtedly worth the read.

Bel Ami
709 N. Hill St., #103 & #105
Los Angeles, CA 90012
On view through July 8, 2023