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Artist Conversation: Simon Barrad & Showzart
Curator Leeav Sofer paired artists Showzart and Simon Barrad together and asked them to have a conversation about the works they each created for 'For The Love Of L.A.' These two artists have never met before, and the discussion recorded is their first meeting and the first time they are viewing each others' art pieces.
Artist Statement
In Showzart’s piece for Listen Louder L.A., part of The Music Center’s For the Love of L.A., he shows that California alone needs to pay more attention to its neighbors, and the economic disadvantage that the state allows in every zip code. We as a state need to do better and not point the finger, but step up before we all be what we see, UNSHELTERED! No one can throw the blame, we must uplift each other and become what we want to see for and from the next individual.
Biography
Showzart is a muralist, community organizer and resident of Skid Row where he works tirelessly to elevate the unsheltered community. The self-proclaimed “Art Jedi” grew to love art from a young age. He first learned about public art through graffiti and tagging in South Central, and he created his first mural at the age of thirteen. A fixture of the Los Angeles street art scene, Showzart believes that art is and should always be for the community. In his work with the social service organization Without Shelter, he uses his art to provide jobs and economic change. Throughout his work, Showzart chooses to represent those among us who are underrepresented in art and media, giving a voice and a face to those who may not have the means to speak for themselves.
Curated by Leeav Sofer
Curator's Statement
"My intention for the project, Listen Louder L.A., is to explore the diversities of our city’s people and ideals, by offering people the opportunity to listen outside their boundaries as the centerpiece of collective art.
Three pairs of artists will be invited to participate in a two-part journey of creating their art. Artists will represent different artistic mediums, including visual arts and dance, as well as instrumental and vocal music, and will be selected from diverse socio-economic and artistic backgrounds. The project will intentionally curate pairs of artists that create opposing dichotomies. We will pair together artists that have had easier journeys to have their forms of expression heard with artists who continue to struggle to be heard.
All artists will be commissioned to create an artwork and then will be brought together in pairs to share their commission with one another and have a moderated conversation to discuss their interpretation of the prompt. Their cross interview will be recorded and then shared as the second half of the artwork’s journey."
