Students of Biola’s art program are putting together a giant research project for an exhibition titled “Los Angeles Sees Itself.” The project has been in the making since the 2022-23 academic year. Students are working with art professors Dan Callis and Astri Swendsrud. Carl Berg, curator for PRJCTLA, an art space featuring LA-based and international artists, is also working alongside students to bring the project to fruition.

PREVIEWING THE GALLERY SET-UP

Junior art major Jennifer Cai will help curate the research project exhibition. She explained how the project would be set up. The exhibition will utilize both the Bardwell Art Gallery and the Green Art Gallery.

“Bardwell will be the student space where we can [display] our research and final results,” Cai said.

The Green Art Gallery will display artwork of artists from Los Angeles and will be curated by Berg.

“[Berg has been] really important in this whole process,” Cai said. 

During the research process, students went around Los Angeles and visited museums and art shows. Cai explained that as students found artists they liked, Berg helped them contact the artists to have their work displayed in the Green Art Gallery. 

“We’re very grateful to have Carl Berg,” Cai said.

The “Los Angeles Sees Itself” project will be split into several sections exploring the different sub-cultures of Los Angeles — aerospace and cars; astronomy and architecture; deserts and mountains; and urban, suburban and beach.

In addition to the exhibition, the art department will have a book documenting the whole research process of “Los Angeles Sees Itself.” The project is the only art show for the semester and will open on Oct. 23.