21 PAINTING from LA

September 19–November 16, 2002

James Gobel’s promising and historically significant exhibition, 21 Paintings from LA presented by
the Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum in the fall of 2002, continued a series of the museum’s successful group presentations of the very newest in contemporary art. The series was initiated three years earlier, in the fall of 1999 by Portraits from LA, which was curated by Don Woodford, followed by Eye Candy in the spring of 2000 and Out of Context in the spring of 2002—both conceived and curated by Susan Joyce.

As James Gobel stated, the formula for “21” was very simple: 21 works by 21 contemporary Los Angeles artists who chose painting as their medium. Intended as a “snap shot” or a “time capsule” of Los Angeles current art scene, the exhibition was noteworthy for several reasons. It brought together a fascinating, colorful and extremely diverse group of artists, all of which experiment widely with the medium reaching its new potentials for today as well as its possible paths for tomorrow. The artists also presented a variety of perspectives on many issues, as they were able to express many of the concerns we all share in the uncertain times we live in. Because I am sure that many of the artists in the show define, and will continue to do so, the Los Angeles art scene of the decade, I am very pleased that the museum had the opportunity to host their work in 2002.

Eva Kirsch, Director

Tom Allen
Philip Argent
Jacqueline Bootier
Jane Calliste
Steven Criqui
Sean Duffy
Michelle Fierro
Kim Fisher
Gajin Fujit
Wendell Gladstone
Stephen Heer
Ed Johnson
David Korty
Kelly McLan
Lisa Mihm
Eric Niebuhr
Stephanie Pryor
Jonathan Pylypchuk
Aaron Romine
Adam Ross
Tyler Vlahovich