Modernism exhibition showcases 20th century artwork
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 10, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 Collage 20th Century Classics Pictured is an industrial
copper and white painted metal pendant lamp by Paul Henningsen for
Louis Poulsen (1926).
By Amy Shen
Daily Bruin Contributor
In a modern world of mass production and homogenization, relics
of an artistic past are rare.
The L.A. Modernism Show, which takes place Saturday and Sunday
at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, features rare art and design
in pieces and collections that represent the major artistic
movements of the last 100 years. The show is renowned as one of the
most distinctive displays of 20th century art in L.A. and the
country.
Top galleries and dealers travel from around the world to
exhibit and sell their rare and unique collections to the public.
Furniture, jewelry, clothing, decorative and fine arts will be
featured from various styles and periods of the 20th century
““ including Art Deco, Cubism and Art Nouveau.
“The dealers put so much effort into their
exhibits,” said Wlodek Malowanczyk, owner of the Collage 20th
Century Classics gallery, which will be at the show, in a phone
interview from Dallas, Texas.
“It’s very hard to find the right products ““
the right furniture, the right piece of glass,” he said.
“You try to bring the best of what your gallery represents
while expressing your own personal interests.”
Malowanczyk said that the show, with its rare collections, never
fails to draw a large celebrity clientele from the entertainment
industry in Los Angeles, including stars like Brad Pitt, Steve
Martin, Dennis Hopper and Matt Groening. Also in attendance will be
some of the countries’ most distinguished art collectors. For
these individuals, dealers save their most rare, unique and high
caliber pieces that represent the personal style of their
galleries.
This year marks L.A. Modernism’s 14th anniversary and the
show promises to live up to the high standards set in previous
years.
Malowanczyk’s gallery has been a part of the L.A.
Modernism Show since the show’s inception. Malowanczyk said
this year his gallery will feature an array of hard-to-find
furniture and decorative arts, such as cubist storage units and
industrial lamps from the 1920s, as well as a rare coffee table
from the ’40s.
Highlighting the exhibit is designs by Charles and Ray Eames,
including the unique and sought-after Eames Storage Unit 400 that
was withdrawn from production in the mid-1950s.
“When I travel over half of the country to come to the
show, I try to bring very collectible pieces,” Malowanczyk
said. “I save pieces specifically for the L.A. Modernism
show.”
The Off the Wall Gallery, located on Melrose Avenue, will also
exhibit some hard to find treasures, such as 50 rare mechanical
styled artworks produced by Arch E. and Hazel Baranger. The works
were originally displayed in jewelry store windows between 1930 and
1959, featuring whimsical scenes from Disney productions such as
“Alice and Wonderland” and “Snow White.”
The “Snow White” piece will be on hand at the show,
featuring the seven dwarfs as mechanical men making diamond
rings.
“This is the first time that such a large collection of
these has ever been shown to the public, let alone shown for
sale,” said Dennis Clark, co-owner of Off the Wall
Gallery.
“The theme is the machine-age industry meets American
advertising,” Clark said. “They’re all
beautifully machined with incredible working mechanisms. …
They’re really quite magnetizing. Everyone that comes to see
them is totally drawn into them ““ they really bring a smile
to everyone’s face.”
Besides the rarities found in exhibits hosted by Collage 20th
Century Classics and Off the Wall Gallery, about 60 other American
galleries will be displaying their goods and exhibits by
international galleries from Argentina, Canada, England, France and
Italy will be present as well.
The L.A. Modernism Show promises to provide collectors,
celebrities, browsers and art buffs alike with something to suit
their tastes.
“Whether you buy something or you don’t,
you’re really going to get a visual treat seeing things that
you’ve only previously seen in books ““ it truly is the
best of the best,” Clark said.
SHOW: The L.A. Modernism Show will be held at
the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St. in Santa Monica on
Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 13 from 11
a.m. to 5 p.m. For information call (310) 455-2886.
