Continuing through September 3, 2011
Dabs Myla is an husband and wife duo that has colored the streets of L.A. the past few years with brightly colored murals. Originating from Australia, their unique characters, style, and energy borrows heavily from graffiti writing but with a visual vocabulary that extends beyond the genre. “The Best of Times” is inspired by their time in California, capturing elements of their large-scale creations that can sometimes extend several stories high outdoors. In the gallery hundreds of smaller items like furniture, paint cans, and telephones come to life as they are provided with a new skin and personality. The painted walls set a context for traditionally framed work.
The duo’s individual talents are employed in a complementary manner. Myla is responsible for the cityscapes and Dabs creates the cartoon inspired imagery. The images appear sweet and sensible, but the details make them much more devious. In “Sweet Sunshine” a nostalgic bottle of Nesbitts Orange Cola smokes a cigarette. The smoke then forms another character that seems pleased to hover above a photorealistic coffee shop. Together, the bottle and smoke appear to be the alter egos of the artists reliving their adventures (Thinkspace Gallery, Culver City).
