My Trip to the Theatre to See Art

Jennifer Kukla

Visual Arts Editor

Last Saturday, I went to the opening of "Love Letters" at the El Portal Theatre, right in the heart of the NoHo Arts District. The play was spectacular, but my real purpose for going to the theatre was to see the new artwork being displayed in the El Portal Gallery. Two artists are currently being featured, Christopher Naylor and Daniel DeBevoise. 

Christopher Naylor has several paintings displayed throughout the lobby and hallways, which adds vibrancy to the theatre. The paintings are full of rich colors and texture, and I found myself mesmerized by several while I was in line. Chris described the style of this exhibit as "abstract expression" and "semi-representational." Most of the pieces are abstract, but as Chris said, there are representational features in a few. For example, his favorite piece showing is “Fire and Ice,” which hangs in the front lobby. This large painting shows a man about to mount a horse. For Chris, the horse represents stability and the abundant use of yellow represents the sun. This painting has a raw energy and deep emotional feel that Chris credits for making this painting his favorite currently at El Portal.

Chris has lived in the Los Angeles area for 26 years, and he worked in animations at Disney and Warner Brothers for 18 years. For the past seven years, he has concentrated on fine arts. I asked Chris why he chose the NoHo Arts District to exhibit his work. Interestingly, Chris was curating a show in the building across the street from El Portal where he met and formed a relationship with the El Portal management team. El Portal contacted Chris when they were looking for new artwork for their lobby. Chris also stated that has an obsession and love for art, and that is why he does what he does. “I live for Art,” he said.

Another artist that loves what he does is Daniel DeBevoise. I really enjoyed Dan’s work and was particularly impressed with the way in which his photos were printed. Dan took some old film that he had shot several years ago, and using Photoshop, he was able to restore the damage to the photos due to age and wear. The photos are a digital giclee print on watercolor paper, which lasts for 150 years! The photos are beautiful and restored down to the last detail, so well that no one could tell that some of the images had been shot nearly 30 years ago. Dan describes his style as a combination of the past and the future with a surreal twist. Dan is also displaying some current photos, using black and white prints. Dan likes to depict reality, and he is working on photographing people and urban landscapes. He told me that his favorite piece being displayed is “Anti War Protest,” which is a photo of a 1969 anti-war march in New York City. The clear images of the protestors don the foreground, while solarized images of trees and soldiers in combat fill the background. There is even one dead soldier, who is being pulled down by a tree branch that wraps around his neck. The images represent life and death and makes for a very powerful piece.

Dan has been a photographer for nearly half a century. Dan has been a photographer for Vistazo, the Ecuadorian equivalent of Life Magazine and then, back in the U.S., as a staff photographer for the New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, photographing museum exhibits, openings & receptions for internationally renowned artists at major New York City museums.  He was also a photographer for the Associated Press, UPI & ANSA in Rome, Italy where he shot events such as museum exhibits, fashion shows, Roman antiquity and urban landscapes.  Dan was also the commercial photographer for the Italian equivalent of encyclopedia Britannica, D’Agostini di Novarra. Dan is a photographer because he loves the process of creating. He enjoys bringing the past to the present and maybe into the future. He also is fascinated with restoring old photos. Dan chose North Hollywood because it is an art community. He is working on combining historical views of Venice Beach, such as the “Venice Pier Arson” with present images of Venice Beach. Hopefully, that exhibit will be coming soon!

I had a memorable experience at El Portal.  Not only did I see a sensational performance, but I got to see two spectacular artists.  El Portal offers the best of both worlds, the best of the performing and visual arts.  In NoHo, the Arts ARE Center Stage.