This Saturday night in Los Angles, there’s going to be a special art show hosted by Neil Gaiman and actress Fairuza Balk and produced by Dangerous Minds pal Lenora Claire:

“Illuminate Parkinsons” is a benefit for Becky Hurd’s Illuminate charity fighting young onset Parkinson’s disease

The aim of Illuminate is to raise awareness of Young Onset Parkinsons while raising funds to support Parkinsons charities. The Illuminate Parkinsons International Photography Exhibition has been created by Becky’s best friend and celebrity photographer, Allan Amato. This amazing photographic journey into the world of Parkinsons spans two years beginning in September 17th at Pop tART Gallery. Subjects in the exhibit include Terry Gilliam, Neil Gaiman, Kevin Smith and an assortment of other fascinating people all of whom lent their support to the project.

The initial aim of the Illuminate Parkinsons campaign was to raise £100,000 for Parkinsons charities. So far the campaign has generated over £51,000 since it began with the first Illuminate Ball in Birmingham in April 2010. Since the first ball Illuminate Parkinsons has gone from strength to strength with many new fundraising projects.

Illuminate Parkinsons by Allan Amato
Saturday, September 17th, 8-11pm Pop tART Gallery, 3023 W. 6th St., Los Angeles

Jane Wiedlin by Austin Young
 
The Dirty Show®, Detroit’s infamous underground erotic art exhibition, returns to Los Angeles for another go-round June 10-11.

Instead of being held in a gallery space, this exhibition will be held in the “authentically appropriate” rooms of the sleazy City Center Hotel. (As they organizers admit: “You probably won’t find it in Frommers”).

“We see it as a mix between and exhibition and an art fair. A really fucked up art fair, but an art fair nonetheless,” Jerry Vile, The Dirty Show® founder says.

Artists will include actress/singer/performance artist Ann Magnuson, stained glass artisan Juan Martin del Campo Jr., photographer Greg Firlotte, painter Scooter LaForge, fashion illustrator Richard Haines, sculptor Cheryl Ekstrom, Carol Sixsixtysix, fashion stylist Bill Mullen, fetish photographer Steve Diet Goedde, painter Brian Viveros, fine art illustrator Jeff Wack, graphic designer Rick Morris, photographer Lisa Boyle, physique photographer Gabriel Goldberg and about 50 others. Special rooms will be curated by Pop Tart gallery founder Lenora Claire, Bughouse Design and Rick Castro’s Antebellum Gallery.

Lenora Claire writes:

“I thought it would cool to curate an entire room of erotic art by musicians as so many of them are talented in different mediums and call it GROUP SEX. Kid Infinity, who have the amazing 3D light show that was intended for Michael Jackson before he died, will be doing a really cool erotic 3-D video that people will have to watch with glasses and everything. So cool! Boobs are better in 3D.”

Other musicians participating in Lenora’s suite of the hotel include Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, Cole Whittle (Semi Precious Weapons), and Brett Anderson (The Donnas). There will be a video installation by Steve Stevens (Billy Idol’s longtime guitarist) and erotic portraits of musicians by photographers Austin Young and Dean Karr.

The East Wing of the historic City Center provides 17 rooms staged as artist salons while retaining an adult bookstore vibe.

“Context is king,” quipped Vile.

Dirty Show® L.A. #2 (Hotel Edition), Fri & Sat June 10 & 11 8-11 p.m. City Center Hotel, 1135 West 7th Street, Downtown Los Angeles, $15

 
Hotly-touted, Tony Visconti-produced “dirty showbiz” rockers, Semi Precious Weapons, have been touring with Lady Gaga as her opening act since 2009 with her “Monster Ball” extravaganza.

As if it’s not enough to be the bass player for a group produced by the famous Bowie and T-Rex collaborator, or to be a part of one of the biggest rock tours of recent years, bassist Cole Whittle is also a visual artist. The first show of his unusual artwork will be on display (along with Austin Young’s fab portrait exhibit YOUR FACE HERE, so you can take in both shows) at the Pop tART Gallery in Los Angeles and opens this weekend.

Whittle’s installation, titled ALL THE KICKS consists of mixed media pieces, freaky clothing, new music and video and, as they say… more.

Cole Whittle’s ALL THE KICKS opens Saturday March 26, with reception from 8pm to midnight. Curated by Lenora Claire.

Pop tART Gallery, 3023 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90020

 
Flame-haired “It Girl” of Los Angeles and nationally celebrated art curator, Lenora Claire, along with her partner, Phyliss Navidad (“one of the 25 most inspiring people in Los Angeles”—Frontiers magazine) are opening the new Pop tART Gallery in Koreatown this weekend.

The inaugural event features famed photographer Austin Young—I think his work is brilliant—who’ll be setting up his portrait studio in the gallery:

YOUR FACE HERE is a solo exhibition by artist Austin Young that challenges the normative conditions in which portraits are produced and exhibited. Young, for over 25 years, has been a celebrated portrait photographer and artist, whose works blurs the lines, and transcends the distinctions, between fashion, portraiture, and gender. This exhibition marks a rare and glamorous moment when Young will generously open his lens onto the public.

For the duration of the exhibition, Young will establish his art studio for a 5 week residency at Pop tART Gallery. The artist will be present during gallery hours for portrait sittings, which will eventually fill the walls of the gallery. The public is invited to participate as the subject of the exhibition through the purchase of the pop cultural real estate of the gallery walls. Participation extends beyond simply sitting for a portrait - it will be a collaborative process where the participants determine the portrait’s size and placement. Following the legacy of Warhol’s Factory, Young will transform each participant into an art celebrity. Or, just impress your high school chums by having the man who just broke attendance records at LACMA with his co-collaborator’s of Fallen Fruit take your Facebook profile pic. Bring your face! The closing reception will be your reception! Come see you face in lights.

Celebrity make-up artists will be on site for beautification.

YOUR FACE HERE by Austin Young, January 29th - March 5th, 2011. Opening reception: January 29th, 7-10pm/closing reception: March 5th.

Pop tART Gallery, 3023 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90020
 

Jessicka Addams, What’s Behind the Bunny?
 
Dangerous Minds pal, Lenora Claire, a gal well-known around Los Angeles for curating sensational art exhibitions—and throwing wild parties—is presenting a new show, “Smile Even If It Hurts,” opening this weekend at the Dark Dark Science Gallery in Los Angeles.

“Smile Even If It Hurts” is a dual solo show featuring the work of two woman transitioning from the music world into the art world, Jessicka Addams (Jack off Jill, Scarling, early Marilyn Manson collaborator) and Lindsey Way (Mindless Self Indulgence). For the show, Way has created thirteen labor intensive dioramas, while Jessicka has collaborated with Mark Ryden, Marion Peck, Elizabeth McGrath, Francis Bean Cobain (AKA Fiddle Tim), Tarina Tarantino, photographer Austin Young and others.

Opening reception Saturday, November 13th, 2010, 7pm - 10pm.

Dark Dark Science Gallery, 3245 W. Casitas Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90039
 

Lindsey Way, Hush.

 
Next week at the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami, it’s the second coming of Dangerous Minds pal Lenora Claire’s controversial—and hilariously funny—art world sensation, Golden Gals Gone Wild. This is an all new exhibit of all new sexy Golden Girls art. The first show, held at World of Wonder Gallery in Hollywood, completely sold out after being covered on TMZ, NPR, The Los Angeles Times and AOL News.

The show features art by Chris Zimmerman, Austin Young, Jason Mecier, Angus Oblong, Mironiuk, Sham, My Secret Life In Glass, Plastic God, Nouar, Darcy J. Watt, GiGi, Deluxe, Trevor Wayne and many more. All of the artwork will be on sale for under $1,000

World Erotic Art Museum, 1205 Washington Blvd., Miami. Opening night: Saturday, March 20th at 7p.m. The show runs until April 30th.