Gogol Bordello Inspires Immigrant Punk Exhibit

Black Maria Art Gallery, located in Los Angeles and dedicated to promoting non-mainstream art, will host a group exhibition featuring work from fourteen different artists in late October. The purpose of the show, entitled Immigrant Punk, is to pay homage to immigrants in America who, rather than lose their identity in assimilation, maintain their cultural roots with pride.

Immigrant Punk will feature the latest work from both local and international artists. Though not all of the contributors have experienced immigrating to America firsthand, they were all able to identify with the theme by returning to the immigrant roots of their families.

In fact, one of the gallery’s own curators, Sam Saghatelian, has created paintings for the theme inspired by his Armenian heritage. Other artists include Douglas Alvarez (Smoked shown on main page), whose playful paintings often focus on recognizable figures in the media, and Brazillian graffiti artist and painter Andre Firmiano (Desapego shown above).

Black Maria Gallery director Zara Zeitountsian explains that though the show is named after a song by Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, the term is perfect because it brings to light the overlooked parallel between punk and immigration.

“[Though] immigration may be as American as apple pie, there are those individuals or groups who shape an extraordinary reality as they reinvent themselves in a new environment,” asserts Zeitountsian. “What’s significant is that certain immigrants will plunge into that maelstrom with gusto, and will not only tackle all the challenges but color the whole experience in terms of their own cultural roots and identity.

“I think there’s something of the spirit of punk music and art to all this.”

The opening reception takes place Saturday, October 20th from 7-10:30 pm. Immigrant Punk will run until November 10.

Immigrant Punk
October 20 - November 10
Black Maria Gallery
3137 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 660-9393
blackmariagallery.com

Andre Firmiano: blackheart.com.br/andre
Douglas Alvarez: www.douglasalvarez.com