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Artbound
Ben Caldwell: My SoCal Art History
The history of art in Southern California isn't linear; it is a fluid, multi-angled continuum made from the personal experiences of many artists from myriad backgrounds. So to trace the trajectory of Southern California art, Artbound is creating a collective timeline comprised of the decisive events that shaped artists' creative development. We hope that in the space between these personal histories, an impressionistic view of Southern California's art history will come into focus.
Filmmaker Ben Caldwell shares several moments in the history of Southern California that have shaped his development as an artist.
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56:28
Giant Robot was a bimonthly magazine that profoundly affected Asian American pop culture.

56:43
WPA projects live on in L.A. Explores what effect a similar program might have today.

56:49
Six Latinx artists in L.A. work to secure their place in American art.

56:59
When Marcel Duchamp came to Pasadena in 1963, he sent ripples down L.A.'s art scene.

56:43
A self-published comic book made by brothers from Oxnard, Ca. makes comic book history.

53:45
An LGBTQ nightclub event in L.A. called “Mustache Mondays” was an incubator for today’s exciting artists.

56:55
The Autry Museum is working to recontextualize a large mural, dating from the 1980s.

56:34
Site-specific desert art about land ownership, water scarcity and overlooked histories.

56:39
“Sweet Land” recasts this nation's story through the eyes of immigrants and the Indigenous

55:39
Ceramist Helen Jean Taylor crafted timeless works and helped others find peace in clay.

54:35
A tribute to Rubén Funkahuatl Guevara, a Chicano music pioneer.

57:08
The Watts Towers Arts Center was born out of the resilience of 1960s Black L.A.