Hans Schabus / Group XX, May 05 - Sep 05

GLASS, CONCRETE AND STONE, IT'S JUST A HOUSE NOT A HOME

9/23/05 to 9/25/05

MAK Center at the Mackey Apartments, 1137 - 1141 South Cochran Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

Schabus arrived in Los Angeles from the 2005 Venice Biennale, where he deconstructed the 1935 Austrian Pavilion and transformed its gate-like function with a massive barrier of an Alpine mountain. Continuing with his interest in the role of landscape structures in contemporary perception, Schabus investigated the “so-called hinterlands of Los Angeles — how this land is apportioned, utilized and perceived.” His project in Los Angeles sought to uncover the presence of the concretized L.A. River, a natural phenomena that lies hidden from the majority of the city. Schabus was fascinated by the tendency of a river to form the city that grew around its bounty, and wondered what it can reveal about Los Angeles, a city that has turned its back, in a sense, on nature. After detailed analysis of the river and its relationship to the city grid via the Thomas Guide map, Schabus plotted his course for a week-long walk of the 52 miles of river. He had systematically documented the 100-plus bridges that span the river, showcasing the difference in type and purpose for the region. For the exhibition, Schabus displayed the maps, drawings, and photographs that framed his experience of these landscapes.