Swiss artist Nic Hess talks at Hammer on Wednesday

July 13, 6:08 PMLA Fine Arts ExaminerLaura Gatewood

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From May 23rd through November 5th, the lobby walls of the Hammer Museum are populated with the imaginative tape drawings of Swiss born artist Nic Hess.  Hess' wall piece, titled Automatic Crash Response, was specifically designed for the site and is like a long, disjointed stream of consciousness narrative composed almost exclusively of colored masking tape.

The images encountered range from the shadowy outline of the Geico gecko to a subtly incorporated USPS sign, and the eerily cognizant expression in a monkey's portrait to a hog penned in by a gigantic shopping cart. By playfully regurgitating pop culture symbols, Hess has devised a jaunty, almost surreal, meditation on the pervasive power of commercial signage and iconic image.

This Wednesday at 7 pm, Hess talks about his career and Automatic Crash Response, followed by an audience Q&A session.  Tickets are free but should be collected an hour before the start of the talk at the Billy Wilder Box Office. Seating is based on first come, first served. Parking is available for $3 under the museum after 6 pm.

The Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd at Westwood
310.443.7000

Image courtesy of The Hammer Museum