Review by Liz Goldner | March 14, 2023 | Visual Art Source
In early 2020, three artists began planning an exhibition that would address the shifting geology of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southwest Los Angeles. Within months, the pandemic and lockdown had put off the show for the foreseeable future. Yet, Richard Turner, Michael Davis, and Paul Harris — each with a lifelong interest in natural elements, especially rocks and stones — continued developing their exhibition-in-progress while deepening their understanding of the Peninsula’s geohistory.
“Uplifting Tales and Eroded Histories” finally opened this past January. Serendipitously, a front-page Los Angeles Times article soon after reported on the devastating problems occurring on the Peninsula. The article, “A chunk of Rancho Palos Verdes is sliding into the sea,” describes homes in the Portuguese Bend area with cracked walls and foundations, jammed windows and doors, busted pipes, crooked windows and door frames, all due primarily to a road crew that dug up thousands of tons of dirt in the area in 1956, resulting in a major landslide at the time and which continues to affect the site today.
That landslide and the ensuing geologic problems on the Peninsula are among the issues addressed in this timely exhibition. The display employs photos, a dramatic video, installations, and rocks presented as art pieces, all enhancing our understanding of the area’s problems. “Uplifting Tales” also imparts the message that our planet is profoundly connected to each of us.
[Read the full article here]