new bookstore/art gallery shows downtown’s eccentric side
Lately, each new Art Walk event has brought something new and compelling to the circuit, but on July 10, Todd Browning Gallery — filling a small space inside the Spring Arts Tower — will top them all.
Even though a lease for the space was executed just five days ago, Bill Eisman, a long-time gallery owner from Australia, says his venue should be online by next Thursday after relocating from Fairfax in West Hollywood.
Emerging and mid-career artists from all over world specializing in vintage and contemporary photography will be represented at Eisman’s venue — named not after himself, but after the early twentieth-century filmmaker of horror classics such as Dracula, Freaks and The Unholy Three.
That affinity for the macabre will extend to the larger use of the space, a bookstore called Polyester, where patrons can pick up a variety of reads spanning from natural human deformities to medical texts.
“If you want to get grossed out, come check out some of the things I’ll have here,” gloats Eisman with a childish smile.
Super 8 films and picture framing services will be some of the other offerings at Polyester.
Adding to the “oddity” theme is an upcoming exhibit by Los Angeles-based photographer Dave Naz, known for his unusual interest in freak show-related fetishes.
Some of his works can be seen in the book aptly titled, “Lust Circus.”
POLYESTER / Todd Browning Gallery
207 W 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
toddbrowning.com
polyesterla.com
-art gallery signs lease at 5th and spring
-crocker club on its way to 5th and spring
Unfinished Polyester / Todd Browning Art Gallery Space on July 1, 2008
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7 comments
“Australian” hmm, didn’t know that was a country… :)
I’ll join Shannon in this proofread piling on. I think that should read “twentieth century” filmmaker.
For that matter, the man’s name was Tod Browning with only one “d”, was it not?
Sorry guys! Had this one rushed to publish before a lunch meeting.. this is what happens when you rearrange sentence structure as you’re walking away from the computer - fixed.
Dennis, yes - the original Tod Browning is spelled with one “d”, but the gallery name is spelled with two.
Can’t wait to check this place out! Looks like they’re rushing to be done in time for the next Art Walk.
Bill told me it was not named after that Tod Browning, but that it was an amalgam of the 2 backer’s names.
Bert, that’s weird - he specifically told me that it was named after the filmmaker. Possibly he took the two backers’ names and created an homage to the filmmaker - explaining the difference in spelling. Still, the link is definitely there.
Yeah, strange. Maybe I misunderstood him. In any case, it looks cool.
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