Crossing off another museum from my LA museum list. Yay!
14th Factory has plagued many Instagram feeds with pictures of---a white room furnished with green pieces, a room with pitchforks hanging from the ceiling and a room filled with projections of men fighting. Located in an empty industrial warehouse in the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles, visitors are transported into another dimension. Simon Bird, a Hong Kong-based British artist collaborated with 20 creators to transform the space into 14 interlinked environments using video, installations, sculpture, paintings and performance.
" In entering The 14th Factory, the visitor is transformed into a central player in a collaboratively fabricated adventure and motion picture that engages and unfolds, uniting individuals to the creative process and to each other. The experience challenges the current political climate by celebrating creative diversity, unity and the act of overcoming obstacles and challenges as a global society.
This underlying theme informs the work of collaborating artists, which include Beijing multimedia and performance artist Cang Xin; Hong Kong-based filmmaker Wing Shya; photographer and graphic designer Stanley Wong (anothermountainman); ceramic artist Sara Tse; New York composer Gary Gunn; UK video artists Scott Carthy and Doug Foster; British punk rockers Penny Rimbaud of the band Crass; Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys and Pauline Black of The Selector, who appear in paintings by Birch and in interviews within the project." (Source)
I visited 14th Factory with my cousin, brother and boyfriend during a day trip to LA. After we had lunch at Dirt Dog, we made our way to Lincoln Heights, located just outside of downtown.
I'll take you through a few of the different pieces I experienced, tips on photography, tips on visiting and my overall thoughts about this attraction. Let's begin!
Parking
There is free street parking surrounding the warehouse, no parking lots. The sign pictured above is actually valet parking. I believe they charge $15.
Admission
Upon entering, you can buy tickets online in advance or buy them at the door. There isn't a discount buying them online, however if you happen to visit on an extremely busy day, you might not be allowed in. In my opinion, you shouldn't worry too much about being unable to get in to the exhibit. We visited on Sunday during Memorial weekend and, though there was a lot of people, we got tickets just fine.
Price (excluding fees)
General Admission = $18
Youth, Students, Senior, Military = $14
You start out in a eerie dark hallways, the ceiling is painted black and black drapes cover the wall. I was on high alert. ready for flight if something jumped out unexpectedly.
» The Dormouse «
At the end of the black hallways is a kaleidoscope projection of two people moving around. The people moves their body back and forth, changing the kaleidoscope pattern. I was mesmerized by the ever changing patterns.
It's as if you are falling down the rabbit hole into a new dimension, the museum you are about to experience
» The Meteor «
Continuing on the path, the next room is a large section with black panels filling up the space. There is a guided walkway with little lights around the perimeter of the piece.
Toto, we aren't in LA anymore. You are transported to another place, something unfamiliar and different. Time to explore this "new world."
» The Barmecide Feast «
Located in the middle of what looks like ginormous scraps of black paper, The Barmecide Feast by Simon Birch and KplusK, recreates the bedroom from the final scene of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Tip: Guests in groups of 2-4 can visit the illuminated room for 2 minutes. So if you want to take a pictures take them quickly. 2 minutes goes by fast! You aren't allowed to sit on anything because a visitor had broken the bed previously. You will be required to remove your shoes so hopefully you don't have smelly feet and have pretty pedicure.
You have entered something familiar but not. You may have seen the movie and have dejavu or just think it's something unique and cool.
» The Garlands «
Modeled after the moon during the Apollo space missions, The Garlands is a little park in the middle of the warehouse. They recently added grass so you probably see something a bit more lively than my picture below.
It is the courtyard of the factory. You can choose to go to different exhibits at this point.
» The Crusher «
The most popular Instagram-ed piece. This small white bricked room has 300 pitchforks hanging at various lengths from the ceiling.
I like the effect that the different colors of the handles create.
Art Tip: Make sure to not only take your picture underneath the installation but walk around and really see the different perspectives.
Photo Tip: Think of your pose before because there is a line and you don't want to be that one person who took forever. Play with different angles. Sit, stand, lay down. Maybe try to take a picture upside down? You're welcome.
» The Brutal House «
A slow motion video of acrobats twisting and turning over the camera. This piece made me marvel at the athleticism of the human body.
» Knitting Conversations «
Probably my favorite piece in terms of "deeper" meaning, this blanket is made entirely of books and magazines. The artist, Movana Chen, started this international project, Knitting Conversations, by inviting people to participate in a knitting session with the product being added to the tapestry. The person would have a shredded book to contribute as the fabric and the artist and audience would work together creating a new section while talking about the reading material and culture differences. In essence, the material and conversations are forever framed in the tapestry. It is the creation of cross-culture and cross-border that makes this piece unique.
You can learn all you want from a book, but when you sit down and have a conversation with someone is when true learning, acceptance and understanding takes place.
When you examine the piece closely, you can see the various languages and colorful text that each contribution makes. Because you aren't allowed to actually touch the tapestry, they have a sample there for you to play around with. The material is actually pretty durable.
» The Inhumans «
A room with numerous screens projecting the same fight. It's like something out of an asian gangster flick. There are two sides of the battle and it makes you question: Why are they fighting? Who are they? Who wins?
At first I thought it was very violent but I couldn't help but finding it comedic. First off, it's in slow motion, you watch as the two sides slowly clash. Second, they punch each other and kick each other but there isn't any real fighting. No one bleeds or gets bruised.
» The Inevitable «
Large projections of a Ferrari race down a road at top speeds. You watch as the engine works harder and harder. BAM! The car crashes, spinning and spinning and spinning. Pieces flying.
Can't help but cringe a bit watching an expensive car crash.
After watching the Ferrari crash you can actually see the broken pieces in the next room. Pictures of the aftermath on the walls.
» Hypercaine «
Crowns, the symbol of royalty.
As a self proclaimed Fairy Princess, I loved looking at all the different crown designs. Some looks the traditional pointed headpieces, like something the little boy from Where the Wild Things Are wore, but some resembled helmets or head jewelry.
I recently read an article of a woman who was taking a selfie in front of the first crown on the far left and lost balance, falling into the pedestal and causing a domino effect. The entire row fell back breaking a couple of the crowns. $200,000 worth of damage was reported! So if you do want to take a selfie, be very careful where you back that booty up.
More to see!
» Clean Air Turbulence «
A sort of airplane graveyard, Clean Air Turbulence is made out of old airplane back wings. What made this piece so eerie was the fact that the fins are placed into a rectangle pool painted black at the bottom. It's as if you are looking at a dark abyss. Solemnity and grief hangs in the air as I wondered what had happen to these plans for them to end up here. Most likely they are from airplanes that were phased out but it makes you wonder if maybe one of them was from an airplane crash...
» A Series by Simon Birch «
Me, my cousin and my brother had fun copying the poses in the paintings. I like how they take an abstract approach to paint the bodies, using mute colors and geometric shapes.
» Thoughts «
It was a great experience! The multimedia installations made it fun, interactive and unique. The pieces are positioned thoughtfully, starting out in the dark like you are about to enter a new dimension and then flowing from piece to piece, watching videos to looking at paintings. There are many opportunities for Instagram photoshoots as well as just sitting and experiencing.
Art Tip: Ask the close by curator if you want to learn more about a piece. My whole blurb about Knitting Conversation and the story behind it was provided by the attendant.
Check out Vy Tran's, from Design Milk, interpretation of the 14th factory. She describes it as a Hero's journey and I couldn't agree with her more.
I highly recommend making a trip to 14th factory soon because it will be leaving Los Angeles on July 30th!
440 N Ave 19,
Los Angeles, CA 90031 Wednesday 11AM-6PM
Thursday 11AM-8PM
Friday 11AM-8PM
Saturday 10AM-10PM
Sunday 10AM-8PM
Thank you 14th Factory
» Experienced: May 28, 2017 «
» Last updated: July 18, 2017«
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