Lobby Artist Profile - Denis Lavinski

If you’ve been through the lobby of Cooper Design Space over the past month, you would have seen the works of The Bendix Building’s own Denis Lavinski on the walls. These pieces inspired by Los Angeles will be up through July 19, so make sure to stop and take a look..

YARDS
2020 - 2024
By DENIS LAVINSKI

Presented here is a series I’ve been working on continuously since the summer of 2020. At the peak of lockdowns I began exploring the city of foot and have kept up that practice. In this series I seek to document discrete unassuming scenes that Angelenos may pass by every-day around the corner from their apartments and homes and think nothing of.

I’m entranced by the lights and shadows of Los Angeles, as the series has evolved I have increasingly focused on night-time paintings. Especially the clash of light sources: coming from inside homes through curtains and shutters, the red glow of tail lights passing by, the warm constant glow of street lights clashing with the cold light of motion activated automated security cameras. The more unkempt and unmanicured the local and imported flora are the better. Chairs sit empty, waiting to be sat in once more.

This is Los Angeles with none of the superfluous glitz and glamor that has become its calling card. This is Los Angeles in its natural unmanicured glory. It's a reminder that everyday life is something worthy of our attention, too. These buildings, yards, windows, all tell a story. They're all lived in — someone's home. As a driving city, these scenes are rarely seen or appreciated in full. We see them as we wiz by from the comfort of our cars, but rarely do we take the time to slow down and appreciate our environment. A metropolitan city of more than 10 million people can often feel empty, bereft of people.

Denis Lavinski is an LA based artist working out of his studio at the Bendix Building. Denis Lavinski has a BA in the Humanities from King’s College London. His studies of literature, film, and philosophy all inform his artistic practice and compositional approach.

If you miss this series, don’t fret, The Bendix Building will be hosting an open house August 24 from 7 - 10pm where you can discover the latest works from our innovative tenants.