Seth Armstrong captures the magical light of golden hour, the rich blues of the evening and the buttery yellow of the morning, bringing us to a series of oil paintings he is doing. Bright bungalows, wires, palm trees and shrub spots in Los Angeles’ foothills, the San Gabriel Mountains often rise in the backstage.
Green Factory plays a central role in Armstrong’s suburban portrait, revealing and covering up roads, houses and infrastructure, a place where the city’s reputation as a dream seems possible. However, the huge community, huge wealth and attractions of the entertainment industry often obscures the undercurrents revealed by recent immigration protests or last year’s devastating wildfires.
Next month, Armstrong opened a Subrosa In the London unit, borrowed from the Latin “under the Rose”, means confidentiality or discretion. The artist draws on his observations of the Los Angeles community in his long, morning walk with his young son.
From a distance, the hillside neighborhoods appear idyllic and even paradise, but he hints at changing frame elements in the city: weak socio-political tensions, hot mountains and fire-level houses, and tiltable economic differences. Sometimes people are present, half hidden in the window, and usually only noticeable when approached close. “There is substance behind the form,” Armstrong said. “Sometimes you peek. Sometimes you don’t.”
Subrosa Operate from July 9 to August 17. More information about the Armstrong website and Instagram.
