Exhibit by Seven Chilean Artists Gives L.A. a Chance to ‘See Work of Other Americans’

Amid the frenzy of art activity in Los Angeles, we sometimes forget that art is being made in other parts of the world. The Gordon Gallery’s current exhibition, “Seven Artists from Chile,” reminds us that we are not alone.

The paintings by five women and two men who range in age from their mid-30s to mid-80s reveal the artists’ European training and orientation as well as Latin American influences. “All of the artists have traveled widely in Latin America and Europe, and that informs their work,” gallery owner Barry Gordon said.

More than 50 paintings represent a broad diversity of content and form. Orlando Mingo, who lived in Italy during his youth, creates zesty, colorful scenes of the opera, the symphony and the ballet. Octogenarian Ines Puyo paints more pensive pictures, including landscapes that contain aspects of post-impressionist and abstract art. Puyo belonged to the “Generation of ‘28,” a group of artists in Chile who broke away from the academic painterly conventions of the day to work in modern styles.

Augusto Barcia’s dynamic Expressionist landscapes are filled with strong brush strokes and bold color, while Hortensia Carvajal’s landscapes evoke an eerie presence with more muted tones. Naya Bay-Schmith’s paintings, such as “Salome,” reflect her studies in Germany of German Expressionists as well as some musing on the human figure as presented in paintings from previous centuries.

Carmen Vicuna’s portraits of contemporary women convey complexity and resilience in their subjects with warmth and respect. The paintings by Mireya Larenas depict individual women or dancing couples in a darker, more enigmatic manner.

Although largely unknown in the United States, the seven artists have exhibited internationally and extensively in Chile. Gordon said the idea for the show came from one of his clients, architect Gregory Chazanas. A Chilean who has lived here for many years, he visits Chile frequently and has collected works by several artists there.

Gordon, who represents local, national and international artists, said, “I welcome the opportunity to show art by established artists from another country. My job is to help educate the community, to introduce new artists to it. North Americans should see the work of other Americans.”

“Seven Artists From Chile,” at the Gordon Gallery, 1311 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, through Sept. 7. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call (213) 394-6545.

The Fahey/Klein Gallery is giving Los Angeles a taste of international art with its exhibition of vintage black-and-white photographs by German photographer Herbert List (1903-1975). It is the first time his thoughtful, often surreal pictures have been shown in Los Angeles.

The son of a coffee import businessman, List was groomed to run the family business, which he did beginning in 1929 when his father became ill. At that time, he fell in with a group of artists and intellectuals in Hamburg, including photographer Andreas Feininger, who introduced him to the then new twin-lens reflex camera. Obsessed with photography, he spent his weekends at the beach photographing his friends, setting up still-life arrangements with them, putting masks on their faces, and creating double exposures and collages.

These scenes with List’s friends are only part of the show, which contains 63 of his prints and a photograph of him by Feininger. There are also photographs from his travels in the mid-1930s to London, Paris and Greece, which he made after he gave up the coffee business and left Nazi-controlled Germany. Several of these images focus on the male body through human figures and/or classical Greek sculptures. In addition, the exhibit includes portraits of writers and artists such as W. H. Auden, Colette, Marc Chagall, Somerset Maugham and Pablo Picasso, all taken in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

List’s pictures were published in many magazines, including Vogue, Life, Look, Holiday and Harper’s Bazaar. He joined the Paris-based Magnum group in 1951 and remained a member until 1960, traveling at his own pace and shooting pictures for human interest features and travel stories. In the early ‘60s, he gave up photography altogether to devote the rest of his life to collecting Old Master drawings.

According to Max Scheler, List’s friend who took over his photographic estate when he died, there are few existing vintage prints of his photographs because he never made more than two or three prints of each image. All of the vintage prints in the show were made by List at the time he took the photographs.

Also in the gallery is an exhibit of 24 color landscape photographs by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, his first exhibition in America. The images of deserted and decaying drive-in movie theaters and other American icons were photographed in 1983, when he scouted locations in the Southwest for his film “Paris, Texas.” Panorama photographs of barren Australian landscapes were shot in 1988 in preparation for his upcoming film, “Until the End of the World.”

“Herbert List: Vintage Photographs” and “Wim Wenders: Colour Photographs” at the Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, through Sept. 7. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call (213) 934-2250.

If you are a dog lover, you must go to the Koplin Gallery in Santa Monica and ask to be taken to the back room. There you will find a pack of dogs. No need to be apprehensive. They won’t jump on you or bite. That’s because this group of canines is made of wood, carved by sculptor Jim Lawrence. Nine dogs, all of different but pure breeds, implore you with their eyes to take them home, just like the dogs do at the city pound.

There is the pit bull with the pink nose and a padlock around its neck, and the preening poodle just back from the beauty parlor with a pink bow on its fake fur ear and a tail that resembles cotton candy. The German shepherd comes complete with mail bags slung across its back, and it’s evident he’s been delivering because his tongue is hanging out. The Great Dane rises above all, adorned with a heavy metal collar.

Embellished with paint, leather and beads, the roughly hewn English setter, Chinese pug, St. Charles spaniel, whippet and the Basenji, an African dog that does not bark even when it’s not made of wood, also convey the distinctive characteristics of their breeds.

Lawrence’s pooches are perfect for you if you can’t be bothered with coming home to feed and walk pets, are allergic to them, or if you appreciate some fun in your art.

If your favorite breed is not in this kennel, Lawrence will do commissions.