A Modest Renaissance

Echo Park is not the most likely Los Angeles neighborhood to host a colony of art galleries a la Bergamot Station. Yet a low-rent version of Santa Monica’s moneyed art center is positioning itself as a showcase for the artist-saturated Eastside community.

When Jesus Sanchez saw the for-lease sign on the ground floor of a densely populated apartment building last year, he was inspired to create a place that would highlight local artists. He was first to open a gallery in the area--Ojala, which made its debut in May. In October, the Fototeka and Delirium-Tremens galleries also opened their doors.

“Look at the foot traffic we get here: dogs, kids on skateboards, winos,” says Patti Castillo, co-owner of Delirium Tremens. She and partner Aaron Donovan, an artist who trained at Otis Parsons, recently organized pieces for their next show, a competition of local artists’ paintings. “It’s not just the wine-and-cheese crowd. We get the people from upstairs who’d never go to an art show in their lives.”

Gentrification has been creeping east from Silver Lake, and Echo Park is not without its BMWs and Gucci wallets.

“Last month we sold an $1,800 piece,” Sanchez says. “People are surprised we can do that in this neighborhood.”

Ojala opens a micro-metals show Saturday of sculpture and crafts by John Biggs and Samantha Grisdale. Delirium Tremens’ art competition begins the same evening.

Ojala, (213) 250-4155; Fototeka, (213) 250-4686; Delirium Tremens, (213) 861-6802.