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_This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts._ A funky little Mexican birdcage, with wire walls framed in
green-painted wood, is one of the quietest works in “First Look: An Exhibition of Emerging Artists from Los Angeles Galleries.’ Tucked away in a back corner, the sculpture by Alejandro Diaz
might easily be overlooked, except that it packs a poignant punch. The door of the cage is ajar and a hand-lettered sign attached to the frame reads: “Lost Our Lease.” It’s a metaphor for
the current state of economic stress and human displacement, says Simon Watson, who curated the show for House of Campari as part of the company’s art program. Fourth in a series featuring
works by artists who have recently had or will soon have their first solo shows in L.A. galleries, the current event offers paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, videos and
mixed-media installations. Gonzalo Lebrija’s photograph “Entre la vida y la muerte (blanco y negro)” is a striking image that also has ominous overtones. A stop-action photograph of a car
dropped into a lake from a great height, shot just above the surface of the water, it elicits thoughts about the brevity of life and the death of the automobile industry. As the artist
explains, the car came from a junkyard and it was dropped by a crane. But viewers simply see the upended vehicle, nose to nose with its rippled reflection in a pristine landscape. Diaz is
affiliated with the Happy Lion gallery; Lebrija with Mesler & Hug. Each of the other artists is represented by a different gallery around town. The show runs through June 14 (Tuesdays
through Sundays, noon to 8 p.m.) in a temporary exhibition space at 8783 Beverly Blvd. -- Suzanne Muchnic