UntitledBUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE Celebrates the Art of Franco Marrocco and J.J. L’Heureux

Two Exhibitions open on Saturday, December 12 at BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE at Bergamot Station Arts Complex in Santa Monica.

Enjoy a solo exhibition entitled “Franco Marrocco-The Red Studio & Other Works,” curated by Marisa Caichiolo and Giovanni Iovane in the main gallery. “J.J. L’Heureux: Etichette” is set to be featured in the project room curated by Marisa Caichiolo.

BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE (501 (c) 3, nonprofit) is known for showing both International artists as well as U.S. artists. The organization has developed a more focused tactic for cultural exch

anges through art and international collaborations…bringing artists and art together.

“We have done exchanges, traveling exhibitions and programs with over 25 countries in 10 years,” said Marisa Caichiolo, founder and executive director of BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE. “Some of the Organizations partners were CEARTE, Center of the Arts Ensenada, Institute of Culture of Baja California, Mexico, Bugatti Foundation, Italy, Qatar Foundation, Qatar, Colective SE VENDE, Chile, The Ministry of Culture of Mexico, Qatar, Emirates, Chile, italy, Uruguay among many others. Also in the educational programs and exchanges we have partnerships with some universities as well. She went on to say that some of the recent collaborations were with Knupp Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic and Palos Verdes Arts Center in Palos Verdes, California.”

Evelyn Pener, a member of the Board of Directors of BBX since 2010, said “the dream of every artist is to be able to exhibit outside of their own city or country…that is what Building Bridges offers them. It also give the opportunity to collectors to add to their collections, works that if it would not be for BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE, they would not be able to acquire.

Italian artist, Franco Marrocco was born in Rocca d’Evandro, on December 7th 1956. He attended the Brera Art Academy where he currently serves as Director and Professor of painting. He is the coordinator of all the art academies in Italy. Marrocco will be showing a new series. “‘Red Studio’ is the name of the exhibit and of the large-scale painting hanging in the gallery’s main space. The exhibit’s key piece is part of Franco Marroco’s recent body of work, who turns his daily painting practice into a “study.” The study is an original and singular characteristic of the pictorial process and space. A space with a view.” – Co-curator, Giovanni Iovane.

Marrocco has exhibited in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey, and he participated in the 54th Biennale of Venice (2011).

The work of artist J.J. L’Heureux has been shown in museums around the world. A painter and photographer, she also creates collage and mixed media. For this show her collages have been chosen…L’Heureux calls them Etichette.

J.J. L’Heureux, Ettichette # 64, collage with knotted thread, 45″ h x 74″ w

Her collage series, Etichette was born in Italy, while she was staying with friends in Italy. “My studio in San Francisco was “red tagged” after the 1989 earthquake. Italian friends invited me to stay with them and I wanted to leave each with a gift. As we enjoyed meals I noticed everyone had a favorite cheese. Soon she started collecting labels from these cheeses. She went on to explain that her idea was to use these colorful labels as motifs, which would then become pop art collages. “I painted a color field background on heavy rag paper and stitched the labels on the background.”

J.J. L’Heureux, Etichette # 90, collage with thread, 39 x 39

The artist consistently shows her work in museums and galleries all over the world. Just this year alone, she has been featured in solo exhibitions at Kansas University Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas, Detroit Zoo, Ford Gallery, Royal Oak, Michigan, SoZo Gallery, Dothan, Alabama, Madison Children’s Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Her work has also been featured in 2015 in group shows at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, AIR Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. (Catalogue), Women In Photography International, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, the Porch Gallery, Ojai, California. (Catalogue), and the LA Art Show.

Enjoy an opening reception for two exhibitions Saturday, December 12th from 5:00pm to 8:30pm at BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., F2, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Guests are encouraged to RSVP at buildingbridgesax@gmail.com (310) 770-1961; www.buildingbridgesartexchange.org