Renowned Photographer J.J. L’Heureux Shows A Different Side In Santa Monica Exhibit

The art of J.J. L’Heureux will be featured in a solo exhibit at BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE in Santa Monica (Bergamot Station Arts Center) starting next Saturday, Dec. 12.

Although L’Heureux is well known for her photography, she works in various mediums. Her solo show entitled “J.J. L’Heureux: Etichette” is curated by Marisa Caichiolo and will spotlight her whimsical collage – Etichette.

While visiting a friend in Italy, she noticed a variety of old style cheese labels such as Gorgonzola, Mozzarella, Bel Paiese and other kinds of Italian cheeses.

She was drawn to the designs, and the colors of these traditional wrappers and she decided to create collages using the Italian cheese labels.

“I would see an especially attractive label on a cheese, and with a friend locate where the cheese was made to find clean labels,” she said. “Gorgonzola for example: we drove to the village of Gorgonzola and inquired at a small cheese shop where to find the cheese. The shop owner told us the factory had recently moved to the next village, ‘just drive on the road out of town and we could not miss it.’”

This is how her ‘Etichette’ series began.

When asked how she splits her time between the various mediums, she said her studio time is dependent on her exhibitions.

“I have two one-person exhibitions installed at this time,” she said. “My exhibitions are specific for each venue: the number of pieces, text, videos, and talks. Once this is decided upon I make the work, have them framed, crated, and shipped. Working with paintings is a slow process as the oil paint often can take a number of weeks to completely dry. To answer your question, I often move from series to series each day focusing primarily on the next exhibition.

L’Heureux’s work has been featured in museums throughout the world. Her most recent solo exhibition this past year took place 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.

The artist has also participated in the following group exhibitions this year: “Water Unbalance” Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, “Who’s Afraid of Feminism?” AIR Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. (Catalogue), “i AM woman…i AM digital,” Women In Photography International, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. “Water Works II,” Porch Gallery, Ojai, California. (Catalogue).

BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE is a Non-Profit Organization 501(c)(3), dedicated to cultivate an understanding among cultures worldwide through international art exhibitions (workshops-lectures), art exchanges, and artists residencies.

Also opening on Dec. 12 is “Franco Marrocco-The Red Studio & Other Works” featuring an international artist curated by Giovanni Iovane and Marisa Caichiolo.

For more information, visit jjlheureux.com and penguinspirit.com.

The event runs from 5 pm to 8:30 pm at BUILDING BRIDGES ART EXCHANGE (Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan Ave., Unit F2, Santa Monica, CA 90404. RSVP at buildingbridgesax@gmail.com; 310.770.1961; or visit www.buildingbridgesartexchange.org.