THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2006
15 artists reinvent their wheels
The MAK Center takes a new look at L.A. car culture and the traveling exhibit.

rather creepy triumph of an organic invasion over a life less pile of metal - is hers.)

For MAK Center director Kimberli Meyer, the way that "Carmada" blends with its
surroundings - many of the cars are indistinguishable from ordinary cars at first
glance - is a comment on Los Angeles' decentralized nature, which makes it hard
to figure out where the action is.

"What's kind of wild is that they start at one place, then they wind up in a parking
lot, wind up in traffic, and it's hard to understand which of the thousands of cars
on the road have art in them. What's weird about it is that the show itself is a!most
invisible," Meyer said.

Some of the artists have unique agendas for their Saturday afternoon drives. Allyson
Spellacy plans to retrace the path of British architectural historian Reyner Banham
in his 1972 documentary "Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles." Nicole C. Russell will
pick up people at their homes (she's accepting sign-ups at www.carmada.org) and
take them for a ride in a silver Saturn equipped with a peculiar soundtrack.

In addition to Saturday's daytime driving and evening viewing, photographs and
video of the "Carmada" projects will be on display at the MAK Center from Sept.
6 to 10, when the three other MAK artists in residence will also present their projects.