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Press Release

Leila Heller Gallery is pleased to present its second annual Young Collectors Exhibition. Following the success of last year's exhibition which was attended by over 600 art enthusiasts and tastemakers and was covered by numerous publications such as Town & Country, page 6 of the New York Post, and the New York Observer, Leila Heller Gallery presents this year's Young Collectors exhibition dedicated to a solo show of legendary graffiti artist LA2. Taking place from December 18 – December 23, this show is curated for the emerging collector and will feature artworks priced at $5,000 and under. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Southampton Fresh Air Home, a summer camp for physically challenged children. 

 

Based in the Lower East Side of New York City, LA2 is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Keith Haring in the 1980s. Of the increasingly popular NYC graffiti artists, Haring felt that Ortiz displayed the most impressive and promising of tag “writing,” interpreting his thick inter-mingling contours as an homage to Ancient Eastern calligraphy. For his exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery, LA2 will present vibrant canvases (including an 18 ft long mural) and objects showcasing the graffiti artist’s signature tags and artwork.

 

A room in the central gallery, LA2’s Pop-Up Shop, will be dedicated solely to LA’s objects. Guitars and violins, mannequins, telephones, and animal sculptures, all covered with LA2’s tags, will decorate the walls, suspend from the ceiling, and stand upon pedestals. Additionally, guests are welcome to bring their own items for LA2, who will be present at the gallery, to tag.

 

 

About LA2:

 

LA2 / LAROC (B.1966) is the tag taken by Angel Ortiz. He has exhibited his works in New York galleries and around the world, collaborating with artists such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, Richard Hambelton and Alexander Calder. He has exhibited worldwide including at Art Basel Miami Beach, MOCA (Los Angeles), and Musée de la Ville Paris. He currently lives and works in New York City.