Peter Shire
"Hokkaido Story Revisited: Late Spring"
May 6 - 29, 2011
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 5th; 7-9 PM

"Mystical practical absurdism, amazing, astounding phenomena on a human scale and what is funny about the way we love and hate industrial things...is what interests me."
- Peter Shire

Peter Shire combines craft, fine art and industrial design, taking from each aspect to create furniture, fashion, architecture and his mainstay medium, ceramics. Shire's works have been exhibited in the United States, Italy, France, Japan and Poland; Shire has been associated with the Memphis Group of Designers, has worked on the Design Team for the 1984 XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles, which was recognized by the American Institute of Architects, and has created over 40 public sculptures in Los Angeles and internationally. A Los Angeles native, Shire has been honored by awards for his contribution to the cultural life of the City of Los Angeles, and runs his art studio out of Echo Park, the neighborhood of his birth.

Between 1991 and 1992, Shire took five trips to Japan and in the process made huge, astounding sculptures for Sapporo Breweries, the Hokuden Company and the AIM factory. While at AIM, with the assistance of his assistant, Shire created over 30 elegant small scale sculptures. In 2008, AIM went out of business and Shire returned to Japan to recover the works, included in this exhibiton and the accompanying catalog. With the sculptural works back in his possession, Peter began a series of Kokeshi paintings to further capture the spirit of the original exhibition. Hokkaido Story Revisited: Late Spring recreates (through re-imagination) a pivotal moment in the artist's professional life; this time with post-disaster reflection and great fealty for the nation that inspired it.

Contact the Gallery Director for availability and purchase info: (323) 666-7667

---

Kohada Stainless steel and bamboo 19.5" x 22" x 44" $15,000.00	Maguro Stainless steel and bamboo 48" x 12" x 45" $15,000.00	Blue-Fin Stainless steel and bamboo 48" x 13" x 45" $15,000.00
Subarashi Stainless steel and enamel 33.75" x 14.5" x 25.5" $17,000.00	Ohayo Gozaimasu Stainless steel, bamboo & hinoki 38.25" x 15.5" x 26.5" $17,000.00	Irrashaimase Stainless steel and enamel 36.5" x 14" x 24" $17,500.00
Route 36 Tree Stainless steel and enamel 32.5" x 24" x 37" $14,000.00	Omoshiroi Stainless steel and enamel 25.75" x 26.5" x 30" $15,000.00	Genki Stainless steel and enamel 21.75" x 18" x 19" $14,000.00
Gomen Nasai, the Palace at 4 AM Stainless steel and enamel 30.5" x 19.5" x 37.5" $22,000.00	Oyasuminasai Stainless steel and enamel 21.75" x 18.5" x 28.5" $15,000.00	Mattanai Stainless steel and enamel 31.75" x 18.5" x 28.5" $17,000.00
Gaijin Stainless steel and enamel 13.5" x 9" x 14" $5,000.00	Midnight in the Palace Stainless steel and enamel 40.25" x 34" x 37" $22,000.00	Chimpira Stainless steel and enamel 16.5" x 6" x 1" $14,000.00
Maroon Crescent Yabanjin Stainless steel and enamel 14.5" x 6" x 30.25" $5,000.00	New Frontier Stainless steel, enamel & wood 29.25" x 17" x 40.5" $25,000.00 Sold	Ikebana Table Stainless steel and enamel 17.5" x 18" x 19.5" $5,000.00
Tulips on the Piano Stainless steel and enamel 10.75" x 4.5" x 10.5" $3,000.00	Kokeshi B Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Exhibition Catalog 48 pages, color (softcover) 8.25" x 11" $15.00
Kokeshi A Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi C Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi D Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00
Kokeshi E Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi F Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi G Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00
Kokeshi H Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi I Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi J Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00
Kokeshi L Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi N Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00	Kokeshi O Gouache on paper 13.5" x 17" $1,500.00