STUDIO DDLA

BODY STORIES

Opening DEC 6TH

Studio DDLA is proud to present “Body Stories”, featuring the artwork of Bill Faecke, Yeansoo Aum, Christina Yasmin Fesmire, Paula Voss, and Nguyen Ly.

“Body Stories” is a series of works that explores themes of religious belief, violence, absurdity, and mania through imagery layered with influences from Catholicism, alchemy, and cosmic phenomena. Recurring symbols like steer skulls and black holes echo the confluence of life, death, and oblivion. Collaborative sculptures integrate ceramic, fiber, and printmaking, using fragmented bodies to explore memory, the unconscious, death, and existence with open-mindedness, humor, and a sense of mystery.

Through geometric and explosive mark making, this show explores the absurdity of finding meaning in life and death, inspired by Samuel Beckett's embrace of death's inevitable mystery.

This exclusive exhibition will be on display at Studio DDLA from December 6th-28th.

Meet our artistS

Bill Faecke received a BFA in drawing and painting from Cal State Fullerton in 2005 and an MFA from Cal State LA in 2009, with a focus on video performance and large-scale drawings. In his mixed media works, he draws from a variety of influences such as medieval alchemy, noise music, free jazz, the American West, the Theatre of the Absurd, cosmic phenomena, and sundry historical religious, spiritual, political and artistic figures. He layers this imagery with mark making that is alternately geometric and architectural or organic and often explosive in nature. His key impetus in creating art is to continually explore different avenues of finding meaning in life and death, while maintaining an underlying tone of absurdity in this endeavor.

Yeansoo Aum received her BFA from the University of Minnesota. She does printmaking in Irvine, California as a member of the printmaking group, Lynk Collective. Yeansoo specializes in drypoint and relief techniques. In her artworks, she combines simplicity with texture to create friendly images.

Christina Yasmin Fesmire is a Southern California-based printmaker, curator and designer who holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and has exhibited and trained in various cities throughout Europe and Central America. She is a core member of the printmaking group Lynk Collective and a board member of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society. Interested in metaphysical issues of loss and the traversal of time, her work explores life as a liminal passage between growth and decay. 

Paula Voss (she/her) I am a printmaker, painter and mixed media artist who draws on the natural world and on our societies' issues for inspiration to spark inquiry and nurture dialog. My work is at times whimsical and other times solemn, mirroring my own and our collective understanding of relationship to each other and to our shared world.

Nguyen Ly is a multimedia artist and art educator with expertise in numerous printmaking techniques (including monoprint and drypoint), as well as drawing, sculpture and collage. His prints, drawings, sculpture and other work have been exhibited throughout California and in locales as diverse as Springfield, Missouri, and Guadalajara, Mexico. He was born in Saigon and raised in Los Angeles, and is a member of the multiracial printmaking group Lynk Collective, and a former member of Los de Abajo Printmaking Collective and Mono Gráfico Colectivo. As a result, he is especially attuned to the cultural mix that makes his adopted hometown of L.A. so rich – and to the pressures faced by so many first- and second-generation Americans.

CONTACT US

CONTACT US

Studio DDLA

Nestled in the heart of Los Angeles’ Historic Chinatown, Studio DDLA stands as a pioneering space dedicated to death work in the United States.

As a cornerstone of Historic Chinatown, our studio continues the rich tradition of artistic expression that has thrived in this neighborhood since the late 1990s. Originating with the Black Dragon Society, a collective of Art Center College of Design students, this community has long been a hub for emerging artists and innovative galleries. With Studio DDLA, we honor this legacy by providing a platform for local artists and members of our vibrant death doula collective community to showcase their work.

Beyond our commitment to showcasing diverse artistic perspectives, Studio DDLA offers a versatile space for photographers, videographers, event organizers, and more. From immersive art exhibitions to dynamic multi-day events, our studio welcomes a range of creative endeavors.

For gallery use, screenings, photography, video shoots, retreats & other multi-day or closed events, please submit your proposal below. Rental pricing will be determined based on event application.

Questions can be directed to admin@deathdoulala.com.

Hours
by appointment only

Address

944 Chung King Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Submit your proposal

This form is for gallery use, screenings, photography, video shoots, retreats & other multi-day or closed events.