Ads or Art?

Electronic billboards are lighting up more of LA than ever, and LA Freewaves founder Anne Bray wants to talk about the implications of this rapid growth. Bray joins a group of artists concerned about the commercial colonization of public space, asking where art fits into the picture. She's also curious about the legality of these billboards - "What do we want to do with our public space?" she asks. "To whom will you sell your eyeballs?... Must our city be covered with ads? Why?" Bray notes that the MAK Center for Art & Architecture is commissioning more than 20 artist billboards to be presented this Spring through a project titled "How Many Billboards? Art in Stead." The billboards will start appearing on February 5, and the project overall will include an overview exhibit and orientation station at the Schindler House, opening February 23, as well as two panel discussions. Before all of that, though, Bray will tackle the subject tomorrow, Friday, January 29, as one of the weekly salons at Farmlab with "Ads or Art," a lively, illustrated presentation.