Beverly Hills is renowned for its opulent shopping and dining scene, but it wants you to know it’s all about art too.
As part of its strategy to combat the effects of COVID-19 on the retail industry, the city developed Visions of the Future. The initiative brings in of-the-moment artists for temporary art displays to fill retail vacancies.
On Dec. 10, Aktion Art’s contemporary artist Kevin Hees opened his first public exhibit, “Music!,” as part of the program. It will remain at 455 N Canon Dr. until Jan. 31, 2022.
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“Visions of the Future seeks to create a silver lining out of what was, and still is, a very challenging situation for businesses and the community caused by the pandemic— and my art seeks to do the same in acting as a source of beauty and hope,” Hees explained. “My art comes from a place of personal healing, and creating these works on canvas and spreading my message of positivity has changed my life for the better - as I hope it too does for my collectors.”
“Music!” elevates the idea of music as a universal art form and features artists such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and The Chicks. An abstract take on the medium, the canvases are made up of musical notes and sheet music.
“The series is inspired by hit songs of great personal power and inspiration for me and many others,” Hees added. “My mark, the circle and three lines, is symbolic for energy, the circular nature of the Universe and life, and a numerological representative for sound (the 7 notes on a musical scale), color (the 7 prismatic colors in sunlight) and space (the 7 attributes of physicality), and it is the combination of these elements— sound, color, light and spirit— that create my art. ‘Music!’ is an homage to one of my greatest sources of inspiration, an homage to my favorite artists and a wider message to the empowering nature of art: the power of music will bring you home. I felt like ‘MUSIC!’ was the perfect fit for a city like L.A. where art, music, film and entertainment take center stage in day-to-day life.”
Photography by: Kevin Hees/ Nick Hissom
