A generous contribution to the University Synagogue by philanthropists Katherine and Andre z”l Merage has made this major art commission a reality.

This magnificent artwork by Laddie John Dill creates a flow, an elegant movement, from nature, moving from the past to the present and then into the future, exemplifying the Jewish people. Dill creates a balance among diverse elements, encompassing the rich complexity inherent in life. As you approach the work, hear the Shema resonate in your heart.

“The Sherma is the central affirmation of Judaism. Found in the Book of Deuteronomy, it is neither a prayer nor a blessing. Rather, it is a challenge: to hear, listen and heed the idea that Divinity is One and Humanity is One. The world is literally a Universe – not disparate and disconnected – but whole.”

– Rabbi Arnold Rachlis

“The materials used in this work are both man-made and from the earth. Glass, crushed minerals, blue cobalt oxide, iron oxide, sulfur, volcanic ash, aircraft aluminum, wood, and cement enhance each other, contributing to a collective strength and unity. The juxtaposition of the shapes, the symbolic meanings of the text and the raw materials combine to create a flow and union while maintaining a serenity in a holistic and powerful way. The tent motif, used in the design of the sanctuary, is incorporated in the work to extend the feeling of welcoming and inclusion of the synagogue community. The materials are extremely sensitive to ambient light, reflecting and capturing the infinite changes in light as the day changes, and as the seasons change.”

– Laddie John Dill

Laddie John Dill is a painter and sculptor whose works are represented in many museums and public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. And the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Dill is a recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. Laddie John Dill is also represented by the DeVorzon Gallery. www.devorzongallery.com

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:: Apr.05.2008 :: Laddie John Dill :: No Comments »

California sculptor, John Kennedy, was known for his elegant and lyrical sculptures of the human figure. One of Kennedy’s most notable sculptures was in commemoration of longtime friend, actress and activist Audrey Hepburn. Because Hepburn spent many years working for the U.N. Children’s Fund on behalf of children in Latin America and Africa Kennedy created a beautiful sculpture depicting a woman holding the hand of a small child that is still on display at the United Nations in New York City.

“As an incurable romantic, I seek to capture the warmth and tender closeness, the caring feelings as well as the joy and often the whimsical side of these very personal emotions,” Kennedy once said. “This is why I see the human body as a point of reference, simplifying the figure to a lyrical composition.” Kennedy believed that a piece of sculpture is a visual communicator that begs a viewer to participate, understand and appreciate the relationships and emotions he instills in his art.

His work is also on public display at the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center in Palm Desert, California and the Kansas Health Foundation in Wichita, Kansas. He is represented by DeVorzon Gallery in Beverly Hills, California.

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:: Apr.01.2008 :: John Kennedy :: No Comments »

Laddie John Dill, a Los Angeles native, was born in Long Beach and attended Santa Monica High School. He graduated from Chouinard Art institute in 1968. At age 28, Dill had his first one-man exhibit at the Ileana Sonnabend Gallery in New York. Dill’s list of exhibitions include galleries and museums from such venues as Seoul, Paris, Nagoya, Japan, Helsinki, and Finland; to New York, Kansas City, Seattle, and throughout Northern and Southern California.

Laddie is the recipient of two National Endowment grants; one for sculpture and one for painting, as well as a Guggenheim Fellowship for painting. He has also taught extensively at UCLA, UCIrvine, Art Centre in Pasadena, and lectured in numerous and art institutions across the United States.

SELECTED PUBLIC WORK:

Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Chicago Art Institute, Chicago Illinois
Caldwell Museum, Humboldt, Tennessee
Frederick Weisman Museum of Art, Malibu, California
Greenville County Museum, South Carolina
Laguna Beach Museum of Art Laguna Beach, California
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LA. California
Louisiana Museum, Denmark
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Paulo, Brazil
Museum of Modern Art, New York City, New York
Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California

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:: Mar.14.2008 :: Laddie John Dill :: No Comments »