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White House AAPI Initiative “What’s Your Story?”

LOS ANGELES, CA – On Oct 30, 2011, Niche.LA Video Art submits new video “Nic Cha Kim, Founder of Gallery Row” to the White House AAPI Initiative “What’s Your Story?” video challenge. Seeking stories about Asian-American community activists, Nic Cha Kim hopes to represent Downtown LA in Washington DC. A select few will be invited to the White House to attend a briefing concerning AAPI Issues.

Nic Cha Kim is Founder/President of Gallery Row and Artistic Director of Niche.LA Video Art. Back in 2003, Nic wrote the proposal that would eventually start the Gallery Row movement. Through his leadership, Gallery Row Organization helped usher in a new artistic movement in Downtown Los Angeles, which grew from 3 to over 45 art galleries, museums, and public art installations.

Niche.LA Video Art is a video production company based in Downtown Los Angeles specializing in music videos, sizzle reels, stock video, and locations.

Narrated by Nic Cha Kim
Founder / President
Gallery Row Organization
www.galleryrow.org

facebook.com/galleryrow
twitter.com/galleryrow

Directed & Edited by Eric Heights
Produced by Niche.LA Video Art
Music by Ahmad Rashad
Animation by Ryan Pohanic
1st AD – Norberto Briceno

Interviews:
Nic Cha Kim – Gallery Row
Clyde Beswick – CB1 Gallery
Celia Esguerra – Raw Materials
Clark Woodford – Clark’s Gallery

Special Thanks:
Councilwoman Jan Perry, 9th District
Kjell Hagen
Kimba Rogers
Cheyanne Della Donna
Nathan Cartwright
The Hive Gallery
Alex Schaefer
Cotrutza Gallery

CONTACT:
Nic Cha Kim – Niche.LA Video Art, Artistic Director
nck@niche.la / (213) 290-6290

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
VIDEO ON VIMEO: www.vimeo.com/31392902
VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5VDQP0JaUc
NICHE.LA WEBSITE: www.niche.la
NICHE.LA TWITTER: www.twitter.com/nichelavideoart
NICHE.LA FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nichelavideoart
ERIC HEIGHTS: www.ericheights.com
NIC CHA KIM: www.nicchakim.com

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There are many art walk babies out there. In my tours of Downtown, I’ve encountered numerous couples who met during an art walk. They fell in love and had babies. Those are happy stories and I got accustomed to hearing that so it’s terribly humbling to hear the exact opposite occurring in the streets of Gallery Row. I simply cannot accurately express how saddened I am for the grieving couple for the loss of their newborn.

Typically, I never resort to commentary on the Gallery Row twitter feed. It’s not about me, but about promoting all the cultural events happening in Downtown but it’s difficult to keep my mouth shut. To that end, only links have been posted with only the article’s headline as a teaser. I could opine my thoughts ruggedly into the status updates, but I got a spot here to do that. After all, Niche.LA is ultimately a reflection of my aesthetic and the work of my business partners.  So here goes…

There’s a lot of controversy out there regarding the handling of the accident by the police. First of all, everybody needs to thank the LAPD for their years of continued service towards the art walk. For a long time, many of them volunteered their time to help make sure art walk is safe. It wouldn’t be possible without their cooperation. But some questions linger like a bad habit. Such as… Why was the driver let go at the scene of the accident, especially since he didn’t have a license?

To the person who suggested to move the event somewhere else… really? How do you suggest we move 40 art galleries, museums, and public art installations? It’s called Art Walk for a reason. If you imagined everything’s on wheels, then you came for the food trucks, in which case you’re absolutely right. Move the event.  Now.

Or more accurately, move the food trucks because they have nothing to do with Art Walk. They’re simply here to piggyback and capitalize on the movement art walk started, which turned it from 5,000 art enthusiasts to 20,000 attendees in one summer. Now, this sounds like a wonderful thing and on one side of the coin, it is. It’s an incredibly satisfying thing to know Gallery Row is responsible for bringing so much art and culture into Downtown, but the other side is the fact the streets and sidewalks are now grossly congested with revelers and people don’t feel as safe. Many arrive after the galleries close so it’s not even about the art anymore.  I’ve always told parents it’s absolutely safe to bring their children to art walk… and it is, but I can no longer say that without having to explain the final destination freak accident that occurred which claimed the life of a 2-month old. It’s no longer a selling point when promoting Gallery Row or Downtown to timid Westsiders.  Perception is everything in LA.

There’s a petition out there to shut the streets down during art walk, which sounds like a reasonable given considering the circumstances, but it’s not that easy and that’s not necessarily the answer. People live in Downtown. They need 24 hour access in and out of their lofts.  As residents, it’s their privilege and right to suggest otherwise.  On the contrary, the petition should be to move the food trucks entirely in an effort to make Art Walk about ART again. Make Art Walk about the community again. Make Art Walk about Downtown again.  If you never intend on purchasing art, then you’re not our intended audience and the event would do better without you clogging the sidewalks. Please do not drink the free wine.

Fuck it. Take away the food and make it educational.  The numbers will dwindle and art walk will be safe again.

I don’t know how to articulate exactly how I’m feeling.  Based on the current reports, it was an accident.  The driver was not under the influence, but was driving barefoot during the moment in question.  The mother was taking her two month old baby on a stroll during the Downtown Art Walk at 9 at night.  Then they met… and that changed everything.

I’ve been reading some terrible comments left by readers on BlogDowntown.  From selfish residents still complaining of noise levels (leave if you don’t like it) to someone actually blaming the mother (unbelievably cold-hearted and callous).  People are demanding a statement from Art Walk, with minimal-to-no understanding of how it actually works.  They call for streets to be closed, as if that’s the answer and it’s as easy as flipping a switch.  They want to live in an urban environment, but only on their own terms.  It’s Not-In-My-Balcony, because nobody has backyards in Downtown.  And they wrongly assume, Art Walk makes tons of money off any of this.  I’ve read more misperceptions than I can count and I wonder how many of them actually purchase art at art walk.  Not one offered to volunteer their time or to donate money to help figure this out.

Well, I don’t run art walk, but I did co-found the Gallery Row district which inspired it. And never did I imagine a baby would die like that.  I only have this to say.  To all you haters. Listen… you.  A baby just died.  Right now, it’s not about you.  Let it be for a moment at least, so a mother can grieve.  My utmost sincere condolences to all that were hurt or involved in this tragic accident.  — Nic

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I can’t count how many tours I’ve given of Gallery Row over the years.  Sometimes they make it on blogs.

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Photographs by Eric Sueyoshi.  Gotta say, I hate this pic of me.  I need to lose weight.

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The new Gallery Row signs get noticed by BlogDowntown.  A little annoyed with this post considering nobody contacted us for the story, but instead interviewed someone who had nothing to do with the project.  Not to mention, the signs are for visitors, not the gallery owners.  We already know where the galleries are.

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