Street Wise

Largest U.S. street art gallery picks Dallas Design District for expansion

High-impact and ephemeral, street art is defined by its envelope-pushing graphics and impermanent status. Even works by the notorious Banksy are often damaged or covered up within hours of their completion.

Which is why a space like Lab Art, coming to 315 Cole St. in the Design District in September, is not only welcome in the local art scene, but it’s also sorely needed. The largest gallery dedicated to street art and graffiti in the U.S., the Los Angeles-based Lab Art has been preserving and exhibiting pieces by Skyler Grey, Kai, MAR! LouisXXX and Annie Preece since 2011.

Founded by entrepreneur Iskander Lemseffer, Lab Art’s mission is a personal one. “Street art has never been given the place it deserved in art history,” he says. “It’s always frowned upon, and another artist goes over it or it gets destroyed. I wanted to make it live forever in your home or office.”

“Street art is always frowned upon, and another artist goes over it or it gets destroyed,” says Lab Art founder Iskander Lemseffer. “I wanted to make it live forever.”

Lemseffer developed his passion for preserving the form after working many years in the fashion industry. Commuting back and forth to downtown LA, he was exposed to works by the likes of Shepard Fairey and Alec Monopoly before “street art” became a household term. Burnt out on fashion, Lemseffer tried his hand at a restaurant, finding himself profiting more from the paintings he hung than the food he served.

After throwing a pop-up art event in a friend’s showroom, he decided to take the plunge and create a permanent space. Lab Art’s debut proved quite prescient.

“I was thinking of doing this, and then the Art in the Streets exhibit came along at MOCA [Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles] curated by Jeffrey Deitch,” Lemseffer says. “MOCA was on the verge of going bankrupt, and it was the most successful show in their history.”

The 6,000-square-foot “mother ship” opened one month after the MOCA exhibit, and Lemseffer hasn’t looked back since. Lab Art is the youngest and newest member of the Art Dealer’s Association of California, legitimizing its mission. With pieces selling from $1,500 to $200,000, there truly is something for everyone, including celebrity collectors Adrien Brody, Freida Pinto and Sofia Vergara.

Expanding Lab Art to other locations was a consideration when Dallas private equity financiers Eric Rosiak and Adam Persiani discovered the gallery on Instagram. Developing a friendship with Lemseffer during frequent LA business trips, the duo convinced him to bring his concept to the Design District, landing in a 4,500-square-foot space that will exhibit Lab Art’s stable of talent along with locally sourced painters.

Debuting with a wide-ranging “greatest hits” exhibition of painting, sculpture, drawings, photography and mixed media, the Dallas gallery will follow up with a solo show of Alec Monopoly’s work in October.

“The Dallas Design District is booming right now, and I ship so much to Dallas it’s not even funny,” Lemseffer says. “You have this young generation now that’s not buying the classics; they grew up with them and want something fresh and new. They’re not buying Picassos and Rembrandts. They’re buying street art.”

Lab Art opens to the public September 19 at 11 am. Hours are noon-7 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. There is a grand opening reception September 18, from 7-10 pm.

Los Angeles-based Lab Art gallery is expanding to the Dallas Design District.

Photo courtesy of Lab Art

Los Angeles-based Lab Art gallery is expanding to the Dallas Design District.

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Drama kings

Dallas theater lures new leaders away from Hollywood and Broadway

Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

Malcolm Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer familiar for roles in Reacher, iZombie, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

Dallas theater company Lyric Stage has looked to Hollywood and Broadway for new leadership, hiring film and television actor and director Malcolm Goodwin and Broadway veteran Victor Hawks as the theater company's new co-artistic directors.

The appointments mark a new chapter for the company, which was founded in 1993 by Steven Jones, executive director Catherine Carpenter Cox says in a November 2 announcement.

Goodwin and Hawks are the co-founders of Team Vision Entertainment, a production company developing and producing film, television, and theater projects.

Their longstanding creative partnership will now extend to Lyric Stage, where they will work alongside Cox to develop programming, support new works, and strengthen the organization's connections to the broader entertainment industry, a press release says.

Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer best known for roles in Amazon Prime Video's Reacher and The CW's iZombie. Other credits include The Fall of the House of Usher, American Gangster, and Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna.

His new role at Lyric Stage brings him back to the art form that first inspired his career.

"Theater is where I first learned how to tell stories and where I discovered that I loved every part of the creative process, not just performing," Goodwin says in the release. "I was building theaters, working with lighting and sound, and learning how everything comes together to create something special for an audience. Being able to return to that world and help create opportunities for other artists is incredibly meaningful to me."

Hawks brings an extensive Broadway background to his new position, having appeared in the original Broadway company of Urinetown the Musical, the 2006 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, South Pacific at Lincoln Center, and The Producers national tour.

Victor Hawks, Lyric Stage Victor Hawks.Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

"Musical theater changed the direction of my life," Hawks says in a statement. "I know firsthand what happens when someone gives a young performer an opportunity to learn, grow and be part of something bigger than themselves. That's what makes this next chapter so exciting. Lyric Stage already has an incredible history, and we want to build on that by creating great theater and opening doors for artists who are just beginning their journeys."

Over the past three decades, Lyric Stage has earned a reputation for its professional productions, world premieres, and restoration of classic Broadway works, with a big focus on musicals.

For Cox, the appointments are about bringing together artists who understand the importance of theater while offering the experience and relationships to help the organization grow.

"Steven Jones built something truly special with Lyric Stage, and we have a responsibility to honor what he created while continuing to move the organization forward," Cox says. "Malcolm and Victor have built remarkable careers in entertainment, but what I love most is that theatre is where both of their journeys began. They understand what the stage can mean to an artist, and they share my passion for creating opportunities for the next generation."

Cox also recently moved into a new role as director, making her directorial debut with Lyric Stage's production of the musical Godspell, which finished its run on October 25.

Upcoming Lyric Stage productions include A Very Lyric Christmas, A Chorus Line, Newsies, and Once.

Future planned endeavors for the company include Lyric Stage Academy, an educational program designed to introduce young people to the performing arts, as well as Children's Theatre, Summer Stock, professional training opportunities, a New Works Lab, and master classes.

lyric stage performing-arts theater