This month, The Box, pool deck, and lobby of The Standard, Hollywood have been taken over by THING Studio, a multidisciplinary art outfit led by Lulu Biazus and Carrie Lau. The installation, entitled APOCAPOP, is a collaboration with visual designer Amanda Thevenot. They describe it thusly:
"Journey into a post-human future where mankind is extinct and Earth is now inhabited by APOCAPOPS, amoeba-like creates that love heat and trash. Finding themselves in their own version of the garden of Eden sewn by human folly and self-destruction, the APOCAPOPS joyously inherit a world that is perfect for their needs, in what can be considered both a jubilation and a funeral for consumer culture with a cute, psychedelic, and satirical twist".
Despite its apocalyptic warnings about overconsumption and global warming, the installation is frikkin' adorable. We asked THING Studio to help spread the giddiness, and they came back with this list of their top 5 happy places in Los Angeles:
HAPPY PLACE #1: York Blvd
"We love coming here when we feel like coffee, books, and records. More shops keep cropping up, and they're catering to a creative audience. It's not beautiful, but most interesting things aren't."
HAPPY PLACE #2: Silverlake Reservoir
"The perfect place to walk our dogs, bump into friends, and have picnics waterside. Watching nearly-naked people running by helps, too."
HAPPY PLACE #3: Arts District Downtown LA
"This is our go-to spot for buying presents, eating wieners, and grabbing a drink during the week. It's a marshmallow melting-pot of artistic energy, and it's full of visual inspiration."
HAPPY PLACE #4: Atwater Village
"Loads of great places to eat, gastropubs, our favorite Indian supermarket, and a nice Farmer's Market on Sundays. We feel guilty mentioning it because it's such a secret little gem."
HAPPY PLACE #5: Chinatown
"The galleries and food are reason enough to take a trip here. If you're not familiar with the area, we recommend going to the next Chinatown Summer Nights, on August 17th. Free music, food trucks galore, and gallery shows up the wazoo."
