ROBERT HODGE,
EDYTA PACHOWICZ,
& BRYAN LEE TILFORD

Dare I Do -a visual elixir is about taking risks, on so many different levels. The location, the climate, the tone of the World informed so much for doing Dare I Doright now. And these particular Artists seemed to embody something we hope to achieve, not just here in Los Angeles, but elsewhere: to bridge the gap between contemporary artists and a community that is open to the dialogue of Artist-to-People of the neighborhood. This is Band of Vices' (BoV) first official pop-up location, where we didn't already have a relationship with the proprietor. Gallery 38 and its team seemed to be a perfect fit for us and we’re grateful that they’ve allowed us to invade their space.

To the credit of the Artists in this show, it was about pushing the boundaries of their comfort zones. But to also engage a dialogue of something within their work that would be relatable to the West Adams neighborhood.

Robert Hodge, an accomplished multidisciplinary artist from Houston has never shown in Los Angeles. I think his is a unique voice with a strong, intelligent perspective and his collage and use of found materials is a revitalization that reflects the rebuilding of what’s happening in many of our “inner cities”.

Edyta Pachowicz debuted with Band of Vices last year, with a completely new body of work, which she cultivated over the course of almost 10 weeks. From that, she produced an impressive new series that was a revival of her approach. Her connection to capturing everyday people, extracting them, and then retelling their stories is definitive, purposeful and dignified.

Bryan Lee Tilford, my brother has shown in several civic public art forums but hadn't shown in a gallery since Tilford Art Group (TAG). He has a specific nostalgia for Master technicians of various disciplines, that he seeks to pay homage to our “heroes”. And I was prompted by one of his earlier works in this show to have him return to that idea and expand upon the series that he'd begun to create.

We're on the brink of electing a new President who will have the power to make some decisions that may change the course of America, at least for these next four years: the Supreme Court, Counter-Terrorism, Immigration & Gun Control top that list.

And in the midst of this challenging moment, it was a very conscious decision to curate this show. We as Americans, as People of the World, are resilient. It is in our actions that we prove to ourselves and others, the inner power which we possess. And we have the wherewithal, the talent, the consciousness to lift others in this process of growth; that’s our Humanity.

We've got to keep the drum beating, supporting Artists, being socially proactive, using our VOICE.

The Art world, like everything else, is a risk. But we recognize the importance, the significance of continuing to do what we (BoV) do. And as long as The People continue to respond, we'll keep doing it. We've got a lot more planned.