Animated fun houses have been a staple in Dabs Myla’s quirky world of characters. Originally hailing from Australia, the Los Angeles duo frequently features playful installations as a part of their exhibits. Most recently, the world got to see their set design chops in action when they designed a massive backdrop for the 2015 MTV Movie Awards. One month later, Modernica Factory in Los Angeles came knocking on their door. The company is well known on the west coast for its locally made mid-century inspired home furnishings. Nearly six months have gone by since their first meeting, and today Modernica and Dabs Myla will debut what the couple calls their “dream art-house”. Their installation however, is more than a fun house. It’s an interactive exhibition that has completely transformed a rundown, historic building located in the concrete jungle of south Downtown Los Angeles. Inside, attendees will find a space that is outfitted as a two-level home, complete with Dabs Myla-Modernica furniture, fully-decorated bar, living room, black-lit nightclub room, and an upstairs art gallery displaying their exhibit, “Before & Further”. There are, of course, surprises along the way Dabs Myla-style. Behind the clock in the art gallery, you will find a secret chamber filled with their original plans for the installation and a reveal of new paintings. In the salon, you can listen to the Beach Boys as you look through binoculars that point the way to a tiny dancing mushroom. Should you ever feel lost, on the staircase, there are hand-painted maps of the site’s “landmarks” which include bright orange tee-pees and a giant grinning cat head. As a bubbly and pink-haired Myla guided us around the space, she reveled at all of the new ideas that this project has inspired. Now that she’s seen Dabs Myla art on everything from tables and chairs, and learned how the process is done, she says it feels like they can do anything- the possibilities are endless.
Dabs Myla’s “Before & Further” exhibition and installation at the Modernica Factory in Los Angeles is now open to the public, and will be on view through November 15th, 2015.