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Arts and Entertainment

Photos: Whimsical, Colorful Cartoon-Covered Building Won't Be Around For Much Longer

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There are just three days left for you to visit a pop-up art show in a two-story historic building that's completely covered in vibrant, cartoon-like artwork from Australian duo DABSMYLA.

Husband and wife artists and collaborators Dabs and Myla painted inside and out the 4,000-square-foot Spanish Revival building belonging to Modernica, a manufacturer of midcentury-inspired furniture, out in Vernon (you know, the industrial town that inspired True Detective Season 2). Their art exhibit, "Before & Further," is like a magical playground, where you feel like you're inside the artists' whimsical world. Murals, framed paintings, statues and furniture are all covered in DABSMYLA's signature cheery style, and fill the building that was built in 1930. You might recognize their work from a longstanding huge mural in the Arts District that features a smiling cartoon milk carton.

Dabs & Myla, who both moved from Australia to L.A. in 2009, spoke to the L.A. Times about their "Before & Further" project, which took them eight straight weeks to complete:

Myla: We really like creating installations that people can experience. We are huge fans of Disneyland and love hidden things that you can find. Since people have been going to our show, they say they feel like they’re walking in to one of our paintings. That is what we wanted. Dabs: We wanted it to walk a fine line between feeling like a real house but not having the elements of a real house. We took a lot of inspiration from Case Study and midcentury modern homes so it feels like a 1950s house. It’s abstract and surreal. We wanted it to be interactive like a fun house but not over the top. We didn’t want those elements to overshadow the paintings.

The pop-up gallery has been up since October 17, but will end this Sunday, November 15. Quick, get a move on to experience this before it goes away! And the best part? It's FREE.
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"Before & Further" is held at the Modernica Factory located at 2901 Saco St. in Vernon. The exhibit is open from Thursday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Related:
Photos: Inside The Secret Abandoned Mansion Street Art Show

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