Artist Dennis Hoekstra Recreates Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco At LTD Los Angeles
Hoekstra’s sculpture, painting and installation practice is informed by the European artisanal traditions of faux-bois and faux-marbre, Hollywood set fabrication techniques, suburban backyard Halloween haunted houses and the vernacular of Disney theme parks especially their “dark rides.” In his formative years, the artist toured Disneyland’s fabrication facilities extensively with his father, “Dutch” Hoekstra, a member of their creative fabrication team from 1964 until 1979. In January 2010, Rodney Bingenheimer visited LTD Los Angeles on its opening day and shared the history of the gallery space with LTD Los Angeles founder, Shirley Morales. Since then, they have discussed the possible re-presentation of his eponymous club. Morales invited Hoekstra to work in close collaboration with the gallery and Bingenheimer to realize a re-presentation of this iconic 1970s glam club. Bingenheimer generously provided unprecedented access to an archive of vintage photos, videos, vinyl records, posters and celebrity memorabilia originally displayed in the club. photographs by Oliver Maxwell Kupper