Original Post date: 9/1/09

Giant billboards of Liz Goldwyn hang outside Le Bon Marche and at bus stops all over Paris

Another project from friend and L.A. Native Liz Goldwyn (Westlake, El Rodeo) … Le Bon Marché commissioned Liz to create an installation for their Paris store to accompany their California-themed fall campaign, which also includes independent classic car culture decor, Beverly Hills street signs and merchandise from L.A. designers. Photo (left) shows announcements in Paris of Liz’s installation, will be on display inside the store from August 21st-October 12th, 2009. Our friend Starr Elizabeth Haymes was in Paris this week and sent in the pictures. Liz sent me some more photos just taken in Paris this week …

Liz keeps u guessing with her on-going fashion-oriented art projects … who even knew these concepts were options!? How cool! You can read more about her work on her website. The last project Liz did were herbillboards from her Underwater Ballet film released on digital Clear Channel billboards throughout New York and L.A. More info at http://www.lizgoldwynfilms.com/.

Le Bon Marche’s tapped Liz to contribute these installations to the California-themed fall at Le Bon Marche in addition to the store’s own decor and sales campaign, which includes Beverly Hills street signs and designs from Current/Elliott, J Brand, William Rast, James Perse, UCLA, Disney Couture, Kitson, King Baby jewelry, Bonnie Young children’s wear, Ugg boots and L.A. Eyeworks shades.

Liz speaks eloquently on her installations …
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My intention was to create a “love letter” to my hometown city, Los Angeles. The “Musical Palm Tree” windows were inspired by a longtime daydream of mine. Driving around LA in the magical sunset hours, listening to music and watching the rows of palm trees dot the sky, I would imagine musical stave bars overlaid on top of the trees. The palm leaves became musical notes and I would fantasize about the soundtrack they would reveal.

Photographer Todd Cole shot panoramas of palm trees in LA, which were then arranged according to a melodic pattern I designed.

I approached “Money Mark” Nishita to create the score for the windows. I wanted a joyous song, perhaps one that could make tears turn into laughter. We were inspired by California classic pop; The Beach Boys, Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” and girl groups like the Shangri-la’s, who sang of heartbreak but over driving, upbeat tempo.

An interior installation, called “LA at Night”, consists of a cube structure, inside of which, 5 films play simultaneously, synchronized and symphonic. The films were shot on HD in Los Angeles in the dead of night. The footage includes images of my Underwater Ballet billboards, a public art project shown in Los Angeles in April-May 2009, which consisted of 86 digital billboards within the LA landscape.

These are inter-cut with time-lapse shots of freeways and blown out car headlights, which were layered to create a kaleidoscopic, ‘jeweled’ effect. The images together form a meditation on the nighttime landscape of Los Angel
es; a sky lit by artificial lights beaming from advertisements and car culture. The soundtrack contains no traffic noises at all; rather it follows a meditation, using breath, wind, a low hum, and bells.
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Liz Goldwyn’s installation in the store front windows of Le Bon Marche - photos from Liz


Liz Goldwyn’s installation in the store front windows of Le Bon Marche - photos from Liz

Le Bon Marche in Paris installation by Liz Goldwyn “Los Angeles at Night”

Stills from films inside Liz Goldwyn’s cubed theatre inside Le Bon Marche - photos from Liz

Stills from films inside Liz Goldwyn’s cubed theatre - photos from Liz

Dita Von Teese, Money Mark and Liz Goldwyn attend Le Bon Marche dinner in honor of Liz this past June in Los Angeles – Wireimage

Le Bon Marche dinner in honor of Liz this past June in Los Angeles was held at the Sunset Towers Hotel on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood – Wireimage, Party favors! – Wireimage

“L.A. at Night” interview with Liz Goldwyn from LEXPRESS