Meet ZsaZsa K.: gallery director & curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with ZsaZsa K. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi ZsaZsa, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Galeria Vida was founded on & continues to function on the primary principle of inclusivity. Despite societal progress, there is still room for improvement re: art galleries providing equal opportunities for artists who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. We make it a priority to seek out minority creative groups, such as female identifying, BIPOC, self-taught, under-age, elders, and/or culturally oriented artists. We’ve incorporated art world interviews, as well as group exhibits, to expand our virtual gallery space. We’re also very interested in opening the general categories of “fine art” to include sound (music and alternative audio soundtracks) and video (performance and film).

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Galeria Vida was functioning as an on-line platform before it became the norm, due to the pandemic. Quite a few artists and storefront spaces actually reached out to comment on how we had a head start on the concept. In 2020, our global gallery actually became more relevant and socially acceptable than it had been in our launch year. We even started an off-shoot project, CONTOUR (via Vimeo On-Demand), featuring virtual life model sessions for drawing & painting inspo. Despite the fact that some art spaces are now re-opening, virtual art experiences seem to be on-going, as they’ve proven to be far reaching with little overhead. While many art orgs found themselves in dire straits, due to covid, we have been fortunate to continue as planned and even expand the project features. We are still learning how to navigate thru the PR world & reach our target audience on social media, but it has not deterred our movement. We exist to prove that Art Matters & we continue to Support The Arts by spotlighting & featuring creatives from under-represented groups.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to give tours of L.A., as I was born & raised here & there’s so much fun history to share! The Venice Boardwalk is a must experience for a genuine taste of L.A.’s street performers and alternative living. Westwood’s UpsideDown is a wonderful spot to grab a cup of coffee & see some art. West Hollywood’s Rainbow Bar & Grill has outdoor dining for rock n’ roll pizza lovers & infamously strong mixed drinks. If you prefer Mexican food, El Coyote is another dining option with tasty food & yummy house margaritas. The Hollywood & Highland mall has a courtyard structure that perfectly frames the Hollywood sign. Right up the street you’ll find the Hollywood Bowl, which has really cool summer concerts with fireworks! Griffith Park’s The Observatory offers spectacular lookouts of the city skyline for sunset views. For those with some deeper pockets, Hollywood’s Yamashiro provides equally stunning visuals & an amazing Japanese garden. If you can manage to find it, Bronson Canyon’s hiking trails include the “Batcave” from the Batman 1960’s TV series & it’s the perfect photo op. Los Feliz’s La Luz De Jesus is a unique location for bizarre souvenirs, books, and art! DTLA’s Arts District is full of galleries, food, & pubs that I’m looking forward to frequenting, once the city re-opens. Cindy’s diner in Eagle Rock is a super spot for dessert! South Pasadena’s Mission Street, which is available via the Goldline, is full of boutique stores & a unique & quaint ambiance. San Marino’s The Huntington Library is one of my absolute favorite getaways for museum and garden strolls. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to thank my tribe, Seneca Nation of Indians (Cattaraugus, NY), for all of their help and support with my creative projects. Connecting with other Native artists (especially those from my own tribe), in 2020, has given me a sense of pride and encouragement that I never had before. It was by far the highlight of my personal lockdown experience.

Website: www.galerivida.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galeria.vida/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/galeria.vida/

Other: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/contour

Image Credits
Benny Sanches, Betsy Melchers, Tia Calhoun, Dai Ban / Cheryl Chudyk, Flore Edharz, Gonzalo Egileor, Amelia Wilardson / Mila Spigolon, Vanessa Burgundy, Coco Ono, Marie Sue / Miss Mosh, Ezra Lucas, Eden Serafina