the 8th Annual Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series second place winner and local Los Angeles artist, Ariel Vargassal, unveiled his contemporary exhibit, “Contemporary Totems”. Open to the public at Building Bridges Art Exchange from July 13 – August 14, Ariel’s exhibit explores the relationship between form and space. Guests at the VIP opening including actress and subject of one of Vargassal’s paintings, AnnaLynne McCord, came out to celebrate the Los Angeles-based Mexican artist and toasted to his new collection of work with artfully crafted Bombay Sapphire cocktails.

Now in its ninth year, the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series is a nationwide search for the best up-and-coming names in visual arts. For the 8th Annual Series Finale that took place in Miami this past December, Insecure actress, writer, and host of the finale Issa Rae crowned Vargassal as a second-place winner among the 14 finalists. Vargassal’s new series of work is inspired by his homeland of Mexico’s rich history of mural art that blossomed into the movement known as “Magic Naturalism”. “Contemporary Totems” utilizes a minimalist approach to reveal the complex co-existence between the human world and that of wild life. The unique paintings feature animals and human subjects and explores metaphorical themes that impact modern society such as mental health issues, social inequities, and emotional states of both cognitive and unexpected pleasure.