High Beams, a Los Angeles-based curatorial collective, presents HB7: Cruising, a pop-up exhibition of 20 artist projects held in the north parking lot of Plummer Park, West Hollywood.

Parking lots have traditionally been stopping points for “cruisers” to meet-up with friends, regroup before a party, or hook-up with an anonymous sexual partner. The term “cruising” has particular resonance West Hollywood, as both uses of the word are equally resonant: The Sunset Strip as a hotbed for muscle cars, and Vaseline Alley as a hookup spot for sex. 

While undeniably more tame than their historical analogs, the “cruisers” expected at HB7 will be able to walk through a temporary art garden that is wide-ranging and interactive, reflective of a city as diverse as the work, while paying homage to West Hollywood’s legendary nightlife. 

The themes associated with much of the work are varied, though commonalities include trauma, an impending planetary crisis, body autonomy, and eco-feminism. Other artists have chosen to work with themes around hedonism, pleasure, and simple comfort as a way to distract from the endless parade of anxiety-inducing news.

Participating artists include Ismael de Anda III, The Art Dominatrix (Elizabeth Folk), Ilona Berger + Andrew Wingler, Jackie Castillo, Sean Cully, Dani Dodge, Ricardo Harris-Fuentes, Lesya Godfrey + Linus Gruszewski, HYPERLINK, Flora Kao, Kellan Barnebey King, Ibuki Kuramochi, Jorge Mujica, Hagop Najarian, Dakota Noot, Sean Noyce, Allaia Parhizi, Stephanie Sherwood, Sasha Tivetsky, and Surge Witrön