David Levine "Hopeful" (3/20)

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I got a roommate with an actress from Dallas. I used to see her going through Backstage West, putting her headshot into an envelope and filling out the address. She did this weekly. Heck, some of her early headshots were taken by me on a Canon A2 - yes folks, 35mm black & white. At that time the industry hadn't moved to the color headshots we see today.

Each 8x10 holds hope for an actor out there - all looking at you when you open the envelope. David Levine must have seen thousands of headshots as he is a former actor, director and acting teacher. This Saturday March 20th 6-9 pm at François Ghebaly Gallery, David brings his "Hopeful" exhibition, a collection of over 1,000 headshots and cover letters to Los Angeles after solo exhibitions in New York and Berlin.

Photos after the jump





(Cabinet Gallery, New York 2009)

(Galerie Feinkost, Berlin 2009)

It's about the ambition and vulnerability inherent in being social, and in trying to impress. You guess what someone wants from you, and you about trying to conform to a type while retaining your individuality-you're never sure which of the two society values more. It's about the notion of meritocracy, and the injustice of its promises; but it's also about naivete, and jadedness. - David Levne

Opening reception March 30th 6-9 pm

François Ghebaly Gallery
510 Bernard St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Interview Magazine "Inside the Actor's Portrait Studio"
ArtForum - "David Levine"