Chris Tallon

I came to LA in 1995 and studied architecture at UCLA masters program. After UCLA in 1996, I worked in the drafting and design department for Carlon and Co. in Sun Valley Ca. where I had the opputunity to work on Jeffery Koons Ballon Dog and Heart Locket, Ellseworth Kelly's Toykio Panels, and others. In 1997 I went to work for the Architect Haggy Belzberg where I worked as a project manager on custom modern homes. In 1997, I began freelancing as a draftsman and desgner as well as prosuing art.

In 1998 I began publishing and distributing booklets of my work. I would go to art opeings all over LA and hand out my booklets. One day while I was handing out my booklets at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, I ran into two artists Mark Housley and Daniel Boganovic. They were having there own opening in a moving truck in the parking lot of Bergamot Station! The Gallery was called Swap Meet Art Collective better know as S.M.A.C, as well as the other stuff too. I quickly began helping out with the gruilla like art shows. I really enjoyed the spontienatiety of the act and that it exploited the only real public space in LA, the parking lot and the street. We could also annex to any show going on in the city due to the gallery being mobile. 

Shortly after, the high ended. Never the less, Still high from all the S.M.A.C, I formed my own art collective in 1999 called Kudzu. Still, very much under the influence, I decided to take the "To the Streets" attitude a bit further and expand on the idea of the gallery as a concept in of it self. My intention was not to challenge to gallery system but to challenge art by removing the walls that protect it as well as inhibit it. Basically  we had to develope stratigies in order to exhibit art and invent means by which to distribute that art.

The group consisted of six people: Shane Acker, artist; Sibly Wickershimmer (currently Sibyl Acker), theater designer and director, and artist; Javier Surez, architect, artist; Keith Walsh, artist; John Mills, artist; Chris Tallon, architect and artist. Each person would present an idea/show

Still working on this.