Machine Project

Purple Electric Play is a dizzying tournament of Form vs Meaning. Mr Asher Hartman’s near prophetic command of theatrical elements (light, sound, scenography, directing bodies in space) put the être back into theatre. PEP invites the left side of brain to take a holiday and the viewership to be one of texture, rhythm and associative thrills. Peripatetic monologue and dialogue swirled around notions of conviction and resistance; ultimately insisting, through a hedonistic neo-​traditionalism, that good theatre is a vital thing.

I’ve taken a few random classes here (henna, sewing, intro to arduino) and they’ve all been great. Get on their email list so you’ll get updates on classes. They offer hands on classes where you’ll get a chance to make, create, and meet other creative types.
There was only one class I signed up for (Glitch Art) that I skipped out on because it was too crowded. I like it when they keep the classes small; in the classes I have taken there were under 10 people.

Not your typical art gallery, more of a project space for all sorts of great stuff. Been to several events and even as a Dorkbake participant (google it).
I’ve taken sewing, soldering and mechanism classes, and all were top notch.
If stimulating talks, amazing art and original performances are not your cup of tea, then keep walking.
Mark (who runs the joint) is always friendly and I think has become my idol.

i love machine project.
the work that this place produces/​hosts is just amazing.
the gallery exhibitions are stellar (full size shipwrecks, turning the storefront into a camera obscura).
events at the gallery space are fantastic (individual puppet shows, screening a dog opera with live musical accompaniment).
the classes/​workshops are varied (homebrewing, sewing + electronics, a children’s workshop on how to hotwire a car).
machine project also collaborates with other artists/​collectives/​organizations in the city (and across the country) to produce some great programming. they were in residence last year at the hammer museum (in westwood) and held a dream-​in, which included an overnight sleepover in the museum, that was awesome.
i can’t say enough about how much i love machine project.

Came here for their St. Patrick’s Day Folksong Singing and it was exactly what I was hoping for. Really helped me enjoy the end of my day after getting a traffic ticket in downtown LA trying to get to Casey’ Irish Pub which was overcrowded and not worth the effort.
I would definitely come back here to experience what other artists and musicians have to offer

A really cool little space with an awesome vibe. Love the pirate installation and creativity this place embraces. Took a class on the «Mechanics of the Haunted Mansion» here, which was fun and informative. I look forward to doing more stuff with these folks.

Where else can you take a paleolithic skills class (stone knife making and bone crafting!) one week then a knitting/​electro-​modding class the next? Machine project that’s where. Great off-​the– wall DIY classes and art/​performances/​weirdness, some of which I can’t really explain all that well (was I there, did that really happen, was that a fever dream?). Some of the class can be a tad pricey, but seriously, where else can you learn some of this stuff?

Machine Project, yesyesyes.
I have done two things here, and I loved them both.
First I took a 3-​hour cheesemaking class, in which (to be fair) I can’t say I learned a ton about making cheese, even though we spent the whole time making cheese. I don’t remember the process for making fresh ricotta particularly, but I DO remember the totally fascinating stories told by the woman who taught the class, about her crazy life and learning to make cheese by accident («milk WANTS to be cheese!»), urban foraging and taking baths in whey and then siphoning it out the window into her garden.
Another time I came here when there was an installation that made the entire inside of the gallery look like a forest. There was a double feature (Lost Boys and Twilight) during which we sat on blankets in the «woods» and were served microwave popcorn and cans of beer.
I’ll go back for sure! And I’m going to become a member too.

machine project rules. it is a gallery, a performance space, pure unadulterated weird arty nerdiness, a gathering, a place to take classes on electronics as well as sewing, a non-​profit organization, geek sheek, a place for artists and art lovers. there’s usually something happening every weekend, be it a lecture, music performance or opening. for a while, there was a forest in here. it was impressive, and there were performances and happenings in the forest. the people who make it happen are fun and cool and very nice. check out their events. they may be strange, but never boring.

When I lived in Echo Park, The Machine Project was right down the street from my apartment. The first time my friend and I went, we weren’t even sure we were at the right place; there was no sign. We hesitated at the door for a second, and then went on in.
For the next hour or so, we caught some delightful musical performances, poetry readings, and an artsy film that made you say either «Wow!» or «WTF?» (I have to admit, I was one of the «WTF?» people). We were also entertained by a cool vacuum machine that sucks up your donations (Ahhh! It’s sucking my will to live!!).
The Machine Project is East Side intellectual indie culture at its finest, and I would recommend this place to anyone who is in need of intellectual stimulation… or who sells deodorant (It smelled in there! Sorry, gotta keep it real). Go with an open mind; you won’t be disappointed!

I’ve been here twice and each time I just missed the featured entertainment and was left to wander the space and chat with the nice people who facilitate this venue-​cum-​gallery. It’s hard to review a somewhat abstract concept as The Machine, especially when I’m loosely biased in its favor, but is it fair to argue that a room can glow with creative vibes, even while nothing particularly creative is actually happening at that temporal moment? It’s like the walls throb with thought or something.

I’ve been hungry lately. At first I thought it was boredom, but it’s not, it’s hunger, a craving for intellectual stimulation. Unfortunately, the economy isn’t simply a topic for discussion fo me, it’s a personal punch to the gut. How to solve this? I’ve been hunting out the esoteric and free spots across the city. and found machine project in my back yard!
Located next to the downbeat café, I was expecting an installation exhibit, and got one better than that – a series of free lectures by several artists straddling the line between art and science, whimsy and machine, leading to diatribes and discussions on diodes and .see? I’m already sounding smart again.
Also, best donation incentive EVER – a ‘money machine’ like bank-​tellers’ vacuum suction thingy from the small town I grew up in. Wad the cash up and watch it be flip-​sucked across the ceiling! Giving was never such a good time.

This place totally made my day today.
There actually weren’t any installations but the manager, Michele was nice enough to respond to my nosy self as I peered like pesky tourist through the door. She let me in and took time to show me around.
Remnants of their former shows are still around and look like so much fun. For instance, they have a small planter hanging above the door that indicates level of CO2, O2,etc in the plants (or air, I forgot). There’s a vac-​duct donation contraption that makes your dollar donation so worth the entertainment. There were other things but just check out their shows.
Machine Project is a great creative organization. I’m def. going to their future shows; their LACMA show on Nov. 15 looks exciting.
check it out kids:

I’m giving this place 5 stars for the creative freedom they afford artists that exhibit work and perform here and for the incredible accessibility to any and all who care to experience their space.
They host events that may feature both talented unknowns or more well established artists who are looking for a venue to let them try something that pushes the bounds of whimsy or maybe even just fool around with the structure of a soundtrack. Recently filmmaker/​director George Kuchar screened films in the basement, but drilled holes from above to watch it through. When I last visited Machine Project SF artist and film curator Stephen Parr showed «Sonic Oddities», a wild montage of films and clips chosen for their unique use of sound. Local musician Heather Lockey, member of the quirky cool LA band, Listing Ship, accompanied the films on viola, banjo and vocals. There were a few technical difficulties– midway through a cable started picking up a Mexican radio station– but it all kinda added to the free improv fun feel– and the problem was corrected at the break. The directors of the place are definitely open to all kinds of work, but it was also apparent from the show I saw and in talking to them about previous shows that they are highly intelligent, well-​versed in the art world and make choices that not only embrace creativity and fun, but also make you think.
A disciplined yet free-​thinkin art joint. Squinkety!