bardoLA is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to advancing international dialogue in arts and culture. Through exhibitions, performances, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, the organization works to erase borders—geographic, political, and cultural—by fostering creative exchange and mutual understanding.

bardoLA supports projects that amplify underrepresented voices, challenge dominant narratives, and highlight shared human experiences that transcend language and nationality. The organization is grounded in the belief that art can connect communities, promote empathy, and serve as a powerful tool for cross-cultural bridge-building.

The organization draws inspiration from the Tibetan Buddhist concept of bardo, the astral state between two lives on Earth. At its core, bardo represents a space of transformation—both exhilarating and challenging—offering an opportunity for growth. bardoLA’s work across artistic mediums reflects this idea of the in-between space by producing projects that foster creative risk-taking, support international artistic collaboration, and encourage innovation driven by curiosity and a sense of wonder.

bardoLA has realized projects across the globe, from the California desert to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and is the only California-based nonprofit to have presented three official Collateral Events at La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Arte (2015, 2019, 2022) in Venice, Italy.

bardoLA, while based in Los Angeles and dedicated to supporting our city's vibrant creative community, is not attached to any traditional exhibition space, striving instead to remain fluid and open to change, and thus free to move and manifest in diverse environments.

bardoLA was born on the summer solstice, June 21, 2014.

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While our work manifests across the globe, we are headquartered on the unceded lands of the Fernandeño Tataviam, Chumash and Gabrielino Tongva peoples. We honor their ancestors and offer our gratitude for their continued stewardship of the lands and waters colonially known as Los Angeles.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

RACHEL REID WILKE

RACHEL REID WILKIE is a poet, painter, curator and art director of cultural events. She is Co-founder, Co-publisher and Creative Director of Riot Material. Rachel finds inspiration in today’s youth, is ever-inspired by youthful thinking and is likewise wholly inspired by the arts and embraces creativity in all its forms. In her long career as a major player in the Fashion Industry, she has worked in the capacity of Creative Direction, Design Direction, Marketing Direction and Artistic Direction with many international brands, from Calvin Klein to For All Mankind. Rachel has created Brand DNA from zero, has turned Brand value into Brand equity and has pursued the task of creating recognizable Brand Identity through marketing, product and business strategy.

DANIEL SIMONIS, DIRECTOR OF THE LOWELL AMERICANA PROJECT

DANIEL SIMONIS is a Co-founder and Director of the Lowell Americana Project in Bisbee, Arizona. As an Americana singer and songwriter he has performed solo or with his group The West Texas Millionaires for audiences in venues as diverse as famous Texas honky-tonks Luchenbach, and Gruen Hall, New York City’s now defunct CBGB’s, and for 40,000 bikers at The Legendary Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, sharing the stage with Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty and Jeff Bridges. Dan is an organizer and co-founder of charity festivals such as Rock For Rehab, The Lowell Americana Festival and The Bisbee Mariachi Festival, benefiting the community’s homeless population and those struggling with addiction. 

C VON HASSETT

C VON HASSETT is an art and cultural critic and has written primarily in this mode for over 30 years. He is Founder, Co-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Riot Material magazine. He is President and Executive Director of Riot Material Arts Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Arts and local artists in Los Angeles by hosting and curating art exhibitions throughout the city, and by tapping into young local talent from jazz programs at colleges and universities in an orchestrated effort to bring fresh blood and innovative sounds to the LA Jazz scene. Hassett has worked in the Media/Publishing industry for three decades, at papers such as The Los Angeles Times and numerous magazines in both Los Angeles and New York City. He is one-time Professor of Literature, has a Master of Arts degree in Comparative Lit, and is a published poet with epic, apocalyptic tale The Boundary Stone.

LOWELL BERGMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR FILM

LOWELL BERGMAN is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and professor known for his groundbreaking work exposing corruption, corporate malfeasance, and government misconduct. A former producer for 60 Minutes, Bergman gained national recognition for his exposé on the tobacco industry, which became the basis for Michael Mann’s acclaimed film The Insider (1999), where he was portrayed by Al Pacino. Over his decades-long career, he has worked with major media outlets, including The New York Times and PBS Frontline, where he led investigative projects that shaped public policy and set new standards in accountability journalism. In addition to his work in the field, Bergman has been instrumental in fostering investigative journalism education, serving as a professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where he founded the Investigative Reporting Program (IRP). As a film and television producer, he has brought powerful investigative stories to the screen, producing multiple documentaries and in-depth reports for Frontline, Netflix, and other major platforms. Bergman’s ability to translate complex investigations into compelling visual narratives has made him a key figure in both journalism and nonfiction storytelling, further solidifying his legacy at the intersection of media, film, and public accountability.

YANN PERREAU

YANN PERREAU is a writer, educator and curator. In 2010, he opened a project space at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles called Here Is Elsewhere, where he exhibited artists such as Larry Bell, John Outterbridge, Niki de Saint Phalle and others. He is curating exhibitions and festivals around the world. He published several books with French publishers on climate, anonymity, and more. He has served as cultural attaché for both the French Embassy in London and the French Consulate in Los Angeles. He holds an MPhil in art history from Paris’s EHESS.  Yann is also the founder and director of a Los Angeles-based residency HERE IS ELSEWHERE that welcomes artists from around the world whose work embodies the spirit of creative dissent and expresses their countries’ struggle for democracy and human rights.

ELIZABETA BETINSKI, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

ELIZABETA BETINSKI is a director, writer, and producer with roots stretching from Belgrade, former Yugoslavia, to Los Angeles, California. She has curated and produced contemporary art exhibitions worldwide, from the California Desert to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and three Collateral Events at La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Arte (2015, 2019, and 2022) in Venice, Italy. Elizabeta's artistic vision is centered on emancipating art from traditional constraints and creating work that builds bridges of understanding and tolerance between cultures. With an MFA in Creative Writing and a rich foundation in contemporary art, Elizabeta's storytelling stands out across multiple forms. As an artist who came of age in Yugoslavia and witnessed her country’s violent demise, Elizabeta is dedicated to creating art that illuminates the human cost of conflict and celebrates the resilience of those who resist oppression and fight for justice. She is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar (2026–2027), with a research project focused on cultural memory in Serbia through film, journalism, and the legacy of the Spomenik monuments.

Elizabeta is currently developing two film projects: a political thriller drama, DADA: A Defiant Witness, inspired by the true story of the courageous Yugoslav investigative journalist Dada Vujasinović; and SPOMEN, a feature-length documentary featuring the monuments of former Yugoslavia. More about Elizabeta’s work can be seen on her website, elizabeta.art