Guillermo del Toro’s art of horror, dancing after dark at the Music Center, TV costume design at FIDM, Olympics in virtual reality, and art exploring water and colonialism. All part of DnA’s five things to do this week.
1) “Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters” at LACMA
Step into the mind of iconic filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the man behind Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak, in his first-ever museum retrospective. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) explores del Toro’s creative process by drawing together film artifacts, bizarre collectibles and notebook drawings. They also asked del Toro to pick about 60 objects from LACMA’s permanent collection that inspire him. The exhibition includes about 500 items in all, including “sculpture, paintings, prints, photography, costumes, ancient artifacts, books, maquettes, and film.” Fans of horror, fantasy, and science fiction: let’s get weird.
When: Opens Aug. 1. On view through Nov. 27.
Where: LACMA, Art of the Americas Building, Plaza Level. 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Tickets: Specialty Ticketed Event, $27 (members free). Buy tickets here.
2) Virtual Reality Viewing of Rio Olympics
However disastrous the lead-up to the games has been, Friday night’s opening ceremonies should be an entertaining spectacle, if only to see the national uniforms and to get a birds-eye view of the Olympic Stadium. LA-based AECOM helmed the master-planning of the games, putting an emphasis on reuse of existing buildings, and creating what they called “nomadic” architecture, so as not to waste money on white elephants as has happened at some past Olympics, notably Beijing and Athens. Note that this year’s Olympics watching experience will be enhanced with VR.
And if you’re in Los Angeles, check out the Virtual Reality LA expo and conference at the LA Convention Center on Aug. 5 and 6. KCRW’s VR app will be showcased there, highlighting some of our musical performances in virtual reality.
When: Opening Ceremonies on Friday, Aug. 5 at 7 pm EST. Watch on NBC or stream live here. 85 hours of VR coverage are planned.
Where: Via a compatible headset, a mobile phone and video-on-demand services provided by the various international rights holders, including NBC in the US.
Tickets: No tickets needed; however, tickets to see the opening ceremony live in Rio are still available, $700-$25,000.
3) Current: LA Water Tour of “Mast”
CURRENT:LA Water is about halfway over. LA’s first-ever public art biennial features contemporary artists reflecting on the theme of water, a topic that’s on a lot of people’s minds during the West’s ongoing dry spell. The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs has mounted thirteen site-specific art installations that “explore the idea of water – how we capture it, how we use it, and how we distribute it.” Artist Josh Callaghan and architect Daveed Kapoor will walk visitors through their piece, “Mast” in the South LA Wetlands Park on Aug. 6. The duo created a full-scale, sculptural replica of the main mast of San Salvador, the flagship of explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, which landed on the coast of present-day California in 1542. It’s a reflection on colonialism, and provides shade for park goers.
When: Saturday, Aug. 6, 11 am
Where: South Los Angeles Wetland Park, 5413 South Avalon Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011
Tickets: Free. Register here.
4) Art of Television Costume Design
Just as costume design helps us understand a character on film or on stage, so too has TV costume design contributed to our appreciation of some of the most beloved characters on the small screen. The FIDM Museum has over 100 costumes in their new exhibition The Art of Television Costume Design, representing 23 television shows. That includes costumes from eight Emmy-nominated shows, including American Horror Story: Hotel, Downton Abbey, Empire, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Outlander, Roots and Transparent.
When: Opens Tuesday, Aug. 2. On view through Saturday, Oct. 15. Museum hours are 10 am – 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Where: FIDM Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, 919 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Parking: Under college building, entrance on 9th Street, or in surrounding lots.
Tickets: Free. More information here.
And looking ahead to next week…..
5) Moves After Dark (begins Monday, Aug. 8)
The term “after dark” has a double meaning here. The Music Center has invited four contemporary dance companies (Blue13 Dance Company, Decadancetheatre, Invertigo Dance Theatre, and Viver Brasil Dance Company) to perform beginning at 8:30 pm, after dark, and in spaces not typically used at The Music Center campus, when the theatres are typically “dark,” or not in use. Audience members will follow the dancers to where they are performing, and choose where they want to stand. The audiences “will be guided in rotating groups, watching separate performances simultaneously, and then joining together at the end of the evening for the final performance.”
When: Monday, Aug. 8 (dates available through Aug. 17)
Where: Music Center Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets: $30. Buy tickets here.