This week: Participate in a discussion about the role of art in the age of a 24 hour news cycle; learn how the young mayors of Compton and Long Beach are shaping their cities; See artworks by young talents at two Bergamot Station gallery shows in Santa Monica; Explore the art of the Metro Red Line and five remodels on LA’s Eastside; and catch the end of an exhibit featuring rock star-clothing designer Rick Owens’ foray into furniture.
1 ) Zócalo/Getty “Open Art” Event: Does Art Capture Reality Better than the News?
As the 24-hour news cycles of the latest headlines begin to sound like the “wha wha wha” of Charlie Brown’s teachers, artists are trying ask the harder questions and tell the deeper stories of our times. Can they reveal truths in ways that professional and citizen journalists can’t? Or do we count too much on the arts to connect us to the realities around us? In this Zócalo/Getty co-presentation, photographer and documentarian Jamel Shabazz and “The Wire” creator and journalist David Simon discuss how artists can best offer unflinching views of real life.
When: Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 7 – 9 pm
Where: The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90049
Tickets: Free and open to the public. Register here.
2 ) 3rd LA | Youth Movement: Mayors Aja Brown (Compton) and Robert Garcia (Long Beach)
In this on-going conversation about how development and mobility shape our future, this month’s event brings together the young mayors of Compton and Long Beach to discuss a new generation of political leaders, the state of their cities and opportunities and challenges of piloting cities in the shadow of giant Los Angeles. Moderated by Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times and professor of practice at Occidental.
When: Wednesday, March 29 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Where: Choi Auditorium Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, Ca 90041
Tickets: Free and open to the public. Register here.
3) Bergamot Gallery Shows Young Artists x 2
Connect To Protect
The iconic “Blue Marble” photo taken of earth by the Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972 became a symbol of Earth’s beauty and vulnerability. The organizers of Connect To Protect hope this exhibition will inspire a sense of protection for the urban and natural environment. Presented by the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment along with Sustainable Works, Connect to Protect features a selection of work submitted by local artists, representing the natural environment of Santa Monica. Wednesday’s event will feature a presentation about Santa Monica’s parks and open space, and a talk by Sylvie Rokab, Producer and Director of Love Thy Nature. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
When: Wednesday, March 29, 7 – 9 pm
Where: Lois Lambert Gallery at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Tickets: Free and open to the public. RSVP here.
YoungArts LA
18 students (age 15 – 18) were selected to participate in a week of mentoring and master classes with LA artists including Sarah Rara of Sumi Ink Club, Suné Woods and Jibz (Dynasty Handbag). A show of their fine art, photography, and design will be on display in an exhibition curated by Getty Research Institute Curator John Tain at Building Bridges Art Exchange (see Austin Abistado’s Loss of Identity, top of this page.) The young artists are alumni of the YoungArts Los Angeles 2017 program, a division of the National YoungArts Foundation, which supports young artists in multiple disciplines; its visual arts alumni include Doug Aitken and Daniel Arsham.
When: April 2 – 14; opening Sunday April 2, 2pm-4pm
Where: Building Bridges Art Exchange, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Tickets: Free and open to the public. Click here for more information.
4 ) Sunday Tours x Two
Metro Art: First Sunday Art Tour
Metro Art: First Sunday Art Tour turns the experience of riding the Metro into an art gallery. These docent led tours focus on artworks in Red Line stations and drawing attention to area destinations served by Metro.
When: Sunday, April 2, 10-12 pm
Where: Union Station, 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012; meet promptly at 10:00 am at the information booth inside the entrance to the station.
Tickets: Free. Free TAP cards will be available for tour attendees at the start of each tour. Click here for more information.
de Lab Renovation Innovation
The inimitable ladies of Design East of La Brea have cooked up a fab tour of five Eastside residences that have gone through sensitive and sustainable remodels. de Lab Renovation Innovation lets you explore examples ranging from touch ups to full makeovers, by award winning local and international firms including Bestor Architecture, Tom Marble, LA Design Group, and Mexico City-based Productura.
When: Sunday, April 2, 12 – 4 pm
Where: East side (specific location emailed after registration)
Tickets: $50. Get tickets here.
5) MOCA Presents Rick Owens: Furniture
Catch it before it’s gone! Best known for his eponymous clothing line, Rick Owens brings his punk sensibility to furniture and sculpture in a show that comes to an end this Sunday. Rick Owens: Furniture at the Pacific Design Center is produced by his wife and “muse” Michèle Lamy, and presented alongside the work of the late artist and musician, Steven Parrino. Parrino’s paintings, which served as inspiration to Owens, offer an opportunity to explore the formal and conceptual parallels in the two artists’ works. DnA’s Frances Anderton recently talked with the ‘rock-star design provocateur’ about his creative relationship with Lamy, why they left LA, and about tackling “manliness” and other big issues on the runway. Read and listen to that story here, and below.
When: Closing Sunday, April 2. Museum open Daily Tues-Sun.
Where: Pacific Design Center Plaza, 8687 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tickets: Free; more information here.