This week, you can: find out what architects really think about house design; meet people displaced by Dodger Stadium; see Latin American street art and meet the artists; see Hollywood glam shots by Matthew Roylston; and see paper in a “subtle” new light.
1) Bernard Friedman explains what architects think about when they design homes
When Bernard Friedman made an animated movie exploring 500 years of American homes, he interviewed architects, critics, and theorists. Those interviews became the basis of a book The American Idea of Home: Conversations About Architecture and Design. Thom Mayne, Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, Hadley Arnold, Eric Owen Moss, Lorcan O’Herlihy, Frank Escher, Ravi GuneWardena, critics Sam Watters and Paul Goldberger as well as essayist Meghan Daum, offer a range of perspectives on the meaning of home, importance of site, and necessity of sustainability, among many topics. This Thursday Friedman will talk about those interviews at the Los Feliz Branch of the LA Public Library, as part of a series called Architecture Beyond. His delightful, 11-minute, animated film will be screened at the event as well.
When: Thursday, April 19, 6:45-7:45 pm
Where: Los Feliz Library, 1874 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles 90027
Tickets: Free; click here for more information.
2) Chavez Ravine: An Unfinished Story
Cities need infrastructure and public development projects to stay vital. But what happens to the neighborhoods displaced by these projects? Before Dodger Stadium broke ground in 1959, nearly 1,100 families in the three neighborhoods of Chavez Ravine had to move. LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes brings together five elders who grew up there and who will reflect on their childhood: Alice Ramirez Contreras, Carol Jacques, Frank Castillo, George Martinez, and Gene Cabral. Moderated by: Priscilla Leiva, Assistant Professor, Chicano/a Studies, Loyola Marymount University.
When: Saturday, April 21, 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Where: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N Main St, Los Angeles 90012
Tickets: Free; click here for more information.
3) Borderless: Latin America
Six of Latin America’s premier street artists converge in Los Angeles for Borderless: Latin America. Four Colombians: DjLu, Erre, Toxicoómano Callejero, and Lesivo, will show alongside Binho Ribeiro from Brazil and Iskar from Mexico. The six artists’ distinct styles evolved on the streets of metropolises like Bogotá, São Paulo, and Mexico City, channeling the energy and complexity of life in those bustling urban centers. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson of Gabba Gallery, vibrant color, bold stencil-work, and fearless political commentary abound in this celebration of Latin American street art.
During their stay in Southern California, the artists will also be painting murals throughout the region in collaboration with Gabba Alley Project, Smile South Central, and Street Artist in Residence at House of Trestles.
When: Opening Night Reception Saturday, April 21, 7 – 11 pm; runs through May 12
Where: Gabba Gallery, 3126 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles 90057
Tickets: Free
4) Matthew Rolston, Hollywood Royale
Photographer Matthew Rolston was discovered by Andy Warhol while a student at ArtCenter College of Art and Design and went on to become one of the defining photographers of the 1980s. This exhibition displays his highly stylized, beautifully composed and glamorous images of Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Farrah Fawcett, Jodie Foster, Sean Young, Molly Ringwald, Isabella Rossellini and others — in poses evoking German expressionism, the Silent Film era, and 1930s-50s Hollywood cinema. The show closes this weekend.
When: Through April 21, 2018; 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday
Where: Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tickets: Free; click here for information.
5) Takeo Paper Show: SUBTLE
Subtle is an appropriate name for the Takeo Paper Show, a display of delicate and minimal explorations of the artistic possibilities of paper, currently on show in the gallery attached to Japan House. This is a project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that recently opened its first North American outpost in the crowded and very unsubtle Hollywood and Highland mall. The 15 quiet creations ask us to consider the role of paper in an increasing digital world. On select weekends, visitors can participate in a workshop to make and keep their own “air vase” – an elegant, self-standing structure made from a single sheet of paper. Japan House has a beautiful store, too.
When: Ongoing through May 23.
Where: Japan House, 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles 90028 (Hollywood and Highland Center 2nd and 5th floors)
Tickets: Free; click here for more information.