5 design things to do this week

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This week: glimpse the future inside the lab; watch architecture dance; flip the bird at a design jam; see how cartoonish politics can be; meet up at the intersection of fine art poster design and rock ‘n’ roll.

1) Prototyping in Tokyo | A visual story of design led innovation

Shunji Yamanaka is a professor at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo who has innovated a wide range of products from watches to automobiles. His recent work focuses on pursuing a harmony between humans and artificial materials through projects such as beautiful prosthetics and life-like robots.  Prototyping in Tokyo offers a glimpse at the early stage research by his team. 3D printed prototypes by Yamanaka and his research team are now on display at Japan House at Hollywood and Highland. They contextualize the relationship between the artistry of Japanese craftsmanship and the science of prototyping technologies. Visitors will be able to engage with a variety of the prototypes.

When: Catch it before it closes Wednesday, Oct 10

Where: Japan House, 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Tickets: Free. Read more about the exhibition here.

2) Diavolo | Architecture in Motion

With a style that incorporates modern dance, acrobatics and gymnastics, Los Angeles-based dance company Diavolo explores the relationship between body and structure. Their performances this weekend at Ahmanson Theater will include Diavolo’s signature work Trajectoire and the California premiere of Voyage, and will feature the architectural staging that has become the company’s hallmark, under the leadership of Artistic Director Jacques Heim.

When: Friday-Sunday, Oct 12-14

Where: Ahmanson Theater, 135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets: $20-$78 through the Music Center here; some seats available through Goldstar at discounted rates here. You can read more about Diavolo here.

3) KCRW/DnA x IndieCade Design Jam: “Flipping the Bird!”

Dockless e-scooters have presented the biggest disruption to transportation since ride-sharing. Yet they also have huge potential — to resolve the first mile, last mile challenge; to transport people to work and school; and to bring the fun back into mobility that has diminished as traffic congestion has grown. However, many cities have been resistant to e-scooters. How about if they fully embraced them?

We’ll find out when KCRW and DnA team up with USC gaming and city design experts Jeff Watson ( Situation Lab ) and Jose Sanchez to present a “Think Indie” design jam called Flipping the Bird!: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the E-scooter (and Other Disruptive Transit) . It takes place at IndieCade 2018, the international festival of independent games taking place at Santa Monica College’s Center for Media and Design.  

Bring pens, pencils, paper and/or your laptop. And an open mind!

When: Saturday, Oct 13 from 12-2 pm

Where: Part of IndieCade 2018, Santa Monica College Center for Media and Design, 1660 Stewart St, Santa Monica, CA 90404, Room: 216

Tickets: $12:50. This is a discounted Saturday day pass for KCRW/DnA listeners. To purchase, click here, select “Festival Day – Saturday Wristband” and input this code: ICF18-SAT-50-DNA. If you have any problems getting tickets, contact dna@kcrw.org.

4) Political Cartoons by street artist Robbie Conal and actor Jim Carrey.

Jim Carrey’s “IndigNation”

UPDATE: THIS SHOW’S OPENING/CLOSING DATES HAVE CHANGED TO OCTOBER 23 – DECEMBER 1, 2018

In addition to performing, it turns out actor-comedian Jim Carrey also creates political cartoons and commentary, targeting President Trump and his administration, FOX News and other targets of progressives. Since 2017, Carrey has been posting his work on Twitter, fighting back in the same Internet sandbox where much of the absurdity he sees has been playing out.  IndigNation: Political Cartoons by Jim Carrey 2016-2018 is part of a larger project to connect fine art to popular culture by Maccarone Gallery founder Michele Maccarone.

When: Tuesday, October 23 – December 1, 2018 (****This show had been scheduled to open Saturday, Oct 13)

Where: Maccarone Gallery, 300 S Mission Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Tickets: Free. You can read more about the exhibition here.

Robbie Conal’s “Cabinet of Horrors”

Robbie Conal has spent 35 years satirizing politicians of all stripes, as well as televangelists and entertainers, and has inspired a new generation of street artists, including his longtime fan Shepard Fairey. A new series of 24 satirical portraits of Donald Trump, members of his cabinet, and inner circle, opens Saturday at Track 16 Gallery. Like the Carrey show, it is timed to last through the midterm elections. The Oct. 13 opening will also host a voter registration table.  An exhibit of full-scale prints of the art in this show will also travel to Washington D.C. in late October.

When: Saturday, Oct 13 through Dec 8.  Cabinet of Horrors opens with a reception Saturday, Oct. 13 from 7-10 pm

Where: Track 16 Gallery, 1206 Maple Ave #1005, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Tickets: Free. You can read more about the exhibition here.

In addition to showcasing their own collections, for Tetralogy each artist created a portrait of one of the other artists in the show. Pictured: Jermaine Rogers (left) by Joey Feldman and Jim Pollock by Jermaine Rogers (right). (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

5) Tetralogy: Rockstars of Poster Art

In the late 1960’s, music and art became indelibly connected through the album cover and the concert poster, making design an integral part of the identity of the musician or group.  This week, The Gabba Gallery brings together four rockstars of the gigprint world – Jim Pollock, AJ Masthay, Jermaine Rogers, and Joey Feldman – each exhibiting his own collection, and together creating a Tetralogy – a group of four related works.  Collectively, the artists have created works for top luminaries of rock and roll like Phish, The Grateful Dead, Foo Fighters, David Bowie, Neil Young, Radiohead and more, many of which are hand-crafted utilizing fine art techniques.  Expect to see original art, screen prints, gig posters, art toys, doodled and defaced prints, and other rare works from the artists’ personal archives.  In addition to the existing collections, new for this exhibition, each artist has created a portrait of one of the other artists in the show.

When: Saturday, Oct 13: meet and greet and poster signing 1-4 pm; opening reception 7-11 pm

Where: Gabba Gallery, 3126 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057 (the meet and greet will be in the Gabba Salon, adjacent to the main gallery)

Tickets: Free. You can read more about the show here.