There were rumors that Kanye might make an album of David Bowie covers, but there is already a great one that exists. Brazilian artist and actor (he was also in the excellent City of God), Seu Jorge, created Portuguese cover versions of several Bowie songs for the Wes Anderson film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Several of the songs are in the film, while others are only on his album The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions Featuring Seu Jorge.
The LA Art Show is at the LA Convention Center- buy tickets online for $5 off $20
Friday
Depart Foundation is having a book release and signing for Marc Horowitz’s book Phillips Auction Catalog, at a McDonalds on Wilshire to stick with the juxtaposition of images of fast food and classic art pieces found in the book
Michelangelo Antonioni’s famous film Blow Up is playing at the Nuart Theatre
StARTup Art Fair is at the Highland Gardens Hotel in Hollywood and represents independent artists- cheaper tickets on Goldstar
Friday through Tuesday
Cinefamily Theater is having a David Bowie film marathon which includes- The Hunger (at midnight Friday), Labyrinth, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and a tribute film to his work as an actor- Cracked Actor: Bowie on Film
Saturday
Museum Free-For-All-Day has free admission to many LA museums including MOCA, the Craft and Folk Art Museum, LACMA and more
Night on Broadway returns this year and features free entertainment and arts programming in 7 of Broadway’s historic theaters, an
on-street festival area featuring booths and pop-up shops from local businesses, and a main stage with bands that include Ozomatli and Aloe Blacc
Kitten is playing at the Fonda Theatre with Hunny & Olivver the Kid
Saturday and Sunday
Fabrik Expo, the sister show to Photo Independent premieres at Willow Studios downtown
The art fair at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills returns for its third iteration
Sunday
In conjunction with her solo exhibitions at MOCA Pacific Design Center, and at the Hammer Museum, photographer Catherine Opie joins MOCA Chief Curator Helen Molesworth and Hammer Chief Curator Connie Butler for a conversation about the concepts of portraiture, gender, celebrity, and creativity at play in the artist’s photographs at the Hammer (free)
The bands Froth, Hott Mt, and Black Sea will incorporate at least two My Bloody Valentine songs each into their sets at The Echo for Part Time Punks’ My Bloody Valentine Nite
David Bowie’s work as an actor varied throughout his career, from playing a vampire with Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon in The Hunger, to a goblin king in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. But he also had a great sense of humor which can be seen in his cameo in Zoolander and this moment playing himself in Ricky Gervais’s Extras.
David Bowie- Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide (from the film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars)
This video is footage from the documentary film of Bowie’s final concert as the stage persona Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in July of 1973, and was directed by Donn Alan “D.A.” Pennebaker.
It’s been almost two weeks since David Bowie died and it’s still hard to believe he’s gone. A singer, songwriter, musician, producer, actor and fashion icon- he was an exceptional artist and innovator throughout his career.
His final album Blackstar was released two days before he died and the video below for Lazarus was released less than a week before that. It’s a stunning creative work made more poignant as he was clearly aware of his impending death while making it.
David Bowie’s legacy will live on in the artists he’s influenced, and those he will continue to influence in the years to come. He was an inspiration to so many, including myself. He will be missed, but we are lucky to have so much of his work to enjoy and discover.
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (1/21-1/24/16)-
Thursday
Giant Robot Biennale 4 at the Japanese American National Museum closes this weekend but today you can see it with free admission all day (last admission at 7:30pm)
Inspired by the ambient glow of Dan Flavin’s “monument” for V. Tatlin (1969), Monument is a yearlong series of performances by Los Angeles–based musicians and sound artists in the current installation of MOCA’s permanent collection. This week’s free performances are by Anenon (Brian Allen Simon) and $3.33 (Celia Rae Hollander)
New Yorker writer Larissa MacFarquhar will be reading from her book, Strangers Drowning: Grappling with Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices and the Overpowering Urge to Help at Hammer Museum (free)
designLAb, at the Pacific Design Center, celebrates its fifth year on Friday, January 22, from 5 to 9:30 PM with new art, architecture, design, sound and taste exhibitions as well as one-night only special performances (free)
The Egyptian Theatre is showing a double feature of Kurosawa films- Rashoman and Ikiru
Sunday
Shigeto is playing at The Echo with Groundislava opening
Gehry and Science, at LACMA, features a conversation between Frank Gehry and acclaimed scientist Arnold J. Levine, the second of the talks the museum is having in conjunction with the Gehry exhibition (free but standby only)
Art Catalogues at LACMA is having a discussion and book signing with artists The Haas Brothers and Liza Lou
