Die Spitz- I Hate When Girls Die
Twin Peaks references and heavy metal vibes combine for Austin band Die Spitz’s latest video.
This week they are playing in Los Angeles at Zebulon on Thursday, 5/23 (with Teen Mortgage and Dagger Polyester) and Friday (5/24/24) at Permanent Records Roadhouse.
Mirror House, 2016 by artist Paige Jiyoung Moon was one of the paintings in her 2019 exhibition, Days of Our Lives at Steve Turner in Los Angeles. Her works are all of scenes from her life, painted from memory.
She is currently part of Hammer Museum’s most recent biennial, Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living, its sixth iteration, on view until 12/31/23.
The house in the painting, Mirage, was created by Doug Aitken for Desert X in 2017. On the fictional television series, The Curse, created by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, the main characters are building houses with similar look.
“Steelhead” Terracotta sculpture by Ako Castuera
Spooky season may be coming to a close but there is still time to see the ghosts, and the artists behind them, in At Home with “City of Ghosts” at Dunedin Fine Art Center. Thoughtfully curated by Nathan Beard, the exhibition focuses on artwork, in a variety of mediums, by 17 of the artists who helped create the award winning Netflix series City of Ghosts.
Created by Elizabeth Ito, City of Ghosts follows a group of children as they track down and record stories about the history of Los Angeles from the ghosts who also live in the city.
Artists included in the exhibition- Mike Andrews, Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin, Ako Castuera, Alex Cline, Mercedes Dorame, Luis Grané, Chloe Hsu, Elizabeth Ito, Jasmin Lai, Bob Logan, Yulissa Maqueos, Hugo Morales, Keiko Murayama, Adam Muto, Claire Nero, Zen Sekizawa, and Pen Ward, with additional contribution from Decibel Studios LA.
This exhibition closes 12/23/23.
Below are some additional selections from the show.
Chloe Hsu– “Fish Market”, drypoint and watercolor
Jasmin Lai– “The 110 and Downtown LA”, digital print
Acrylic and ink work by Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin
Prismacolor and watercolor work by Alex Cline
Luis Grané– “Pool Maintenance” , acrylic on canvas
“La Mejor Herrencia”, Maqueos-Gonzalez family photos and “Maqueos Music (Banda Oaxaqueña)”, 2023, video by Decibel Studios LA with Los Angeles based clarinet player Yulissa Maqueos
Pendleton Ward (left) and Elizabeth Ito (right) both created Pepper’s Ghost animations for the exhibition
VR SEX- Walk of Fame
This song is from VR SEX’s 2022 album, Rough Dimension. The band is playing with The Spits on Thursday, 8/10, at Zebulon in Los Angeles.
The video above stars Angelyne, an LA icon famous for her billboards and driving around the city in her pink Corvette. Hollywood Reporter detailed her backstory in 2017 and it’s a very interesting read. There was also a mini series about her released in 2022.
Closing tomorrow, 6/24, is Cross Communication, an exhibition of Chris Burden’s relics, films, video works, and other materials that document his early performances at Gagosian’s 75th and Park location in NYC.
Walking into the gallery and hearing one of his TV commercials in which he reads off the names of famous artists followed by his own name (Chris Burden Promo (1976)), is a humorous introduction to Burden’s often audacious work. Poem for LA from 1975, which follows with the messages- “SCIENCE HAS FAILED”, “HEAT IS LIFE” and “TIME KILLS” still resonates today.
Check out the video below to see the commercials and hear Burden discuss the work.
Other videos included have him crawling across glass; lying between two sheets of glass that are on set on fire (Icarus); and one of his most infamous- being shot in the arm (Shoot, 1971). The less outrageous works are great too, including Disappearing (1971), pictured above.
For more on the artist, the excellent documentary Burden, by Richard Dewey and Timothy Marrinan, follows his career from these earlier works to the large scale sculptures like Metropolis II and Urban Light that came later. Both of these installations are on view in Los Angeles at LACMA.
Tricky feat. Martina Topley-Bird- When We Die
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (5/17-5/20/18)-
Thursday
MOCA Music, a free (with RSVP) night of musical performances at The Geffen Contemporary location, will feature THE MARIAS, Jarina De Marco, Sister Mantos, and a DJ set by Chulita Vinyl club
Ariel Pink is playing at The Wiltern with DIIV opening
The Broad and X-TRA are hosting a discussion of artist Joseph Beuys with NY writer Lynne Tillman and LA visual artist Kerry Tribe ($15)
Dead Horses are opening for Horse Feathers at the Bootleg Theater
Artists Taisha Paggett and Ashley Hunt will be discussing their individual work and ongoing collaboration at Art+Practice
Aïsha Devi is performing at the Echoplex with GILA and bod opening
Friday
Tricky is performing at The Fonda Theatre with Young Magic opening
LACMA is hosting a free screening of American Animals with a conversation with writer/director Bart Layton and actor Blake Jenner to follow
Vita and the Woolf are opening for The Lighthouse and the Whaler at Moroccan Lounge
Generacion Suicida are playing at The Hi Hat with The Wraith and Tenement Rats
Peter Hook & The Light are playing at The Wiltern
Saturday
Off the 405, The Getty’s free music night, is back with Allah-Las
Annenberg Space for Photography is having an after hours night (6-9pm), a chance to check out the exhibit Not an Ostrich: And Other Images from America’s Library, as well as enjoy some food and music (free but register)
Artist Matthew Day Jackson will be in conversation with LAXART Executive Director Hamza Walker at Hauser & Wirth
Arcana Books is hosting a book signing and a discussion of the work of artist Sister Corita Kent
Reptaliens are playing at The Hi Hat with HOTT MT and Samira Winter opening
Mute Swan are playing with Young Lovers, Blue Velvet Drapes, Take Pictures, and Birds of Bad Weather at Lot 1 Cafe
Sunday
Spend part of your day enjoying the outdoors and checking out some artwork at the Beverly Hills Art Show (free, also on Saturday)
Once a year for Museums of the Arroyo Day, six museums offer free admission- The Gamble House, Heritage Square, LA Police Museum, Lummis Home, Pasadena Museum of History, and The Autry
Dum Dum Zine’s L.A. Zine Week Kick Off Party is happening at The Hi Hat with performances by Sheer, dimber, Cheekface, Taleen Kali, Magic Wands, live readings, literary prizes and more
Color TV are playing at Junior High with River Gods and The City Hall
David Bowie- Playing Himself on Extras
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.
Happy Mother’s Day!
This video is one of my favorites and features John Roberts, who also plays the mom on Bob’s Burgers.