May 232019
 

This is the last weekend (5/25/19) to see Vanessa German’s excellent sculpture exhibition, $LANG: Short Language in Soul, at Gavlak Los Angeles.

From the press release-

$LANG is German’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, the artist’s native city, and her first with Gavlak. The exhibition features a body of work created by German during her recent month long residency at Aguacate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Though assembled in Mexico, many of the found objects incorporated in the sculptures were sourced from the artist’s current neighborhood of Homewood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – the historic black neighborhood whose residents are often faced with systemic, institutionalized racism, and violence in their daily lives.

A self-trained “citizen artist,” German explores the power of art and love as a transformative force in the dynamic cultural ecosystem of communities and neighborhoods. As the founder of the ARThouse, a community arts initiative in her own neighborhood ravaged by gun violence, German’s art extends to helping local children heal through art  making. Recently recognized as the 2018 recipient of the Don Tyson Prize, the majority of German’s $200,000 grant is going toward opening a Museum of Resilience to honor the neighborhood’s large population of black single mothers. Her spoken-word performance art, influenced heavily by hip-hop, opera and the long tradition of Negro spirituals, calls attention to the epidemic of racially charged violence and advocates for compassion and empathy in daily  life. Similarly, German’s sculptural work blends spirituality, beauty, and femininity to focus  on empowering black women and girls. In a transformative way, the artist hopes that her work gives a space for positive and inclusive manifestations of love and awareness.

Born in Wisconsin, German moved to Mid-City Los Angeles at seven months old along with her five siblings and mother, Sandra German, a fiber artist and quilter. “We were makers as a way of life. We were raised by making something,” German explains about her formative years. The multi-media works assembled for $LANG explore her lived experience growing up black in Los  Angeles and how the power of art kept her alive. German writes:

As a strange, dirty, round, nappy black girl in Los Angeles, never really smelling good, or looking hair-combed & pressed, i was always inventing things that i deeply, profoundly believed had power. People made fun of me for this. i wrote poems to cure cancer. i drew and drew and drew and drew and refused to pick my pencil up from the paper until i’d driven any thought of disbelief from my mind. i was furious with these thoughts of creativity and power; that i was alive and could make *things that had the power to do *something. i believed this like a deep, deep fire. It kept me alive.

On view in the gallery are a series of 15 mixed-media assemblage sculptures using vintage tennis rackets, titled from the specific branding text on each. German’s use of rackets stems from Intermediate axis theorem, or tennis racket theorem, an effect in classical mechanics defining the  movement of a rigid body with three distinct principal moments of inertia. German explains: “Here in this work is the rigid body (black femaleness) reckoning with three distinct principal moments of inertia: Americanness; the aesthetics  of femininity (body and sex and identity), Blackness and the value in the striations of the known and unknown, and Love & Creative Power.” German utilizes historically black found objects such as hair weave and cowrie shells to adorn her hand painted portraits of black women, creating majestic and empowered presentations of a community so commonly subjected to violence and oppression in American society.

Also on view are five of German’s signature sculptures of which she refers to as “power figures,” or “tar babies.” Created by sculpting and hand painting large figures, adding a wide range of materials from feathers, glitter, seashells, plastic toys, bottle caps, vintage products, and fabric found from both Homewood and her travels. These female figures are based on traditional Congolese Nkisi Power Figure sculptures, which create protection, fend off evil spirits, and punish wrongdoers. German’s rococo meets folk power figures confront the violence of white supremacy and racism. German describes her process of assembling these sculptures as wholly spiritual.

May 162019
 

Sasami- Free (feat. Devendra Banhart)

Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (5/16-5/19/19)-

Thursday

The Chemical Brothers are playing at The Greek Theatre with The Black Madonna opening

Architect and scholar Sylvia Lavin will at MOCA Grand Avenue to discuss the work of Arata Isozaki (who designed the MOCA building). The museum and this lecture are free this evening.

The Dandy Warhols are playing at The Theatre at Ace Hotel with Cosmonauts and The Vacant Lots

Poet, novelist, and screenwriter Nick Laird will be reading some of his poetry at Hammer Museum

Diners are playing at The Hi Hat with Mo Troper opening

Ioanna Gika is opening for Garbage at The Shrine Auditorium

 

Friday

Santigold is performing at The Hollywood Palladium

Pop-Up Magazine: Spring Issue at The Theatre at Ace Hotel is a “live magazine” where a variety of stories are told with photography, film, radio, and music- presented live by people who excel in their fields

Odd Nights returns to The Autry with live music, a market, food and drink, and night access to the museum

Coucou Chloe is performing at El Cid with Minimal Violence

Hala and Pageants are opening for Hellogoodbye at the Echoplex

 

Saturday

Sasami is playing a free show in the courtyard of The Getty for the summer concert series Saturdays Off The 405

Artist Vanessa German will be discussing her exhibition at Gavlak gallery following a performance of soft:the longest kiss, in which the artist will perform a 6 hour kiss with her partner Janae Brown

Photographer Rohina Hoffman will be in conversation with artist, photographer, and educator Aline Smithson, as well as signing her book Hair Stories, at Arcana Books

Ryan Pollie of LAPD is playing at The Love Song with Will Fox

Black Star featuring Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey will be performing at The Novo

Dum Dum Zine is having a release party for their 6th issue at The Echo with Taleen Kali, Potty Mouth, and Space Kelly performing

Butthole Surfers are having a Q&A session with David Yow of Jesus Lizard moderating, and signing their book Butthole Surfers: What Does Regret Mean?, a visual history of the band, at Zebulon. Gibby Haynes will also be performing a DJ set. ($8)

Hearty Har are playing at The Hi Hat with The Bash Dogs and Dream Phases

 

Saturday and Sunday

The Beverly Hills Art Show returns for its Spring edition. Over 245 artists will participate in the free outdoor show

Downtown Burbank is also having an Arts Festival that will include work by top animators and an indie craft section curated by Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair

 

Sunday

For Museums of the Arroyo Day there is free admission to Lummis House, Heritage Square, L.A. Police Museum, Pasadena Museum of History, The Autry, and The Gamble House- start early to see them all

LACMA is having a screening (get free tickets online) of the 1958 film Anna Lucasta starring Earth Kitt and Sammy Davis Jr. which also features the artwork of Charles White whose work is currently being shown at the museum

Union Station is having a free outdoor daytime concert with Sudan Moon, Sam Gendel, Ami Dang, and Ana Roxanne

Classic British punk band The Exploited are playing at The Novo with D.I. and Total Chaos

The Regent Theater is screening the film The Damned- Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead with a Q&A to follow with Damned drummer Andrew “Pinch” Pinching and director Wes Orshoski

Zebulon has a free screening of Luis Bunuel’s The Phantom of Liberty

Sep 072017
 

Freedom Fry- Shaky Ground

Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (9/7-9/10/17)-

Thursday

The Regrettes and The Paranoyds are playing a free show at the Dr. Martins Store in  Studio City- RSVP here

Musician and writer Tim Kasher is screening his debut feature film at the Bootleg Theater with a concert and Q & A to follow

LACMA has a free screening of an episode of One Mississippi and includes a conversation with Tig Notaro, executive producer Kate Robin, and some of the cast

For the third installment of Paul McCarthy’s free outdoor film series at Hauser & Wirth, the films are Heidi and Waterworld

Chance The Rapper’s brother Taylor Bennett is also a rapper and he’s performing at the Echoplex tonight with Melo Makes Music

New Mystics are playing at The Echo with HOTT MT, The Red Pears and Yeses opening

Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers are playing at the El Rey Theatre with Death By Unga Bunga opening

Fruit Bats are playing a solo set with Jed Maheu opening at Resident

Friday

The Ohana Music Fest starts today at Doheny State Beach with Social Distortion, Pixies, TV On The Radio, The Orwells and more- it’s not cheap though- each night is $100+ (continues Saturday with Eddie Vedder headlining  and Sunday with Jack Johnson headlining)

To celebrate the life of Jeanne Moreau, the Aero Theatre is showing a double feature- La Notte and Diary of a Chambermaid (Saturday they are showing Jules and Jim and Bay of Angels)

The Wiltern is showing Easy Rider with a live band providing the soundtrack

Corbin & Shlohmo are playing at The Novo

Kolars are playing at The Echo with Livingmore and Moded opening

 

Saturday

Sunstock Solar Arts & Music Festival returns for its second year with bands Freedom Fry, Robert DeLong, Ra Ra Riot, Fuzzy Crystals, and more

ICA LA (Institute of Contemporary Art) is having it’s Grand Opening Weekend with exhibition tours, talks, performances, workshops and more (free, also on Sunday)

It’s the second day of the Day N Night Fest in Anaheim and tonight Chance The Rapper, SZA, Vic Mensa, Earl Sweatshirt, Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti are just some of the many performers (Travis Scott headlines Friday)

Pamela M. Lee, Osgood Hooker Professorship in Fine Arts, Stanford University, will be at LACMA to discuss the art scenes in New York and Los Angeles at the time Virginia Dwan operated her galleries in the two cities. The free lecture is in conjunction with LACMAs current exhibition Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971

For the opening of their exhibition at Gavlak Gallery, Los Super Elegantes will be performing a medley of their greatest performances

Lemaitre are playing at the El Rey Theatre with Blackbird Blackbird and STANAJ opening

Sunday

As part of the second day of events for ICA LA’s Grand Opening Weekend, leading scholars of Latin American art and culture Josh Kun, Rubén Gallo, and James Oles will join conservator Harriet Stratis to discuss the life and work of Martín Ramírez (free, register here)

It’s the last night to see The Muppets Take The Bowl and catch the fireworks at The Hollywood Bowl

It’s the last day (and night) of the Day N Night Fest– Kendrick Lamar is performing with a huge list of performers that includes YG, 21 Savage and Princess Nokia

Grand Park is hosting the Beat Swap Meet- a chance to score some vinyl and check out some b-boy and b-girl moves (free)

Oct 132016
 

The Lemon Twigs- These Words

Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (10/13-10/16/16)-

Thursday

The Lemon Twigs are having a free in-store performance at Amoeba Hollywood to celebrate the release of their new album Do Hollywood. If you purchase the album you also get a free 7″ both of which they will be signing afterwards.

Author, musician and producer Greg Tate will be discussing visionary black aesthetics and politics in 21st-century America with artist Sanford Biggers at the Hammer Museum

Temples are playing at the Teragram Ballroom with Triptides

The High Five Art Launch Party is happening at The Autry and includes after-hours access to the museum, rides on the ferris wheel, a free California themed tote and a chance to meet the artists and designers who who participated in the 2016 High Five Art Contest ($5 admission)

TOBACCO is playing with Odonis Odonis at the Echoplex

This month’s Downtown LA Artwalk is focusing on the artists who contribute to Smile South Central

The Helio Sequence are playing at the Bootleg Theater with Genders

Friday

LACMA is hosting a free screening of By Sidney Lumet, Nancy Buirski’s documentary film about the director, with a discussion with Buirski and guests to follow

Gavlak Gallery is hosting Feminist Friday, a “casual but directed conversation about contemporary issues related to feminism”.  It is also a good opportunity to check out Marnie Weber and Betty Tompkins’ coinciding exhibitions.

The Theatre at the Ace Hotel is getting in the Halloween spirit with a screening of Carrie and a prom-themed after party, all proceeds will benefit weSPARK’s cancer support programs.

Allison Crutchfield and The Fizz are playing at the Bootleg Theater with Radiator Hospital and Ovlov

Friday-Sunday

Machine Project is having an underwater art show at the Annenberg Community Beach house. You can check out the work from above the pool but the best viewing will be by reserving a ticket for the times available (free) and getting into the water with goggles.

Saturday

Danny Brown is performing at The Fonda Theatre and a free download of his new album, Atrocity Exhibition, is included with the ticket

Electric Dusk Drive-In’s horror films for Halloween continue this week with Poltergeist

RJD2 is playing a $5 show at The Novo with Daddy Kev

Saturday and Sunday

Found LA is offering a series of free tours at religious centers and places of worship in different neighborhoods around the city- you can register for more than one but registration is required.

The Beverly Hills Art Show is a nice way to be outdoors and check out the work of over 240 artists (free)

Sunday

Artist Mickalene Thomas and MOCA Curatorial Assistant Rebecca Matalon will be in conversation regarding Thomas’ current MOCA Grand Ave exhibition- Mickalene Thomas: Do I Look Like a Lady? at 12:30 pm and at 3pm MOCA Senior Curator Bennett Simpson will be speaking with artist R. H. Quaytman about her exhibition- R. H. Quaytman, Morning: Chapter 30. (free with museum admission)

Black Marble are playing the Echoplex’s Part Time Punks night

There are still a few seats left for the Glass Animals show at The Greek Theatre

CicLAvia’s route is the “Heart of LA” this time- closing streets to traffic in Boyle Heights, Chinatown, and DTLA

*A bit further afield*

This weekend (Friday-Sunday) is the Desert Daze festival at The Institute for Mental Physics in Joshua Tree. There are a lot of great bands playing including Deerhunter, Temples, Washed Out, Thee Oh Sees, The Raveonettes, Cherry Glazerr, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Television, La Luz, White Fence and more. You can buy single day passes or stay the weekend and camp.

 

Mar 052016
 

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Currently at Gavlak Gallery are Bovey Lee’s amazingly detailed rice paper works for her solo exhibition Divertical.

From the press release-

Taking inspiration from the overwhelming nature of a cross-country move, the works are predominated by a motif of rollercoasters winding their way throughout the pieces and often forming the perimeter of the cuttings. The title of the exhibition itself takes its name from an actual rollercoaster, the world’s tallest water roller coaster located in Italy. Embedded within each work – contrasting with the chaos of the rollercoaster and the natural and urban elements that fill the work – is evidence of a small balancing act, depicted in the form of a tightrope walker, an acrobat, or a surfer carefully balanced on his board. Speaking to the motivation for her move, the works also feature imagery associated with romantic relationships – wedding bouquets, engagement rings, cakes, and eternity symbols populate the pieces.

In the front of the gallery is Amy Bessone’s In The Century of Women, a combination of sculptures and prints concerned with the female image. The large bronze and ceramic sculptures contrast the female torsos on pedestals with the large pipes on the floor that perhaps suggest the male onlooker. The prints on the wall are “based on discarded images of divorcées from newspaper archives, dating from the 1930’s-1970’s.” They invite viewers to imagine narratives for these women who in certain instances stare out at you from their moment in time.

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Both of these exhibitions close 3/5/16.

(images courtesy of Gavlak Gallery)

Oct 102014
 

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The paintings in Sam Falls’ current exhibition at Hannah Hoffman Gallery are created by taking local vegetation, adding pigments and letting the elements, including rain form silhouettes on the canvas. The results are striking, especially the larger canvases. This show continues through 10/25.

The area on and around Highland Avenue between Fountain and Melrose is a great place to check out art. If you are there this weekend, these exhibitions are also worth a look:

Doug Aitken at Regen Projects (closing 10/11)

Hannah Hummel at Diane Rosenstein Fine Arts (closing 10/11)

Lisa Anne Auerbach at Gavlak Gallery (closing 10/18)

Also in the area- Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra’s mural is between Fountain and Lexington on Highland.

(image via Hannah Hoffman Gallery)