The Rising Capital of
The Rising Capital of Cool Los Angeles is carving out a unique place for itself in the global art world by celebrating everyone. SILKY, SUN-DRENCHED DAYS YEAR-ROUND. A thrillingly diverse culinary scene. Refreshingly relaxed, laidback vibes. Yes, Los Angeles is renowned for these things, but did you know it’s also home to a world-class art and culture scene that celebrates, and equally important, rewards creatives of all types – from filmmakers to fine artists? In fact, the City of Angels boasts more museums per capita than any other city in the world. And the offerings run the gamut, from the eclectic – The Wende Museum, for example, is dedicated to preserving Cold War history – to the established, like The Getty and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). What’s just as notable is the metropolis’ unwavering dedication to embracing diversity and inclusivity. (Proof positive: in 2018, women trumped men in the number of full-scale solo exhibitions.) There’s lots to look forward to in the pipeline too. Later this year, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, designed by famed architect Renzo Piano, is set to open in Mid-City, while legendary filmmaker George Lucas will unveil his eponymous Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in 2022. Below, a handy guide on some of the buzziest things to see and experience in Los Angeles in the upcoming months. WESTSIDE A follow-up to Vikki Tobak’s critically acclaimed photo anthology, “Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop”, this exhibit of the same name at Annenberg Space for Photography (through August 18) continues to use photographers’ unedited contact sheets to show a more intimate,
PROMOTION The City of Angels boasts more museums per capita than any other city in the world. CLOCKWISE FROM SECOND PHOTO FROM TOP: ©WILLIAM CLAXTON, LLC, COURTESY OF DEMONT PHOTO MANAGEMENT & FAHEY/KLEIN GALLERY LOS ANGELES, WITH PERMISSION OF THE RUDI GERNREICH TRADEMARK; ©THE CHARLES WHITE ARCHIVES, PHOTO ©THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO; PHOTOGRAPHY BY EDWARD C. ROBISON III, ©CATLETT MORA FAMILY TRUST/VAGA AT ARS, NY; PHOTO BY BRIAN FORREST. unscripted side of the industry’s most famous faces. (Just imagine getting a glimpse of the Notorious B.I.G. beaming from ear to ear.) The Skirball Cultural Center celebrates one of the fashion world’s most forward-thinking figures with “Fearless Fashion: Rudi Gernreich” (through September 1). Adored for his progressive and society-shaking creations, such as the thong and topless bathing suit, Gernreich helped pioneer the notion of unisex clothing, and proved to be just as intrepid in his personal pursuits: he helped found The Mattachine Society, one of the country’s first LGBT advocacy groups. MID -CITY John Riddle, a lifelong teacher and principal member of Los Angeles’ Black Arts Movement, a group of politically driven creatives from the 1960s, explored everyday black life through striking sculptures, notably made of rubbish and discarded objects. “The RIDDLE Effect” at Craft Contemporary (through September 8) showcases a selection of these pieces, alongside sculptures by his students and colleagues. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) adds two Asian art exhibitions this summer. "The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China" (through January 5, 2020) brings 34 works from 40 years in which material choice has become a symbol of artistic expression. The installation includes 20 of the most influential Chinese artists working today, including Ai Weiwei, Cai Guo-Qiang and Lin Tianmiao. "Beyond Line: The Art of Korean Writing" (through September 29) will be the first exhibition held outside of Asia to focus on the history and art of writing and calligraphy in Korea. DOWNTOWN See works from more than 60 artists spanning two decades, commencing at the peak of the civil rights movement, at The Broad’s “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power” (through September 1). The eye-opening exhibit queries the relationship between pivotal American movements in black history and artists of colour (think Barkley Hendricks, Faith Ringgold and Romare Bearden). Meanwhile, at the Institute of Contemporary Art, provocative performance and video artist Patty Chang continues to push the definition of identity with her engrossing eightyear project titled “Patty Chang: The Wandering Lake, 2009–2017” (through August 3). Components of the gripping show range from photographs of Chang’s breast milk in various vessels to a short film of the artist singing “Que Sera, Sera” to her dying father. To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) recently kicked off the Open House exhibits at its downtown LA locations – the inaugural one, on view through mid-September, spotlights mixed-media artist Elliott Hundley (through September 16) – where local artists collaborate with curators to highlight key themes in its 7,000-piece permanent collection. And everyone’s favourite furry friends take centre stage at the California Science Center’s “Dogs! A Science Tail”, where guests will discover how the remarkably personal yet complex bond between people and their canine companions came to be. DiscoverLosAngeles.com Opposite: Jeff Donaldson, Wives of Sango, at The Broad; clockwise from top: Barron Claiborne, King of New York (Biggie Smalls), at Annenberg Space for Photography; Peggy Moffitt modeling the topless bathing suit by Rudi Gernreich, at Skirball Cultural Center; Elizabeth Catlett, Black Unity, at The Broad; Michael Majerus, MoM-Block II, at MOCA
