Chinatown really had it going on this weekend. Saturday saw the inaugural opening of Tieken LA; gorgeous and cinematic paintings that put us on notice about our disappearing natural landscapes at Charlie James; a pleasant and almost creepy installation at The...
Greg Escalante Memorial Service
If crowd size at a memorial service is any measure of lifetime impact and influence, then be assured: Greg Escalante (1955–2017) had an outsized impact on the art, culture, and spiritual life of Southern California. More than six hundred surfers, painters, teachers,...
¡Fiesta Cubana!
On Saturday, the Pasadena Museum of California Art put on ¡Fiesta Cubana! a benefit to celebrate California art and honor the art and education advocates Reed and Chris Halladay and the artist, Dave Lefner. Along with those folks, LA art-world figures such as...
Women of Brazil & The Smiths
I began the evening feeling like a time traveler. Gallery 38’s PST LA/LA opening had long been in my Google calendar, but I didn’t confirm their address until the day before. Turns out, it’s right in my old neighborhood. Since then, galleries and eateries have popped...
Big Art & Big Bras
Any night of openings is success if it begins with free shrimp tacos, and boy did Parrasch Heijnen deliver. The relatively new gallery, tucked away in Boyle Heights near the now-defunct Sears building, surely knows how to win over new fans. Outside the gallery, one of...
Rad Art Opening
It’s a little inside scoop that people who frequent art openings often call the Hammer openings “Hammer-ed” openings, and it’s no surprise. Armed with the (possibly) coveted “Director’s” pass, aka VIP, I was able to peruse the party without the distraction of the hoi...
Have Art Will Travel
Saturday really was a lot. Shoutout to the Metro, Uber and my strong legs for getting me from South LA to Boyle Heights to East LA, then over to Hollywood; I’m still recovering. As you know, Pacific Standard Time LA/LA kicked off in earnest this past Saturday, with...
Protest in Poetry at L.A. Louver
Sporting an orange kaftan shirt and a wide-brimmed black hat perched atop his head, poet Stephen Kalinich looked more like he was ready for a wild trip than for a reading. “I, the poet, write this plea to the world,” he began the evening, noting that he first...
CAAM Summer Nights and The Institute for Art and Olfaction
I linked up with my homegirl and creative partner, filmmaker Niki Williams, and we Uber Pool-ed it to CAAM to check out their event “Summer Nights” and the silent films they’re screening as part of their “African American Women in Silent Race Films” exhibit. I had the...
“Passage to the Future: Art from a New Generation in Japan” at Arena 1 Gallery
In a former hanger at the Santa Monica Airport, now home to the perfectly stationed Arena 1 Gallery, the question of the evening—Because who doesn’t appreciate repurposed space? —quickly ran its course, giving way to considerations of how the past intersects with the...
Ethnocinema at the Echo Park Film Center
Can cinema be a safe space? This is the question that drove filmmaker and PhD candidate Nerve Valerio to curate the Action! Cinema as Sanctuary series at the Echo Park Film Center in the heart of Echo Park. Following the election of President Trump, Valerio, like many...
Steve Gunn at the Getty Center
The current seasonal treat being enjoyed by local Angelenos and tourists alike is the free evening concerts happening at several art institutions across Los Angeles, including the Getty Center. Deciding to visit a museum on a summer weekend can an ominous...
“Creatives” Gather at Art of Freelance
So, the event I’m about to gossip with you about was brought to you by Art of Freelance —a “10-week online course for creatives who want to push themselves to the next level.” I feel obligated to say the following; the emergence of the word “creative” as a title to...
Chinatown Art Buffet
Chung King Road was a buffet of openings Saturday night, with a variety of gallerygoers overflowing into the street. Like a high school party, there were definite discrepancies between the crowds: academics and LA art stars at Charlie James Gallery; mid-careers with...
Sprints for the Arts
Sprints. They’re good for the body, in short and intermittent bursts. Are they good for the arts? 90x90LA was a series of inclusive literary events held 90 days in a row in 2014, hosted by Writ Large Press. They’re back at it again this year with a focus on cultural...
Burning Incense and Fireworks
A precariously long holiday weekend can lead to overcommitting, being noncommittal, or not knowing which exhibitions to see while catching up with family, friends, and maybe some if not a lot of fireworks. At the top of my list this weekend was the opening of "Home...
Cooling Off at the Coolest Pool Party
The aroma of gourmet hot dogs and the hum of pretentious gossip lured us to the Fitzpatrick-Leland house last Saturday, where the MAK Center for Art and Architecture hosted an exclusive pool party and opening reception for Paul Davies. Of course, nobody was actually...
Jazz in the Summertime Feels so Correct
What I was expecting: an elaborate installation that would marry musical acts with the Geffen’s front area in an interesting and artistic way. What I got: a free summer concert with food trucks, cash bar and admission to the Carl Andre exhibit (fuck that guy, IMHO)....