Featured Events in Los Angeles in October 2024 (May Updated)

The Western landscape is a place where the transformation of physical space involves both visualization and manipulation, where the connections between what can be physically seen and how it is visually represented are not always clear; technologies originally designed to render places visible often became instruments of invisibility and surveillance, severing western lands from the populations that depend on them. Out of Site focuses on three technological revolutions to examine how visual technologies, artistic interventions, and the workings of state power have evolved in tandem with the Western landscape: wet-plate photography, used to theorize geological processes; the rise of aerial photography and pattern recognition; and the increasing use of drones, satellites, and other long-range photographic technologies to image secretive sites, military installations, and other technologically-mediated locales. The exhibition features 90 artworks, archival materials, and devices ranging from mammoth plate cameras to drones. Carleton Watkins’ Nevada mining photographs,19th-century geological reports, and stereoviews, and Margaret Bourke-White’s aerial surveys published in LIFE magazine in 1936 are juxtaposed with contemporary photographic and video pieces by David Maisel, Michael Light, and Steven Yazzie, among other artists.

Simone Leigh, a traveling exhibition organized by the ICA Boston and co-presented in Los Angeles by LACMA and the California African American Museum, is the first comprehensive survey of the richly layered work of this celebrated artist. LACMA’s presentation features approximately 20 years of Leigh’s production in ceramic, bronze, video, and installation, as well as works from her 2022 Venice Biennale presentation. Over the past two decades, Leigh has created works exploring questions of Black femme subjectivity and knowledge production. Addressing a wide swath of historical periods, geographies, and traditions, her art references vernacular and hand-made processes from across the African diaspora, as well as forms traditionally associated with African art and architecture. Accompanied by a major monograph, this exhibition offers visitors a timely opportunity to gain a holistic understanding of Leigh’s complex and profoundly moving work.

Josh Kline’s Climate Change is both an exhibition and a complete work of art—an ambitious, immersive sci-fi installation that imagines a future shaped by the devastating climate crisis and the ordinary people doomed to inhabit it. Kline’s eponymous project, begun in 2018 and produced in parts over the past five years, will be brought together for the first time in this exhibition, mobilizing sculpture, moving image work, photography, and ephemeral materials to radically transform MOCA Grand Avenue’s galleries. Climate Change is a visceral, vibrant work of extended cinema in the 21st century. In this vision, which could be called dystopia but is actually pretty close, catastrophic sea level rise has already inundated the world's coasts, unleashing a flood of hundreds of millions of traumatized refugees. What happens in a world where the system built to sustain and expand capitalist enterprise and global hegemony disintegrates its own foundations? Klein opens the door to such a future, inviting us to place ourselves within it and consider the afterthought.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess: The Finest Disregard is the first museum exhibition of L.A.-based and Venezuelan-born artist Magdalena Suarez Frimkess (b. 1929). Trained in painting, print-making, and sculpture in Venezuela, Chile, and New York, Suarez Frimkess’s most recognized works are made in clay. Spanning over five decades, The Finest Disregard features ceramics, paintings, and drawings, including an important selection of works made collaboratively with her husband, Michael Frimkess. Although her work is usually considered to stand outside the California ceramic tradition, this exhibition demonstrates otherwise. With many works shown in public for the first time, The Finest Disregard offers insights into the artist's fascination with art history books, popular media, cartoons, animation, autobiography, and the humor found in the folds between the layers of everyday life.

This immersive exhibition tells the story of a unique mid-20th-century collaboration between artists and engineers. It explores the beginnings of the organization Experiments in Art and Technology, or E.A.T., as well as two of its most pivotal projects: 9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering and the iconic Pepsi-Cola Pavilion at the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan, both of which pursued groundbreaking integrations of theater, dance, technology, and interactive, multimedia art.

A noted abstractionist, Morrison is known for work that conveys the aesthetic, spiritual, and geographic influences of his birthplace and the passionate beginnings of Abstract Expressionism in New York during the 1940s and 1950s. Born and raised on the north shore of Lake Superior, Minnesota, Morrison moved to New York in 1943 on a scholarship. In 1952, he traveled to France as a Fulbright Scholar; there, he continued to develop a signature abstract style that combined elements of Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism.

‘And Then Came the Environment’ presents a range of Gustav Metzger’s scientific works merging art and science from 1961 onward, highlighting his advocacy for environmental awareness and the possibilities for the transformation of society, as well as his latest experimental works, created in 2014. The exhibition title comes from Metzger’s groundbreaking 1992 essay ‘Nature Demised’ wherein he proclaims an urgent need to redefine our understanding of nature in relation to the environment. Metzger explains that the politicized term ‘environment’ creates a disconnect from the natural world, manipulating public perception to obscure pollution and exploitation caused by wars and industrialization, and that it should be renamed ‘Damaged Nature.’

New York-based artist Firelei Báez has achieved wide acclaim over the past decade for her rigorous paintings, drawings and immersive installations that explore the influences of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Conjuring forgotten narratives, Báez carefully fills history’s lacunae with joyful rebellion. In her first exhibition with Hauser & Wirth since joining the gallery in 2023, Báez presents new large-scale canvases, drawings and her first-ever bronze sculpture at the gallery’s Downtown Arts District center in Los Angeles. Complex and layered, Báez’s work depicts fantastical hybrid figures and reimagined worlds. Employing beauty to reprocess the enduring effects of violence and trauma, Báez challenges traditional representations of history, nationality, gender and race. United by common cause, the paintings incorporate a wide range of subjects including art history, science fiction, anthropology, pop culture, folklore and fantasy. ‘The fact that it amazes me does not mean I relinquish it’ is a reference to the work of Martinican writer and philosopher Édouard Glissant, a key figure in shaping theories informing the Caribbean’s influence on the global stage. Drawing inspiration from Glissant’s text, ‘Poetics of Relation’ (1990)—from which the title directly quotes—Báez navigates the tensions between identity and place, using Glissant’s concept of opacity to explore modes of resistance, namely the ability to navigate the world freely within a refusal of being fully understood—both to others and to oneself. Báez considers mythology an important tool, ‘a way of correcting the past and projecting a different future.’ Growing up in the Dominican Republic, the artist heard local folk stories about a mythic femme trickster called a ‘ciguapa’ who was known for her elusiveness. While such lore was shared to discourage unruly and wild behavior, Báez has embraced the ciguapa in her work as a figure of endless possibility. Ever-morphing and multiplying, her composite creatures are often depicted with human legs, a coat of delicate fur and backwards facing feet so that she remains traceless and ultimately unknowable. In the ciguapa, Báez explores the body as a living archive, a shape-shifting repository of meaning and history, whose continuous transformation is inherently defiant.

‘And Then Came the Environment’ presents a range of Gustav Metzger’s scientific works merging art and science from 1961 onward, highlighting his advocacy for environmental awareness and the possibilities for the transformation of society, as well as his latest experimental works, created in 2014. The exhibition title comes from Metzger’s groundbreaking 1992 essay ‘Nature Demised’ wherein he proclaims an urgent need to redefine our understanding of nature in relation to the environment. Metzger explains that the politicized term ‘environment’ creates a disconnect from the natural world, manipulating public perception to obscure pollution and exploitation caused by wars and industrialization, and that it should be renamed ‘Damaged Nature.’

Gagosian is pleased to announce Exhibiting Forgiveness, an exhibition of new paintings by Titus Kaphar at the gallery in Beverly Hills. Shown here for the first time, this group of paintings is featured in the artist’s first narrative feature film, Exhibiting Forgiveness (2023), which debuted at Sundance this year and will be released theatrically nationwide on October 18. The semi-autobiographical Exhibiting Forgiveness stars André Holland as Tarrell Rodin, an accomplished painter whose life is upended by an unexpected reunion with his father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks), a recovering addict who hopes to rebuild a relationship with his estranged son. Tarrell, now an active and loving father and husband, is skeptical despite the encouragement of his mother. Written and directed by Kaphar, Exhibiting Forgiveness follows his documentary shorts Shut Up and Paint (2022, shortlisted in the Documentary Short Film category of the 95th Academy Awards) and The Jerome Project (2016)—the latter of which was inspired by a painting series initiated in 2014 exploring the artist’s relationship with his own estranged father. Exhibiting Forgiveness is a direct, though fictionalized, extension of The Jerome Project. In addition to portraits, the Exhibiting Forgiveness paintings depict figures, façades of neighborhood houses, personal objects, and ephemera. These are emotionally and intellectually charged pieces. The paintings preceded the film; as Kaphar says, “they spring from the same personal, emotional and psychological well” that is the source for all his work. Combining a mastery of oil painting techniques with application of heterogenous mediums and innovative methods, Kaphar challenges conventional representation to provoke deep contemplations of family, community, and memory. Painting some canvases in highly saturated palettes and draining others of color, he combines gold leaf with tar—suggesting both divine transcendence and being stuck. Kaphar renders grief and loss, obscuring bodies, or removing them outright with knife-cut excisions. What remains is a testament to how we continue to live despite our wounds.

In conjunction with Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, Roberts Projects presents Betye Saar’s monumental altar assemblage, Mojotech. Created in 1987 during the artist’s residency at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), this installation-based work is a testament to the fusion of contemporary technology and the mystique of ancient spirituality.

In her first solo exhibition in Los Angeles in over a decade, British artist Shirazeh Houshiary presents her latest and most recent works, exploring the origins of life and the mysteries of the universe, from the microscopic cellular level to the stratospheric phenomenon of the Northern Lights. The show’s title relates to the Zen Buddhist teaching that instructs students to listen to the sound of one hand clapping in order to open their hearts to the possibility and transcend the constraints of the body. Although not a Zen practitioner, Houshiary realises that her work revolves around the ongoing sound of one of her hands, leaving tiny, looping, scratched marks with pencil on large aluminium surfaces, constructing worlds through the silence of the words she inscribes.

Southern California’s iconic art event, PST ART, returns in September 2024 with over 800 artists, 70 exhibits, and 1 amazing theme:Art Meets Science. This “collision” will explore the intersection of art and science, past and present, with organizations presenting exhibits on topics such as ancient cosmology, Indigenous science fiction, environmental justice, and artificial intelligence.

L.A. Louver presents the debut American exhibition of a new body of work by Los Angeles-based architect and artist Thom Mayne. Investigating the philosophical intersections of impermanence and materiality, Mayne demonstrates how technology – at the frontiers of computer language and object-creation – can reframe and readdress timeless questions at the essence of artmaking.

Electric light emerged as an artistic medium in the mid-20th century, as artists engaged with new technology, mass media and industrial materials. The exhibition Plugged In: Art and Electric Light illuminates these themes through 11 works produced between 1964 and 1970, all drawn from the Museum’s collections. This focused group includes Andy Warhol’s controversial White Painting (1964), its nude female torso subversively activated by ultraviolet light; Dan Flavin’s stark fluorescent installations made from commercial materials; and Allen Ruppersberg’s Location Piece (1968), an “environmental sculpture” that envelops the viewer in unnerving ambient light.

Ever heard of this show Hamilton ? Shamilton is just like that, but (ahem) better! Expect the same level of hip hop, incredible songs, stunning choreography and powerhouse singing... except made up on the spot! Fresh off a month-long fully sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, musical improv ensemble Baby Wants Candy presents Shamilton! , the Hamilton inspired hit hip-hop musical created in 2016 at UCB in LA, with an open run at Chicago's Second City. Join the Shamilton cast as they improvise an epic musical based on a historical figure of your choosing- from Genghis Khan to Mr. Rogers to Kim Kardashian... to basketball playing superdog Air Bud. It's the show The Guardian calls Brilliant 4 stars The New York Times calls “One of the top 5 comedy shows to catch”. and Lin-Manuel Miranda calls, cease and desist! This is an 18+ show. Featuring:Chris Grace, Zeke Nicholson, Ross Bryant, Jess McKenna, Zach Reino, Jiavani Linayao, Ashley Ward, Zora Bikangaga, Shilpa Das, Derek Demkowicz, John Hartman, Joey Bland, Zheryk Badugu --- Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the show Livestream ticket buyers will receive an email with the livestream link at purchase and again one hour before the show. Livestream link will be available for 7 days after the show. All sales are final. The show starts at the time listed. If you are not at the theater more than 5 minutes before the start of the show, we may release your tickets to the waitlist. Lineup is subject to change. Ages 15+ Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre 5919 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA Information Source: Upright Citizens Brigade | eventbrite

Examine Getty’s much-loved painting, Irises by Vincent van Gogh, from the perspective of modern conservation science. This exhibition shows how the artist’s understanding of light and color informed his painting practice, and how conservators and scientists working together can harness the power of light with analytical tools that uncover the artist’s materials and working methods. Lastly, this exhibition reveals how light has irrevocably changed some of the colors in Irises. A painting we thought we knew so well has suddenly become quite unfamiliar.

Kevin Atwater is a highly anticipated event taking place at The Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles on October 1, 2024. The venue is located at 901 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012. This event promises to be a memorable experience for attendees, featuring top-notch performances and entertainment. Make sure to mark your calendars and secure your tickets for Kevin Atwater in Los Angeles.

Enjoy a unique evening with three-time Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black) as she talks about her powerful memoir... Tuesday, October 1 at 7:00PMThe Road Is Good: How a Mother's Strength Became a Daughter's PurposeUzo AdubaIn conversationEnjoy a unique evening with three-time Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black)as she talks about her powerful memoir, The Road is Good: How a Mother’s Strength Became a Daughter’s Purpose. The Road Is Good is a timely memoir of Black immigrant identity, the story of an unforgettable matriarch, and a unique coming-of-age story. “With wit, insight, and heart, Aduba constructs a captivating self-portrait that doubles as an ode to her remarkable mother. In this powerful autobiography, even readers unfamiliar with Aduba’s acting work will be spellbound.” —Starred Review, Publishers Weekly Information Source: ALOUD a program of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles | eventbrite

Don't miss the opportunity to witness the renowned musician Glen Hansard live in concert during his "All That Was East Is West Of Me Now Tour" at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The event is scheduled to take place on October 1, 2024, at 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Experience an unforgettable evening filled with soulful melodies and captivating performances by this talented artist. Get your tickets now and be a part of this extraordinary musical experience.

AdmissionAdmission to this event is free. Help us continue to offer free events by making a tax-deductible donation at https://visionsandvoices.usc.edu/support. DescriptionJoin us for the second event of Crossing Design Borders, an annual speaker series launched by the USC School of Architecture in partnership with USC Visions and Voices. This year’s distinguished guest is Sadie Morgan, an acclaimed designer and co-founding director of the London-based firm dRMM. Following an introduction by Brett Steele, dean of the USC School of Architecture, Morgan will discuss integrity through design. What makes design good or bad? What are today’s priorities or ambitions for design excellence in our built environment? What must design support and achieve for it to bring value to people’s lives, and how can design reconcile what people need with what the planet and our ecological system can withstand? Championing longevity, well-being, and resilience in national development, Morgan will address the role of design at different levels and scales of development, what and who make good design happen, and how to widen that pool of decision makers. She will also look at practical examples where early design testing and thinking have helped elevate the impact of infrastructure projects on both people and place. Learn more. Presented by USC Visions and Voices and the USC School of Architecture. Portrait: Agnese Sanvito Photo: Maggie’s Oldham, courtesy of dRMM Information Source: USC Visions and Voices | eventbrite

Experience the ultimate culinary adventure with The Try Guys: Eat The Menu Tour coming to Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 2, 2024. Indulge in a night of delicious food and laughter as The Try Guys take on a variety of dishes right before your eyes. Join in on the fun at 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90010, and witness the iconic quartet showcase their love for food in a live setting. Don't miss out on this unique and entertaining event that will leave you craving for more!

The official launch of their premiere publication, The Witch’s Door: Oddities & Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme.Ryan and Regina welcome guests to the recently reopened Clifton’s Republic in Downtown Los Angeles, where the event will take place in a never-before-seen chamber of the historic venue. This exclusive evening includes a panel discussion, an audience Q&A, and the opportunity to have your book signed by the authors! The Last Bookstore will provide brand new copies of The Witch’s Door, and Clifton’s fabled refreshments will accompany the celebration. ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── All Ages Welcome!21+ to DrinkThe event is open to all ages! However, attendees must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol. Wristbands will be provided for those eligible to drink—please bring a valid ID to get yours. ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── BUY THE WITCH'S DOORhttps://amzn.to/4bhuQM6 ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── LEARN MOREtheodditiesfleamarket.com/the-witchs-door ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── VISIT OUR SITEtheodditiesfleamarket.com ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERtheodditiesfleamarket.com/subscribe ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── FOLLOW USFacebook: facebook.com/odditiesfleamarketInstagram: @odditiesfleamarketT iktok: @odditiesfleamarket Information Source: Curated by Ryan Matthew Cohn | eventbrite

Roski Talks: Rose B. SimpsonJoin us for an inspiring evening with Rose B. Simpson at the Ahmanson Auditorium, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. ABOUT ROSE B. SIMPSON Rose B. Simpson (b. 1983, Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) has an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and an MA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts. In 2024, Simpson debuted a public sculpture project at Madison Square Park and Inwood Hill Park, New York, and was featured in the 2024 Whitney Biennial. Her works are in many museum collections, including the Met, NY; Hirshhorn, Washington, D.C.; Guggenheim, New York; Museum of Fine Arts Boston; ICA Boston; Princeton University Art Museum; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia; MCA Chicago; Denver Art Museum; Portland Art Museum; LACMA, Los Angeles; Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, CA; and SFMOMA. Simpson has enjoyed solo shows at the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL; ICA Boston; The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia; the Nevada Art Museum, Reno; SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah, GA; Pomona College Museum of Art; and the Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe. Her work has recently been included in group exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA; Cleveland Museum of Art; SFMOMA; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; the Berkeley Art Museum, CA; and the Bronx Museum of the Arts, NY. Simpson lives and works in Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. In 2023, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian Art by President Biden. She is represented by Jessica Silverman, San Francisco, and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. ABOUT ROSKI TALKS The USC Roski School’s Roski Talks lecture series offers engaging weekly presentations from leading visual artists, design innovators, scholars, performance artists, architects, and other influential figures throughout the academic year. These events are a popular among the Roski community and frequently attract members of the public. Held in an intimate setting, Roski Talks encourage audience participation and open dialogue. Each session concludes with lively group discussions and Q&A opportunities. This talk will be held in collaboration with MOCA at the Ahmanson Auditorium at MOCA Grand AvenueTickets are free and open to the publicRSVP is required Information Source: USC Roski School of Art and Design | eventbrite

Join us for a special event at Loam where you can meet the makers behind TIDE Design. Get a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process and inspiration. Connect with like-minded individuals who appreciate craftsmanship and design. This in-person event is a unique opportunity to see the passion and dedication that goes into creating each TIDE Design piece. Don't miss out on this exclusive chance to meet the maker! Information Source: Amber Edwards | eventbrite

Embark on a captivating journey through the historic streets of Lancaster with the Literary Lancaster - A Walking Tour. Celebrating the country's National Poetry Day, this guided tour immerses visitors in the city's rich literary heritage. From the charming verses of a 16th Century bargeman to the eerie tales of a modern crime writer, explore various literary landmarks brought to life through engaging readings. The tour sets off from Lancaster Castle's John O’Gaunt Gatehouse at 2pm and spans approximately 2 hours. Tickets are priced at £9.38 per person. Lancaster Walks, Talks & Tours specializes in tailored guided walks, informative talks, and themed tours delving into Lancaster's intriguing history. For more information and inquiries regarding private group bookings, visit the website.

Experience the mesmerizing sounds of Balance & Composure at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn on October 3, 2024. The venue is located at 385 Flatbush Ave. Extension, Brooklyn, NY, 11201. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a captivating performance by this talented band in the heart of Brooklyn.

Night Golf Outing with Clarity Business Solutions, Inc. is the ultimate event for golf enthusiasts seeking a unique and thrilling experience under the stars. Set to take place at Compass Pointe Golf Courses in Pasadena on October 3, 2024, this one-of-a-kind night golf outing promises an unforgettable evening of swings and putts in the dark. Participants can expect a challenging yet exhilarating round of golf illuminated by glowing golf balls and strategically placed LED lights across the course. With ticket prices ranging from $642.09 to $1,068.91, attendees will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a whole new light. Don't miss this exclusive chance to tee off in the dark with Clarity Business Solutions, Inc. at this extraordinary Night Golf Outing.