LA WeeklyFrom an exhibition where it's all about touching the art, to Bob Baker Day for children of all ages, to celebrations of Afro-Latinx culture and black cinema and more, here are the 14 best things to do in Los Angeles this week!
fri 2/22
ART/FILM
The Post-Colonial Diaspora
From among the vast and stylistically diverse universe of black cinema, conceptual artist Charles Gaines chooses a selection of seven shorts and features that speak specifically and directly to the intersections of colonialism, political history and public performance. For two nights and a day, Hauser & Wirth screens the films in a free-with-RSVP series at its downtown gallery. Friday's screening of Edgar Arceneaux's masterpiece of Ben Vereen–inspired censorship critique is followed by a conversation with Gaines and Arceneaux. Other films in the series further demonstrate, as Gaines says, “the role of culture and politics in intensifying human drama,” including works by Rachid Bouchareb, Bill Gunn & Ishmael Reed, Ousamane Sembène, Cauleen Smith and Ja'Tovia Gary. Hauser & Wirth, 901 E. Third St., downtown; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 22-23, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 23, 2 p.m.; free. (213) 943-1620, hauserwirth.com/events/23517-personal-problems-film-series-organized-charles-gaines. —Shana Nys Dambrot
Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church; Credit: ©Sam Feinsilver/Authentic Hendrix LLC
FILM/MUSIC
Electric Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was at the height of his superpowers when he headlined the Atlanta International Pop Festival on July 4, 1970. Playing his incendiary version of “The Star Spangled Banner” under a fireworks display in front of the largest American audience of his short life, the singer-guitarist was at an interesting crossroads in his career, as depicted in John McDermott's 2015 documentary Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church. Backed by drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox, Hendrix was still playing such early hits as “Stone Free” and “Fire” mixed with newer, forward-looking explorations like “Roomful of Mirrors” and “Freedom” — all of it just 11 weeks before his death under very suspicious circumstances in London. Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach; Fri., Feb. 22, 9:15 p.m.; $12. (562) 438-5435, arttheatrelongbeach.org. Also at Laemmle's NoHo 7, 5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; and Laemmle's Glendale, 207 N. Maryland Ave., Glendale; Tue., Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.; $15. (310) 478-3836, laemmle.com. —Falling James
Motion Picture Design's 2017 Paris event; Credit: Courtesy Motion Picture Design
sat 2/23
FILM
Credits Will Roll
With a history of sold-out conferences in Paris and Tokyo, Motion Plus Design finally arrives in Los Angeles, bringing its love affair with title sequences and the creative, cinematic graphics avant-garde to the Montalbán in the heart of Hollywood on Oscars weekend. The timing and location might be just a tad of shade since, as founding director Kook Ewo notes, “Film title sequences are an essential part of feature films and yet their creators are unsung. While the Emmys recognize Outstanding Main Title Design, unfortunately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has yet to introduce an Oscar for Best Film Titles.” The eight top-tier design world legends invite you to shake it off and join them instead, with coffee, cocktails, and new art and design debuts all in abundance. The Montalbán, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood; Sat., Feb. 23, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; $25-$100. motion-plus-design.com/losangeles2019/. —Shana Nys Dambrot
Amy Raasch as the Fawn in Animal Monologues; Credit: Ed Krieger
PERFORMANCE ART
Inside the Mind of an Animal
“Animals are as void of conscience as predatory lenders, as persistent as addicts, as ritualistic as priests,” Amy Raasch writes about her one-woman multimedia piece The Animal Monologues. The actor/performance artist looks at human behavior from the perspective of various wild and captive creatures — and vice versa — through a series of surreal vignettes that initially seem cute and daftly amusing before segueing into heavier, more emotionally resonant and surprising territory. Among other things, “Griffith Park's resident mountain lion confides what it's like to live famous and alone in Hollywood” and “a scientist installs a microchip in the throat of a bird and plays it like a piano,” Raasch explains about her work, which invokes themes of love, submission and dominance, race and faith alongside references to Colin Kaepernick and 9/11. Miles Memorial Playhouse, 1130 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; Sat., Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.; $5 & $10. (310) 458-8634, milesplayhouse.org. —Falling James
Dame Darcy; Credit: Adriana Boatwright
ART/BOOKS
Meat Cake and Mermaid Magic
Artist-musician–underground comic legend Dame Darcy has been spinning post-Gothic witchy wonders for her audiences and readers around the world for quite some time, with more than 50 titles and a sumptuous monograph to her credit. But this time, the story is definitely her own, as Feral House releases Hi Jax and Hi Jinx, a book based on the artist's personal adventures across whatever dimensions and boundaries she has seen fit to cross. Called “menacing” by NPR, which Darcy likely takes as a compliment, and “worthy of obsession” by Thurston Moore, which it's certain she does, this book promises an edgy romp like the finest, fiercest and most fearlessly played game of Truth or Dare ever. Wacko, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz; Sat., Feb. 23, 7-10 p.m.; free. (323) 666-7667, facebook.com/events/1956861507955866. —Shana Nys Dambrot
Heidi Duckler Dance Theater's FishDance; Credit: Mae Koo
DANCE
Watch This Fish Dance
Ebb & Flow: Culver City 2019 moves consideration of climate change and its environmental impacts to the great outdoors, namely, the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Last year's inaugural one-day event with visual arts, music, tech and dance from Heidi Duckler Dance Theater was so successful that this year the festival extends to two days of activities. Duckler returns with four additional choreographers, Bernard Brown, Raymond Ejiofor, Comfort Fedoke and Jacob “Kujo” Lyons, creating site-specific performances on an oversized fish sculpture, each with a distinctive perspective on that fish construct and the surrounding environmental issues. Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, 6300 Hetzler Road, Culver City; Sat.-Sun., Feb. 23-24, 11 a.m.; free with reservation at eventbrite.com/e/ebb-flow-culver-city-tickets-55092962534?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete. —Ann Haskins
FESTIVALS
Bob Baker's Magic Lives on
At the fifth annual Bob Baker Day, the legacy created by the legendary L.A. puppeteer will be on full display. (The recently shuttered company has found a new home in Highland Park.) The carnival-themed celebration marks Baker's 95th birthday with puppet-making workshops with the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry, as well as live music, carnival midway games, art booths, vendors, food trucks and, of course, wooden and stringed creatures of all shapes and sizes. King Kukulele, Tiny & Mary, Snooknuk and Frank Fair will perform, and DJ Timothy Nordwind (OK GO) spins whimsical sounds curated from the BBMT library and archives. Other amusements include an educational tour through the world of puppetry (with works from master puppeteers like Bill Baird, Tony Sarg, Blanding Sloan, Tony Urbano and the rarely seen archival Bob Baker collection), hair tinseling, face painting, caricature art, air painting, juggling and juggle ball-making, clowns, hula hooping and more. L.A. State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St., downtown; Sat., Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; free. facebook.com/events/386952108721669. —Lina Lecaro
sun 2/24
MUSIC/FOOD
Latin Rhythms
The Museum of Latin American Art's Afro-Latinx Festival honors the cultural diversity, influence and lifestyle that has emerged via the African influence in Latin America (and North America, too). From the flavorful fusion of foods, to the beauty and majesty of the various customs, rituals and art, to the rhythmic sounds of both traditional and modern music, this fest seeks to celebrate and unify while shedding light on the cultural connections we all share. Salsa music, food trucks (the Tropic Truck, Mikhuna Peruvian Truck, Tender Grill Gourmet Brazilian Kitchen, Sweets by Leilani), art workshops, face painting and live performances will fill the day, including some sure-to-be-exhilarating capoeira (the martial arts–based dance incorporating fight, acrobatics and music). Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach; Sun., Feb. 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; free. $10 parking. molaa.org. —Lina Lecaro
mon 2/25
ART
Please Touch the Art
Touchy-feely types should be in sensory heaven at what's being billed as “the first and only” tactile interactive exhibition, the 100 Tactile Artshow, a pop-up event completely centered around the sense of touch. Ceci MW, a conceptual artist based in New York, curated the show to inspire interaction and unexpected perspectives. Providing a plethora of objects and symbols to experience solely through handling, feeling, poking, caressing, etc., the show is designed to inspire patrons to open their minds (and hands) to a new awareness of the world, promoting childlike discovery in the process. With more than 100 individual pieces — divided into daily objects, materials and texture, and text and symbols — the exhibit uses visual elements and music as complements and contrasts to the many layers and feels of it all. (Hand sanitizer provided.) 100 Tactile, 529 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; thru Saturday, March 30, times vary; $15-$26. 100tactile.com. —Lina Lecaro
Lily Tomlin; Credit: Cynthia MacAdams
tue 2/26
film
Recalling a Revolution
In 1977, Cynthia MacAdams published Emergence, a book of black-and-white photographs of “second-wave” feminists, including actors, artists, writers and activists, as well as ordinary women in New York and L.A. Last year, Netflix aired Feminists: What Were They Thinking?, Johanna Demetrakas' documentary featuring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Laurie Anderson, Sally Kirkland, The Mamas & the Papas' Michelle Phillips, Judy Chicago and others as they reflected on posing for MacAdams and how feminism figured into their lives and careers. (Fonda reminisces about making Barbarella and 9 to 5, while Chicago recalls co-founding her landmark art installation Womanhouse in L.A. in 1972.) Demetrakas also interviewed modern-day feminists about how they stay woke. Following a screening, the Skirball hosts a discussion with Demetrakas, as well as composer-filmmaker Meredith Monk and Funmilola Fagbamila, a Cal State Los Angeles professor and one of the founders of Black Lives Matter; both appear in the movie. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Brentwood; Tue., Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.; $15. (310) 440-4500, skirball.org. —Siran Babayan
ACTIVISM
Rap for a Cause
Unlike other rappers who revel in violence or are obsessed with material possessions, KRS-One has always had higher things on his mind, especially after he formed the Stop the Violence movement in 1989 in reaction to fighting at rap concerts and the murder of his Boogie Down Productions bandmate Scott La Rock. Joined by historian and professor Tyree Boyd-Pates, KRS-One presents “Leveraging Influence: Black Celebrity and Activism,” an examination of how black activism can effect serious social change in mainstream society. The discussion is held in conjunction with CAAM's exhibition “Los Angeles Freedom Rally, 1963.” California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park; Tue., Feb. 26, 7 p.m.; free with RSVP. (213) 629-2787, caamuseum.org. —Falling James
Tressie McMillan Cottom; Credit: Courtesy Tressie McMillan Cottom
wed 2/27
LITERATURE/ACTIVISM
Solving the Problem
“Black girls and black women are problems. That is not the same as causing problems,” Tressie McMillan Cottom writes in her trenchant new collection of essays, Thick. “We are social issues to be solved, economic problems to be balanced, and emotional baggage to overcome.” Mulling over a wide variety of subjects, Cottom looks back on her personal experiences to deconstruct bigger social issues and imbalances in society. She's joined by Haitian-American writer-professor Roxane Gay, whose 2014 book, Bad Feminist, examines gender through the prism of race, sexuality, body image and modern culture. “Feminism is flawed, but it offers, at its best, a way to navigate this shifting cultural climate,” Gay writes. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Wed., Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.; free. (310) 443-7000, hammer.ucla.edu. —Falling James
thu 2/28
FOOD & DRINK
Supporting Aspiring Chefs
Each year since 1976, nonprofit St. Joseph Center has helped thousands of low-income and homeless families in Venice and neighboring West L.A. areas support themselves by offering outreach, housing, educational, vocational and mental health services. Founded in 1991, the center's Culinary Training Program has provided training to aspiring chefs and others who want to work in the food service industry but can't afford traditional cooking schools, along with internships at Border Grill, Tender Greens, Petit Trois, Project Angel Food and the Ritz-Carlton. The inaugural Taste of St. Joseph Center will feature menu samples and cocktails from nearly 30 restaurant and beverage brands, including Border Grill, Butcher's Daughter, Kogi Korean BBQ, Angel City Brewery and Pressed Juicery, in addition to chef demonstrations, music, a photo booth and Dunkin' Donuts wall. The event also will honor “Chefs of the Year” Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts for their work in the community. Playa Studios, 11260 Playa Court, Culver City; Thu., Feb. 28, 6-10 p.m.; $99, $150 with open bar. (310) 396-6468, stjosephctr.org. —Siran Babayan
Matthias Pintscher; Credit: Felix Broede
MUSIC
Classical but Not Stuffy
L.A. Chamber Orchestra's ongoing “Session” series offers a unique chance to witness adventurous chamber music performed in breweries, art galleries and other atypical locations where the listener can drink, relax and mingle with other like-minded cultural adventurers in a non-formal, non-academic setting. This edition of “Session” is led by German composer Matthias Pintscher, who will pull back the darkly foreboding layers of sound and space of his own Uriel, alongside similarly provocative pieces by Grisey, Berg, Ravel and Xenakis in a visual presentation designed by Four Larks. American soprano Michelle DeYoung is featured. Mack Sennett Studios, 1215 Bates Ave., Silver Lake; Thu., Feb. 28, 8 p.m.; $25 & $45. (323) 660-8466, laco.org. —Falling James
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