John Mroch

A 1920s Lusse Brothers' "Auto Skooter" bumper car; Credit: Photo by John Mroch

A San Pedro Couple That's Obsessed With Art Deco

John Mroch
In the 1930s, a Montgomery Ward department store stood on the corner of South Pacific Avenue and Seventh Street in San Pedro. Today, the art deco building still stands, but it is now home to Patti Kraakevik and her partner, George Woytovich, who have renovated the building into three art galleries......
Cutting Kitty cake; Credit: Photo Credit: Aaron Stein-Chester

The Story Behind the Bizarre Songs Michael Fassbender Sings in Frank

John Mroch
Michael Fassbender’s face appears on screen for about five minutes during Lenny Abrahamson’s new movie, Frank. The rest of the time, it’s hidden beneath a large papier-mâché head with black hair, large blue eyes and a deadpan expression – constantly worn by the enigmatic band leader.  But even further off-screen, the......
Neal Brennan hosts The Approval Matrix; Credit: Photo by J.C. Dhieny

New York Magazine's Approval Matrix Is Now a TV Show Hosted by Neal Brennan

John Mroch
The Approval Matrix, New York magazine’s weekly guide to cultural phenomena, is a systematic but lighthearted way of judging specific people, places and things in the news, such as Pharrell’s hat at the Grammy’s. Sundance TV’s new talk show adaptation takes the concept and makes it broader, looking at issues like whether......
An animated still from an upcoming film.; Credit: Photo courtesy of Ilana Ross

These Students Spend Summers Making Animated Movies About the Holocaust

John Mroch
Tucked into a makeshift studio at Harvard-Westlake High School on a Monday afternoon last month, a group of teenagers fiddled with cameras, adjusted key and filler lights and balanced out boom microphones. They were preparing to interview 88-year-old Holocaust survivor Curt Lowens for an animated short film. Lowens, who has......
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Baker to Baker

John Mroch
Breaking bread among good company is a centuries-old tradition, so it's only fitting that the grain enthusiasts at Common Grains Collective are hosting a "Baker to Baker" discussion at Vibiana — originally the L.A. Archdiocese's first Roman Catholic cathedral. The event will feature the celebrated San Francisco–based indie-boy bread peddler......
Chris Beas' painting

World Cup on TV Not Enough For You? See Soccer Art at LACMA

John Mroch
Franklin Sirmans, the head of contemporary art at LACMA, is also an avid soccer fan. In February of this year, he opened an exhibit that allowed him to explore and intellectualize his personal obsession.  "Fútbol: The Beautiful Game" takes up half of the third floor of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum......