Shana Nys Dambrot
Time flies when you’re out there seeing all the art, and suddenly it’s the end of September. That means the return of the original indie art fair, and another week of big gallery shows—including a new design venue and a new local outpost for another mega-gallery—across sculpture, photography, video, historical drawings, political paintings, celebratory public art, visionaries of color, and a whole other meaning of crypto. Plus spoken word, new fiction, fashion documentary, theater, meaning-rich horror, traditional dance from Ukraine, new dance by the creek, a cultural open house, and an online river archive.
Charles Michael Davis at The Other Art Fair
Thursday, September 21
The Other Art Fair at Barker Hangar. The 10th edition of an art fair dedicated to showcasing emerging, independent talent directly, features 140 artists (about half are L.A. locals) exhibiting original artworks across various media. Assembled with an intentionally eclectic something-for-everyone aesthetic and price point ($100-$10,000), this edition’s featured guest artist is L.A.-based photographer Charles Michael Davis, known mostly for his work in front of the camera on acclaimed television series such as Grey’s Anatomy, he joins The Other Art Fair to exhibit his impressive work behind the lens. Fair attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to get their own portraits taken by Davis during the show. Plus DJ sets, hands-on creative workshops, conversations, food and drink, and tours. 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica; Opening Night: Thursday, September 21, 6-10pm; Regular Hours: Friday, September 22, 5-10pm; Saturday, September 23, 11am-8pm; Sunday, September 24, 11am-6pm; $20-$55; theotherartfair.com/la.
Jeff Zimmerman at R & Company LA
Jeff Zimmerman at R & Company LA. Featuring over 30 spectacular glass vessels and illuminated sculptures by the visionary American artist, the design-forward gallery’s inaugural Los Angeles exhibition presents the incredible scope, technical mastery, and boundless imagination of Zimmerman’s practice. These sculptural designs engage in a harmonious conversation with their environment, continuously morphing as they interact with the interplay of light. This unique quality transforms each of the influential artist’s creations into a dynamic work of art—an ever-evolving, living presence within any space. 3507 Motor Ave., Culver City; Opening reception: Thursday, September 21, 6-8pm; On view through January 31; free; r-and-company.com.
(Magnolia Pictures)
Friday, September 22
Invisible Beauty at Laemmle Royal. Fashion revolutionary Bethann Hardison looks back on her journey as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent, and activist, shining a light on an untold chapter in the fight for racial diversity. From walking runway shows alongside Iman to discovering supermodels like Tyson Beckford and mentoring icons like Naomi Campbell, Hardison has been at the epicenter of major representational shifts in fashion. Catalyzing change requires continuous championing, and as the next generation takes the reins, Hardison reflects on her personal journey and the cost of being a pioneer. In tandem with Frédéric Tcheng (Halston, Dior and I), Hardison and her co-director trace her impact on fashion and contemplate the life of a radical thinker. Opens in Los Angeles Friday, September 22; laemmle.com.
Sean Scully at Lisson Gallery
Sean Scully: LA Deep at Lisson Gallery. Scully returns to Los Angeles almost 50 years after making his US debut here, unveiling a selection of new and older works at Lisson’s recently-launched L.A. space. In epic feats of labor and painterly engineering, Scully builds up dozens of horizontal and vertical lines, and intensifies this grid with multiplying layers of crisscrossing diagonals, creating expansive panels. This era-spanning exhibition draws formal and conceptual resonances between Scully’s earliest grid paintings, which were first shown in Santa Monica in 1975, all the way forward to equally innovative, large-scale works from 2023. 1037 N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood; Opening night gallery talk with artist Andy Moses, Friday, September 22, 6pm; On view through November 4; free; lissongallery.com.
Odyssey Theater
Birds of North America at the Odyssey Theater. Written by Anna Ouyang Moench and directed by Peter Richards, the play takes a close look at the relationship of a father and daughter over the course of a decade as they struggle to understand more about themselves, each other and the changing world around them. John and Caitlyn are birders and as years go by they scan the skies over their backyard in suburban Maryland. Caitlyn grows up and her father ages. The climate and the world change in small and vast ways. Birds of North America is a moving, lyrical and funny play that explores the tenuous bonds that join and separate us. 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A.; Performances September 22 – November 19; $20; odysseytheatre.com.
Davood Roostaei at Wonzimer
Fields of Dreams: The Paintings of Davood Roostaei at Wonzimer. Roostaei dubbed this artistic approach “Cryptorealism,” acknowledging the most important conceptual factor in his picture-making: his seemingly abstract explosions of pigment in fact grew out of figural compositions, ranging in theme from the mythical to the quotidian, the heroic to the hilarious, and these figural forms were subsequently hidden beneath the skeins of pure paint apparent to us. Cryptorealism, derived from the Greek term “crypto” meaning hidden or secret, is a manifestation of obscured meaning, revealed only through layered imagery, the grasp of which requires active participation by the observer. Curated by Peter Frank. 341-B S. Avenue 17; downtown; Opening reception: Friday, September 22, 5-10pm; On view through October 2; free; wonzimer.com.
Book Soup
Justin C. Key in conversation with Cory Doctorow at Book Soup. In The World Wasn’t Ready for You, Key expands and subverts the horror genre to explore issues of race, class, prejudice, love, exclusion, loneliness, and what it means to be a person in the world, while revealing the horrifying nature inherent in all of us. The book is a gripping, provocative, and distinctly original collection that demonstrates Key’s remarkable literary gifts, as well as his fresh take on how genre can be used to delight, awe, frighten, and ultimately challenge our perceptions. 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Friday, September 22, 7pm; free; booksoup.com.
Steve McQueen at Marian Goodman Gallery
Saturday, September 23
Steve McQueen at Marian Goodman Los Angeles. Another international powerhouse gallery arrives in Los Angeles, as Marian Goodman inaugurates its new location with a solo exhibition dedicated to artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen. The exhibition will feature, among recent works, the U.S. premiere of the immersive video installation Sunshine State (2022). An artist and filmmaker whose work explores universal themes, often addressing painful and challenging histories, McQueen’s work exposes the fragility of the human condition in powerful, boundary-blurring video-based works. This exhibition follows the recent debut of his latest film, Occupied City, at Cannes Film Festival in May. 1120 Seward St., Hollywood; Opening Day: Saturday, September 23, 11am-7pm; On view through November 4; free; mariangoodman.com.
Robbie Conal in his studio with self-portraits, 2023 (Photo: Deborah Denker)
Robbie Conal: Raw: Work in Process at Track 16. Known for skewering political figures and delivering satirical posters of them in cities across the U.S. over the past 40 years, guerrilla artist Robbie Conal is still at it. Expanding on his creative process, Conal says, “The initial drawing process helps me dig deeper into their actual character, beneath the gloss of their public bluster. The challenge is then to amplify that preliminary discovery of their real persona, and put my own satirical spin on their foibles.” On display are current paintings, drawings, and rough sketches, as well as work from the archives. Bendix Building, 1206 Maple Ave., downtown; Opening Reception: Saturday, September 23, 6-9pm; On view through November 4; free; track16.com.
Sonia Romero, Sacred Heart (Courtesy of the artist and LMU)
Sonia Romero: Taken Root at LMU Laband Art Gallery. A 20-plus-year survey exhibition that celebrates Romero’s enduring and boundary-pushing art practice, as well as her important contributions to the Los Angeles art landscape as the founder of She RIdes the Lion Press and creator of multiple permanent public artworks. Taken Root includes more than 50 pieces spanning from the early 2000s to the present that celebrate the artist’s signature visual language that has always and already expanded the aesthetic and placemaking possibilities of the mediums of printmaking, painting, mosaic, mural, and paper-cutting. 1 LMU Dr., Westchester; Opening Reception: Saturday, September 23, 1-3pm; On view through December 9; free; cfa.lmu.edu.
Richelle Rich at Gallery 169
Richelle Rich: Small Creatures Such as We at Gallery 169. Large scale photographs from the artist’s most recent body of work Comeflor. Rich obsessively documents objects, ephemera, artifacts that she has collected, examining them meticulously and repeatedly through the camera’s lens, uncovering existing and creating new narratives. Meta-narratives emerge of her concerns with social inequity, reproductive justice, motherhood, and trauma. Her explorations yield images that either evoke the still life traditions of the Dutch masters, or often abstracting her collected objects to the point of transcendence through the use of an infinitesimally shallow depth of field. 169 W. Channel Rd., Santa Monica; Opening reception: Saturday, September 23, 5-8pm; On view through November 5; free; gallery169.com.
Autumn Breon at Residency Gallery
The New Contemporaries Vol. 3 at Residency Art Gallery. The inaugural exhibition at the gallery’s new location at Hollywood Park spotlights Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian artists who define self-authorship in resistance to fetishization, commodification, and appropriation within the mainstream media landscape. Reflecting upon their lived experiences and positionality, the participating artists have been tasked to represent how their practices embody their expression and movement within our nation’s evolving political landscape, whether through self-care, protection, spirituality, or protest. The opening day features a special performance by Autumn Breon. 1245 S. District Dr., Suite 945, Inglewood; Opening reception: Saturday, September 23, 4-9pm; On view through November 19; free; residencyart.com.
J Ivy
J Ivy: Poetry Uncut Part 1 at The Nimoy. CAP UCLA’s Inaugural Season at The Nimoy kicks off tonight, with a special performance by Grammy Award-winning poet, spoken word artist and songwriter J. Ivy. He uses his singular style of performance poetry to explore the transformative and healing power of words, and will be joined on stage by singer Tarrey Torae and ensemble musicians from Chicago and Atlanta. 1262 Westwood Blvd; Westwood; Saturday, September 23, 8pm; $32; cap.ucla.edu.
Heidi Duckler Dance
Heidi Duckler Dance: Ebb & Flow at the Creek (Outdoor). HDD’s free, environmentally focused festival returns for its sixth year with a twist. This year, the dance company is partnering with Ballona Creek Renaissance to present Ebb & Flow during Heal the Bay’s Coastal Clean Up Day. Multidisciplinary artists will showcase a variety of immersive performances for volunteers to enjoy during the clean up. Register today to help clean up the creek while experiencing an incredible series of performances. 4975 Overland Ave., Culver City; Saturday, September 23, 9:30am-noon; free; heididuckler.org.
KOLO Dance
KOLO Dance at the Alex Theatre. Immerse into the heart of Ukrainian culture with a stunning performance that celebrates the spirit of modern Ukraine. Featuring world renowned ballroom dancers, this show is a mesmerizing display of passion and creativity enhanced by the visual art and, of course, music. The diversity and beauty of tradition and history in the dancers’ movements embodies the modern creativity and innovation that makes Ukrainian culture so vibrant and exciting today—fueled by the pride and passion the performers have in their heritage. 216 N. Brand Ave., Glendale; Saturday, September 23, 5pm; $55-$165; alextheatre.org.
Clockshop: Take Me to Your River
Sunday, September 24
Clockshop presents Take Me to Your River Archive Launch (Online). Explore Take Me to Your River: A Cultural Atlas of the LA River, the beginning of a three-year collective history and cultural mapping project of the Northeast LA neighborhoods that surround the LA River, including Elysian Valley, Atwater Village, Cypress Park, and Glassell Park. Clockshop has collected initial oral histories from individuals that reflect the diversity, contentions, and lived experiences of these Northeast LA communities. The atlas will be a space to preserve the histories of these neighborhoods, as ongoing gentrification displaces local residents and uproots their cultural and social fabrics. The web-based archive launches Sunday, September 24; clockshop.org.
Ebell of Los Angeles
Community Open House at the Ebell of Los Angeles. Discover a vibrant cultural hub in the heart of Los Angeles. Ignite your passion for connection, culture, and community and immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of art, music, theater, community service, and membership opportunities. Embrace a rare opportunity to peer “behind the curtain” and explore The Ebell of Los Angeles like never before. Trace footsteps through time and wander the halls of our historic campus, including the renowned Wilshire Ebell Theatre. 4400 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire; Sunday, September 24, 10am-3pm; free; ebellofla.org.
The Banks of the Marne at Dawn (detail), c. 1888, Albert Dubois-Pillet. Watercolor over traces of black chalk. (Courtesy of the Getty Museum)
Tuesday, September 26
Finding an Audience: 19th Century Drawings at the Getty Center. Featuring drawings from the collection by Edgar Degas, Gustav Klimt, Odilon Redon, Sarah Stone, and JMW Turner, this exhibition looks at strategies used by European artists in the 19th century to show and sell their work. It explores the emerging phenomenon of the “exhibition watercolor” and new opportunities provided by the vibrant emerging early market for prints. 1200 Getty Center Dr., Brentwood; On view September 26 – January 7; free; getty.edu.
ALOUD
Lauren Groff at ALOUD. Bestselling novelist Lauren Groff returns to ALOUD with her riveting novel, The Vaster Wilds. Set in the colonial wilderness, the novel is part adventure and part fable about a servant girl who tries to find a new way of living in a world succumbing to the turbulence of colonialism. The Vaster Wilds tells the story of America in miniature, through one girl at a hinge point in history, to ask how we can adapt quickly enough to save ourselves. Groff will be in conversation with writer, activist Melissa Chadburn. Zipper Hall at Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Tuesday, September 26, 7pm; $35 includes a copy of the book; lfla.org.
PEN America
PEN America presents Earth, Water, Fire, Music: A Celebration of New Work at Second Home Hollywood. The PEN America Emerging Voices community for a reading and celebration of new and recent books by former fellows including KB Brookins (Freedom House), Pete Hsu (If I Were An Ocean, I’d Carry You Home), Nancy Lynée Woo (I’d Rather Be Lightening), and Noel Alumit (Music Heard in Hi-Fi). 1370 N. St. Andrews Pl., Hollywood; Tuesday, September 26, 7-8:30pm; free; pen.org.
Aspect Ratio participant Tory Shaw, from his film Dabois-Brotherhood (LACMA)
Wednesday, September 27
LACMA presents Aspect Ratio Vol. 2: Works in Progress screening at Magic Johnson Park (Outdoor). Community members from across South Los Angeles joined LACMA’s new film education program Aspect Ratio to learn how to make the most of mobile device filmmaking technology to make their own films. Participants explored filmmaking as an artistic outlet to create personal, place-based films that reflect their ideas and experience. The result is a dynamic collection of short films that show South L.A. as most have never seen it before. 905 E. El Segundo Blvd., South L.A.; Wednesday, September 27, 6-8pm; free; lacma.org.
Richelle Rich at Gallery 169
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