World as Collage: Arts Calendar August 11-17

Fantasy video collage, esoteric world building, the unrealness of reality, intentional futures, avant-garde feminist and history-minded community film festivals, visualized sound-based sculptures, an arts party in Crenshaw, a gallery’s unconventional materials challenge, photography benefiting sex workers’ rights, comedy benefiting reproductive justice, dance about war and modern folklore, yoga in community, photography elevating the daily commute.

Steven Arnold at Fahey/Klein

Thursday, August 11

Steven Arnold: Theophanies at Fahey/Klein Gallery. Arnold’s work engages themes of spirituality and sexuality, often with great humor, while referencing traditional world religious iconographies and philosophies. Through his tableau photographs, films, sculptures, and drawings, Arnold explored myth and mystery, androgyny and beauty, humor and artifice, life and mortality through intricate black and white photographs depicting reimagined gods, goddesses, spirit guides and archetypes. 148 N. La Brea; Hollywood; Opening reception: Thursday, 7-9pm; On view through September 24; free; faheykleingallery.com.

Jimmy Edgar at Vellum LA

Jimmy Edgar: Oxygen at Vellum LA. In a continuation of the artist’s exploration into metaphysical (and literal) phases of matter, while playing with immateriality in the digital domain, Oxygen comprises 13 new works exploring the portrayal of ideas as evaporated forms of physical creations, and how they might materialize into reality. Through a metaphysical process that Jimmy coins “digital condensation,” the imagination solidifies as literal objects, addressing the inner workings of the creative mind and how ideas move organically from abstract to tangible. 7673 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; Opening reception: Thursday, August 11, 7-9pm; On view through September 11; free; vellumla.com.

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Zwelethu Machepha in Art Genesis

Friday, August 12

Art LeadHer presents Art Genesis: The Beginning of Legacy. Original works from 11 global artists committed to advancing Black culture. These emerging artists hail from countries such as Canada, Congo, Ghana, Jamaica, Nigeria, and the U.S. For this installation, Art LeadHer’s founder and curator Mashonda Tifrere not only sought to bring together a diverse group of emerging artists, but those employed their various mediums in innovative ways to express their personal beliefs, needs, and visions. 3118 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake; Opening day: Friday, August 12, noon-6pm; On view through August 19; free; artleadher.com.

Les Femmes Underground Film Festival

Saturday, August 13

Les Femmes Underground International Film Festival at the Aero Theater. Centered on the subversive, unique, and innovative, LEFUFF showcases artists redefining how womxn are represented in mainstream cinema via the underground world of feminist inter-sectional art, music, and celluloid fantasies. Featuring films from over 30 different countries ranging in genres from documentary to experimental, narrative, horror, female sexuality, and psychotropic, the programing digs into the esoteric realms, of witchcraft and feminism as a way to impart equality, independence, and empowerment. 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Saturday, August 13, 1-6pm; $15; lesfemmesinternational.org.

Acoustic sculpture by Michael Brewster

Within Sound: The Acoustic Sculptures of Michael Brewster at Mt. Wilson Observatory. An immersive auditory experience conceived by the late Southern California-based artist, Michael Brewster who designed and manipulated sound waves in architectural spaces to engage listeners within auditory fields. Brewster’s works — as much about science as they are about art — have been expertly adapted for the space inside the site’s famous 100-inch Dome. There are two ways to experience this art — a performance of the works along with a lecture and reception, or a performance combined with observing through the historic 100-inch telescope. Mt. Wilson Rd., Angeles National Forest; Saturday-Sunday, August 13-14, 3pm, 6pm, 7:30pm (Saturday only); $50-$100; mtwilson.edu.

Jerry Peña at Le Maximum

Jerry Peña: You Ain’t Gotta Lie to Kick It at Le Maximum. Peña creates artworks that are grounded in the visual and material realities of life in Los Angeles. The objects he assembles — a worn pair of checkered Vans, a work glove, crushed beer cans, broken hubcaps, smashed car windshields — invoke habits of making, scavenging, breaking, and fixing common to the working class Mexican American neighborhoods of Southeast Los Angeles where he was raised, summoned as distinctive sources of grit and beauty. 2525 Lincoln Blvd., Venice: Opening reception: Saturday, August 13, 6-10pm; On view through September 18; free; lemaximumvenice.com.

Venice Heritage Museum Film Festival (Outdoor). The VHM team has curated a selection of short films celebrating the city’s historic, artistic, and cultural legacy in partnership with Venice Arts, UCLA Film & Television Archive, Venice Institute of Contemporary Art, and Herman Paramount Pathe News. Select clips from the recently launched VHM Oral History Project, featuring Joan Huff (a descendent of one of the first African-American families of Venice) and Boardwalk icon Harry Perry, will be screened in partnership with Why Not Coco? Productions. The evening is a celebration of Venice history and culture told through short form film, plus food and local vendors, to benefit the museum’s projects. Vice Media, 589 Venice Blvd., Venice; Saturday, August 13, 7-10pm; $20; veniceheritagemuseum.org.

Getty 25 Community Arts Festival: Crenshaw (Outdoor). The Getty’s series of free, outdoor community art festivals across Los Angeles this summer in celebration of the Getty Center’s 25th anniversary continues, with a weekend in the Crenshaw district. Immerse yourself in the rich culture, art, and history of L.A.’s Black arts district at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza with Crenshaw Creative. Hear stories of elders, participate in hands-on workshops, and discover a rapidly growing community of artists, artisans, educators, and performers. Plus, enjoy food vendors, photo booths, giveaways, and an immersive digital experience of Getty collections. Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza; 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.; Crenshaw; Saturday-Sunday, August 13-14, 11am-6pm; free; getty.edu.

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Carol Milne at bG Gallery

Outside The Box 3 – Artworks with unusual mediums, at bG Gallery. A whimsical and unique group exhibition showcasing unconventional and unexpected approaches to materials and techniques, including glass, thread, metal, text, toys, candy, concrete, sound, light, shadow, wood, paper, paint, found objects, and more. Curated by artist Joella March and featuring work by Stephen Anderson, Michelle Kingdom, Olga Skorokhod, Carol Milne, Dan Levin, Steven Roberts, Cindy Chinn, March herself, Danny Kaplan, Alexandra Dillon, Carol Powell, Gary Raymond, YaYa Chou, Meghan Willis, Suzanne Walsh, and Tm Gratkowski. Bergamot Station Art Center, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica; Opening reception: Saturday, August 13, 6-9pm; On view through September 5; free; santamonica.bgartdealings.com.

Elizabeth Waterman: Moneygame at Art Bar LA

Sunday, August 14

Elizabeth Waterman: Moneygame: The Show at ArtBarLA. Over a period of five years, Los Angeles-based fine-art photographer Elizabeth Waterman spent her Saturday nights in clubs in five U.S. cities, photographing and building a rapport with the strippers and exotic dancers who make their livelihood there. Waterman celebrates her subjects’ humanity and commitment to mastering their art in service of larger life goals; and for the closing reception of her exhibition of prints from the book, a dance performance and Q&A about the stripper strike in NoHo, which is now in its fourth month (and to which cause a portion of exhibition sales has been donated). 12017 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista; Closing reception: Sunday, August 14, 2-4pm; free; artbarla.com.

Heidi Duckler Dance

Truth or Consequences: Second Nature at Heidi Duckler Dance. A unification of film, dance, music, and conversation that delves into the significance of Slavic cultural stories and experiences, the salon will include a full screening of HDD’s newest dance film series, “Counterintelligence: The Story of Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka,” a contemporary reimagining of the Russian folktale told in a cheeky telenovela style. The characters are brought to life through a live dance performance of the story’s epilogue, and Artistic Director Heidi Duckler will speak on an expert panel about topics relating to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Bendix Building, 1206 Maple; downtown; Sunday, August 14, 7-9pm; $15-$40; heididuckler.org.

Teen Daze

Monday, August 15

NeueHouse x Hello Mcflyy Open featuring Teen Daze at NeueHouse Hollywood. A night of mindful practice and music with artist Teen Daze and Open teacher, neuroscientist Tara Zinnamon, as they co-create a journey through the senses to immerse and ground you in the present moment to elevate your state. After the practice, connect with community over food, drinks, and a DJ set by Martina Mcflyy, the curator of this evening of nightlife with intention. 6121 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; Monday, August 15, 7pm; $35; neuehouse.com.

Tuesday, August 16

Sister Groundling: My Comedy, My Choice at The Groundlings. Sister Groundings believe a person should have the right to choose when it comes to reproductive health care and everything else too. For this special one night only “aiding and abetting” fundraising show, the fired-up women of improv comedy donate 100% of proceeds to Planned Parenthood. Stay for a post show party with drinks, food, and solidarity. 7307 Melrose Ave., WeHo; Tuesday, August 16, 8pm; $50; groundlings.com.

traci kato-kiriyama

Wednesday, August 17

ONE Archives Foundation and Queer Biennial present Hand in Hand featuring traci kato-kiriyama and Imani Tolliver (Virtual). Hand in Hand will feature readings from new works by kato-kiriyama and Tolliver, followed by an exchange between the two authors exploring themes such as intimacy, solidarity, and resonance over their creative practices, bringing together two award-winning artists, poets, and friends. Wednesday, August 17, 5pm; free; onearchives.org.

Casey Kauffmann & John de Leon Martin at Human Resources, installation view (Photo by Shana Nys Dambrot)

Ongoing

Casey Kauffmann & John de Leon Martin at Human Resources. A two person show of painting, drawing, video, and sculpture by artists who each in their way — one extremely analog and the other obsessively screen-based — pursue a maximalist fascination with pleasure and suffering. Both Martin and Kauffmann take on the dual roles of critic and fan, investigating media consumption as an interpersonal act. While Kauffmann’s digital video collages utilize images from reality television and other limitless online resources to examine culture’s relationship with the feminine, Martin’s paintings and drawings, largely inspired by his love of Dungeons and Dragons, employ fantasy tropes to create sites of queer possibility and pain. In his work for this show Martin utilizes fairies, preternatural beings which are a part of nature but mysterious to society at large, as a metonym for being gay. Kauffmann’s drawing practice functions as an inquiry into the representation of femme emotion and hysteria in both art history and popular culture. The landscapes of California, both emotional and actual, also loom large in both artists’ work; but perhaps the greatest commonality between Martin and Kauffmann is that they are both collagists, constantly mining from the media and experiences they love. 410 Cottage Home St., Chinatown: On view through August 20; free; h-r.la.