Celebrate the Persian New Year with two different events at LACMA this weekend. First, on Saturday, LACMA and the Farhang Foundation are partnering to present the 2013 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival, featuring works from emerging international talents. A private reception with the winners of the contest and other filmmakers will follow. You can visit farhangfilmfest.org to view all the nominees’ films and lacma.org for ticket information.
Continuing the spring equinox festivities, Sunday is the Nowruz Celebration at LACMA. For five consecutive years the Farhang Foundation has hosted one of the biggest Iranian New Year’s celebrations in town and this year it has only gotten bigger. There’s a full day of exciting activities throughout the campus, including a world-premiere music-dance-video performance created by Shahin Yousefzamani, a free live performance by Rana Mansour and Erwin Khachikian, free story reading and calligraphy for children, and a traditional Nowruz display known as “Haft Sîn.” Visit the event page for more details and ticket information. Nowruz at LACMA runs from 11:30 am–7 pm. While you’re here celebrating Nowruz, be sure to visit our galleries for Islamic Art in the Ahmanson Building and objects from the ancient near east in the Hammer Building.
Plate with a Portrait Medallion of a KingIran, 224-651, anonymous gift
Also in the Hammer Building is the just-opened Ming Masterpieces from the Shanghai Museum, which features a beautiful representation of 15th and early 16th century Ming dynasty court painting. Earlier this week the L.A. Times characterized it as “a rare opportunity for American audiences.”
Li Zai, The Daoist Adept Qin Gao Riding a Carp, Ming dynasty, 15th century, Shanghai Museum
Elsewhere in our galleries, you’ll find Stanley Kubrick, Ends and Exits: Contemporary Art from the Collections of LACMA and The Broad Art Foundation, and Robert Mapplethorpe: XYZ—the latter comes to an end on March 24, next Sunday!
Robert Mapplethorpe, Irises, N.Y.C. (Y Portfolio), 1977, the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, jointly acquired by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, partial gift of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation; partial purchase with funds provided by the David Geffen Foundation and the J. Paul Getty Trust, 2011, © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Closing out the weekend, Sundays Live presents violinist Phillip Levy, cellist Andrew Shulman, and pianist Rina Dokshitsky at 6 pm with their rendition of Debussy: Violin Sonata and Ravel: Piano Trio. Sundays Live is always free and open to the public. We hope to see you here!
Roberto Ayala