Earlier this summer, LACMA debuted a vision for the future of the Miracle Mile institution in The Presence of the Past: Peter Zumthor Reconsiders LACMA. Within the exhibition, guests can see clips from movies that are set in and around the museum. Now, in the exhibition film series Los Angeles Past, Present, and Future, we screen films that highlight the evolution of our fair city. Beginning on Friday at 7:30 pm, The Salvation Hunters is one of the first independent films from the U.S.A. and is set in the Southland. See this restored classic with a live musical accompaniment by Robert Israel and an introduction by the director Nicholas von Sternberg. Then, at 8:50 pm, director Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity stars Barbara Stanwyck in this quintessential film noir. Tickets for both films are available online or by phone, 323 857-6010.
Music aficionados and weekenders alike flock to LACMA each weekend for the varied selection of free concerts. Jazz at LACMA, on Friday at 6 pm, features the up-and-coming guitarist and vocalist Brent Canter. Latin Sounds, on Saturday at 5 pm, presents Oscar Hernández, an artist on the cutting edge of the contemporary Latin scene. Finally, Sundays Live, on Sunday at 6 pm, brings violinist Alexandru Tomescu to the Bing Theater, performing works by Bach, Paganini, and Ysaÿe.
For families, Andell Family Sundays brings the essence of the prolific Hans Richter to life at the free art-making workshop on Sunday from 12:30—3:30 pm in the North Piazza. See Richter's short film Ghosts Before Breakfast below and on view in the robust exhibition.
The end of this month also means the end of several of our most alluring installations. Closing this weekend on Sunday are: Jack Stauffacher: Typographic Experiments and his printed kinetic compositions; the iconic works from Katsushika Hokusai in Japanese Prints: Hokusai at LACMA; and rare Balinese paintings in The Temptation of Arjuna: A Tale of Spiritual Triumph. Also worth seeing before they close on July 28: the experimental film work Alia Syed: Eating Grass; Masterpieces from the National Museum of Korea with exquisite landscapes from the Joseon Dynasty; and 17th–19th century Indian court paintings and photographs in Unveiling Femininity in Indian Painting and Photography. Don’t delay!
Still from Eating Grass (2003), a film by Alia Syed. 16mm film transferred to HD Video, Sound, 22 minutes, 56 seconds, © Alia Syed. Courtesy of the artist and Talwar Gallery
Finally, a reminder that LACMA stays open late—till 11 pm—Friday nights all summer long. And, if you’re an L.A. County resident, admission is free starting at 3 pm. So, come for Jazz at LACMA, enjoy food and spirits at Ray’s and Stark Bar, then view contemporary art in BCAM and Resnick Pavilion for the perfect summer night.
Roberto Ayala