Something about warm mornings, washed-out afternoons, and orange-tinted evenings makes summertime a focus point for nostalgia. Make this weekend a memorable one with LACMA. In our galleries see The Presence of the Past: Peter Zumthor Reconsiders LACMA for a look back at what once was and a glimpse of what may be at the intersection of Wilshire and Fairfax. In the adjacent gallery space, Hans Richter: Encounters enters its final weeks. Within this dynamic exhibition visitors can examine the career of the prolific innovator and collaborator as represented in over 150 of Richter’s and his contemporaries’ works. Also a must-see, Henri Matisse: La Gerbe showcases one of the most stunning artworks from the legendary artist and looks at how the piece, La Gerbe, came to be.
Installation view, The Presence of the Past: Peter Zumthor Reconsiders LACMA
For free live music this weekend, look no further than LACMA. Friday night’s Jazz at LACMA features the Bobby Bradford Mo’Tet at 6 pm. Bradford’s chops recently gained him the Festival of New Trumpet Music’s Award of Recognition. On Saturday, Latin Sounds brings out the heavy-hitting Chuchito Valdés Afro-Cuban Ensemble at 5 pm in Hancock Park. Stemming from a long line of musicians, Valdés is making his mark by re-envisioning cha-cha and mambo standards. Lastly, on Sunday at Sundays Live, see the Encore Saxophone Quartet at 6 pm in the Bing Theater. They perform works by Bach, Elgar, and Strayhorn. All concerts are free and open to the public.
In the city of San Bernardino, the San Bernardino Art + Film Lab rolls into its third week at Perris Hill Park. Throughout the weekend, everyone is invited to participate in Oral History sessions, a project where your personal story is recorded and archived in the LACMA collection for generations to come. Also take part in a Soundscapes Workshop and learn about the invisible layer of film. On the portable big screen you’ll find the Marx Brothers’ classic Duck Soup on Friday at 8:30 pm, and Los Colores de la Montaña on Saturday at 8:30 pm. Two very different films, the former is a parody on governments and leaders of our time, the latter depicts a precarious and conflicted land through the eyes of a child who just lost his new soccer ball. Everything is FREE at the San Bernardino Art + Film Lab!
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Don’t forget that LACMA stays open late (`til 11 pm) on Friday night for Late Summer Hours. L.A. County residents receive free general admission starting at 3 pm! Then, on Sunday, bring your family to LACMA for Andell Family Sundays as children have the chance to design personal memory boards and royal objects, inspired by Shaping Power: Luba Masterworks from the Royal Museum for Central Africa. Lastly, check out two unique shows before they say their goodbyes: Between Art and Politics: Hans Richter’s Germany and Construction/Deconstruction: Defining Architectural Photography. This weekend is for the books.
Roberto Ayala