Local DJs in the Inner Peristyle at the Getty Villa (image courtesy the Getty Villa)
If, like me, you find the experience of looking at art online a little dissatisfying, you might find podcasts, readings, and playlists to be a little more your rhythm. Below is a roundup of some of the things you can listen to, all hosted by spaces throughout Los Angeles.
(image via LACE)
The Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACE) Podcast
Around since 1978, this alternative art space has a long history of hosting young, emerging artists and weighing in on current political conversations. LACE recently launched a series of podcasts collecting recordings and conversations from various events and exhibitions at the Hollywood nonprofit. The first podcast shares oral histories gathered by artist Carolina Caycedo from women who “are fighting, not only against a natural extractivism but also against a patriarchal structure.” Caycedo also features in the second episode on “Transfeminist Discourses,” together with Sayak Valencia, Daniela Lieja Quintanar, Arshia Fatima Haq, and Mónica Rodríguez. They discuss, among other things, “the movement of radical joy” and “the importance of reclaiming pleasure.” Finally, the third episode, “A Dialogue of Nomads,” is a fascinating talk by artist Beatriz Cortez, pegged to the exhibition Paroxysm of Sublime. Cortez asks: “How does the nomad look at the world?”
DJ Playlists, Inspired by the Getty Villa, and the Getty Podcast
The premise is kind of cheesy, but you gotta love it: Back in 2018, the Getty Villa invited various Los Angeles–based DJs to the museum grounds to make a playlist inspired by what they saw. The playlists are available to listen to online, along with brief descriptions from each of the DJs (one playlist is all love songs, devoted to a life-sized statue of Venus). And for those who want to get more serious with their listening, the Getty also just launched a two-part podcast series interviewing museum directors from across the country, reflecting on topics “from the logistical challenges of how to reopen to philosophical exchanges about the role of museums in society.” Speakers include Timothy Potts of the Getty, Ann Philbin of the Hammer Museum, Max Hollein of the Metropolitan Museum, and others.
(screenshot via co_conspiratorpress)
Instagram Readings on Co-Conspirator Press
Co-Conspirator Press, a publisher committed to promoting voices from historically marginalized communities, has been posting live readings of their books on Instagram. So far, you can hear Sarah Lyon read from her book Maintenance Required: Basic Auto Care Workbook and Resource Guide; Meenadchi read from their just recently released Decolonizing Non-violent Communication; and Gabrielle Civil shares excerpts from Experiments in Joy.
Reflect on “Cold War Spaces” With the Wende Museum
(image via the Wende Museum)
The Wende Museum has been hosting a series of conversations and interviews “reflecting on Cold War spaces.” The series asks timely questions like, “How does space impact the way we live and experience our environment?” And, “what did private space really mean under socialism?” The final two events take place Wednesday, May 13 (12pm PST) and Wednesday, May 20 (12pm PST). The first will focus on “secret space,” and will feature Dagmar Hovestädt, a journalist and Spokesperson for the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records in Berlin. In the last event, you’ll hear from Xenia Vytuleva-Herz, an architecture historian and curator, on “Soviet secret cities in transition.”
Jazz at LACMA: Meet the Musicians
Jazz at LACMA has been held at the museum for the past 28 years, with around 100 concerts a year spotlighting classical, jazz, Latin, and new music from around the world. The 29th edition was supposed to be held in June but was canceled. While it’s certainly no substitute, the museum launched a series of podcasts interviewing some of the musicians who were supposed to play this year, and featuring their music.
