ArtRx LA
This week, we have a handy map for your LA art adventures, Orange County trots out the avant-garde, Made in LA is closing, ACME celebrates 20 years, Doug Aitken has a new show, and lots more.
This week, we have a handy map for your LA art adventures, Orange County trots out the avant-garde, Made in LA is closing, ACME celebrates 20 years, Doug Aitken has a new show, and lots more.
Avant-Garde Art in Orange County
When: Opening Sunday, September 7
Where: Orange County Museum of Art (850 San Clemente Drive Newport Beach, California)
Often overlooked because of its location, the Orange County Museum of Art has something you should definitely check out. The museum is going to showcase its collection of “avant-garde” art starting from the 1960s and continuing to the pluralism of the 21st century, including works by the Kienholzes, Wheeler, Celmins, Ruscha, Baldessari, June Paik, Burden<, and others. It’s worth noting that opening day will feature gallery talks by many of the artists on display (Jennifer Steinkamp, Billy Al Bengston, Sherin Guirguis, and Bruce Yonemoto).
20 Years of ACME
When: Opening Saturday, September 6
Where: ACME gallery (6150 Wilshire Boulevard, Miracle Mile, Los Angeles)
A beloved LA gallery, ACME is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a big ol’ show featuring work by Amy Adler, Jonathan Apgar, Kristin Baker, Miles Coolidge, Daniel Cummings, Tomory Dodge, Tony Feher, Carlee Fernandez, Natalie Frank, Iva Gueorguieva, Kevin Hanley, Roger Herman, Bill Jensen, Kurt Kauper, Martin Kersels, Matthias Merkel Hess, Aaron Morse, Michael Norton, Yuval Pudik, Dario Robleto, Brion Nuda Rosch, Lisa Sanditz, Katie Sinnott, Jennifer Steinkamp, Neal Tait, and Amir Zaki. Come and see what all the fuss is about.
Melanie Willhide’s Not Painting
When: Opening Saturday, September 6, 6–8pm
Where: Von Lintel Gallery (2685 South La Cienega Boulevard, Culver City, California)
For her first show with Von Lintel, Melanie Willhide focused on the man who burglarized her house and inexplicably erased her hard drive. Now, she’s focused on henbane, which is a flowering plant “known for its ability to induce dramatic hallucinations and has potentially lethal consequences if consumed in large amounts.” These digital creations combine indifferent women with fake flowers. Are they trapped in amber or in a state of becoming?
Doug Aitken’s Still Life
When: Opening Saturday, September 6, 6–8pm
Where: Regen Projects (6750 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles)
This show of new sculptural works by Aitken present “an immersive environment where place and time dissolves, where the individual exists adrift in an electrically charged space.” Featuring a glowing pay phone, a sonic fountain, and an aerial view of the LA freeway system. Knowing Aitken’s work, expect a floating sense of timelessness and some pop culture weirdness in the mix.
Petrochemical America
When: Opening Saturday, September 6, 5–7pm
Where: Pomona College Museum of Art (330 N. College Avenue, at the corner of College and Bonita, Claremont, California)
Curated by Rebecca McGrew, this exhibition is a collaboration between photographer Richard Misrach and landscape architect Kate Orff. Focusing on “Cancer Alley,” which stretches across the Mississippi River Corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the artists combine photographs, maps, drawings, and narratives. Any exhibit that explores the intersection of the petrochemical industry and American culture is sure to be loaded, emotionally complex, and troubling.
Made in LA Closes
When: Closes Sunday, September 7
Where: Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Westwood, Los Angeles)
This is your last chance to see this big show of art from across Los Angeles. Our critic, Abe Ahn, had a lot to say about it, including:
“The biennial presents concepts of radical egalitarianism and experimentation that extend beyond the museum. These ideas make up the foundations through which artists and the public can develop alternatives to the market and extend beyond simple transactional relationships between artists and consumers. That these experiments are presented within a major university museum housed within the corporate headquarters of a petroleum company only makes their impact more powerful.”
See it before it’s too late.
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With contributions by Zach Alan
