Aquarium of the Pacific Opens New Wing: Long Beach www.aquariumofpacific.org With its new expansion which opens May 24, 2019, the Aquarium continues its quest to create the aquarium of the future…a combination of aquarium, science center, art gallery, performing arts space and think tank to explore solutions to some of the world’s biggest environmental issues. The aquarium will house a state of the art immersive theater, exhibition space, an art gallery and several new live animal exhibits. As the new focal point, Pacific Visions will provide a platform to integrate the arts and sciences and will offer innovative ways to explore their impact on planet Earth and the ocean.
Art of Motion Picture Costume Design: FIDM Museum History Gallery, 919 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles (213/623-5821) www.info@fidmmuseum.org This year’s exhibition features a variety of film genres that represent outstanding achievement in costume design. Among the more than 100 costumes from 25 films from 2018 are all five Academy Award nominees for Best Costume Design on display. Fan favorites celebrate of the dedication and creativity of costume designers and their teams. Also on display Majesty and Mystery: Saving a Napoleonic Court Gown. Feb. 5-April 12.
Art of Three Faiths: A Torah, A Bible and a Qur’an: Getty Center, 1200 Getty Drive off the 405. (310/440-7300) www.getty.edu/visit Represented is the medieval art of illumination in sacred texts from three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thru Feb. 3, 2019.
Catalina Adventure Activities: www.catalinachamber.com/ A new ropes and planks course weaves through a grove of towering eucalyptus trees deep within Descanso Canyon. Other adventurous activities nearby include Zip line Eco Tour and Catalina Climbing Wall and there is always hiking, camping and an adventure expedition.
Charles White: A Retrospective: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles (323/857-6000) www.lacma.org A gifted draftsman and print-maker as well as a talented mural and easel painter, Charles White portrayed black subject almost exclusively. A social activist all his life, he championed racial pride and condemned the institutionalized racism faced by African Americans in all areas of life by using his art as a form of protest, affirmation and celebration, Feb. 17-June 9.
Cinema Tuesdays: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda B., Los Angeles (310/440-4500) www.skirball.org Free movies featured on the first two Tuesdays of each month, 1:30 p.m.
Culinary Events at the Gettys: Getty Center, 1200 Getty Drive off the 405. Getty Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades (310/440-7300) www.getty.edu/visit The J. Paul Getty Museum is offering a number of culinary events in the coming months spotlighting the lush gardens and bountiful herbs at both locations. Tea by the Sea, at the Villa, ongoing Thursdays and Saturdays. Limited tickets.
Exhibitions and Events at the Norton Simon Museum: Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Bl., Pasadena www.nortonsimon.org
Imagination Dwells Here: Southern California Children’s Museum, 459 E. Colorado Bl, Pasadena () www.SoCalKids.org The first ever interactive children’s museum exhibition from the Bob Baker Marionette Theater featuring key elements of the Bob Baker experience including puppetry and manipulation, performance and enchantment introducing Baker’s world of creativity and imagination in a special engagement. Thru May 2019.
Jazz at LACMA: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles (323/857-6000) www.lacma.org Free jazz concerts every Friday night at 6pm at the Grand Entrance.
Jeweled Isle: Art from Sri Lanka: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles (323/857-6000) www.lacma.org The first comprehensive survey of Sri Lankjan art organized by a U.S. museum. More than 250 works addressing nearly two millennia of history. Dec. 9-June 23, 2019.
Lunar New Year at Universal: Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com The spectacularly themed Lunar New Year tradition will take place at the heart of the theme park. Under a curtain of customary red Chinese lanterns and stunning pear blossom Wishing Trees, the festivities will come to life as guests discover the 12 zodiac animal signs accompanied by their symbolic attributes, and lots more!! Feb. 2-17.
Marciano Art Foundation Exhibitions: 4357 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles (424/204-7555) www.marcianoartfoundation.org Los Angeles welcomes this beautiful new museum founded by the Marciano brothers offering free admission with advance reservations only. Currently a solo exhibition of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, on view until March 3. This exhibition features the new and unseen work Life Cycle (2018) — a sculptural response to the global refugee crisis. The exhibition will also present iconic installations Sunflower Seeds (2010) and Sprouts (2015) within the Foundation’s Theater Gallery. Also on view pioneering multimedia artist Yayoi Kusama’s work has transcend some of the most important art movements of the second half of the 20th century. Her exuberant sculptural installation, With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever (2011) work between the organic and artificial. And more….
Masters of the American West Art Exhibition and Sale: Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. Widely considered the country’s premiere Western art show, Masters features painting and sculptures by 64 nationally recognized contemporary Western artists. Opening events, Feb. 9. Note special entrance charges and special events for this exhibition.
Meet and Greet Series: Skylight Studios, Annenberg Space for Photography, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City (213/403-3000) www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org Multi-media venue located directly across from the Space for Photography offers a free lecture series with attendees given the opportunity to interact one on one with the featured guest speakers. Free. No reservations necessary.
Merce Cunningham, Clouds and Screens: Los Angeles County Museum of Art www.LACMA.org (323/857-6000 ) An exploration of the famed choreographer’s dynamic artistic collaborations. Cunningham revolutionized dance through his partnerships with leading artists who created costumes, films, music and decor and whose independent creative instincts he held in the highest regard. Known for embracing risk and chance, he believed in the radical notion that movement, sound and visual art could exist independently of each other, coming together only during the “common time” of a performance. This exhibition features immersive installations by Charles Atlas and Andy Warhol, two artists associated with the choreographer’s company along with two video projections of early dances by Cunningham. Oct. 28-March 31, 2019.
Natural History Museum Events: 900 Exposition Bl., Los Angeles (213/763-DINO) www.nhm.org First Fridays — Walk on the Wild Side after hours features cocktails, KCRW DJ lounge, LA bands, tours and talks…a unique adventure. Live music and discussion series continues. www.nhm.org/firstfridays
New Exhibitions at the Wende: Wende Museum of the Cold War, 10808 Culver Bl., Culver City www.info@wendemuseum.org Crumbling Empire: The Power of Dissident Voices, Upside Down Propaganda: The Art of North Korean Defector Sun Mu, Red Alert! Air Raid Sirens of Los Angeles art installation by Nicole Weingart. Opening Feb. 10.
Portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Bl., Los Angeles (310/440-4500) www.info@skirball.org The new exhibition on the Supreme Court Justice turned culture icon is based upon the popular Tumblr and best selling book of the same name, the exhibition will offer an entertaining yet rigorous look at the life and work of the famed associate justice. Through archival photographs and documents, contemporary art, media and interactives, the exhibition will present a unique take on the American Legal system and civic rights movements through the lens of Ginsburg’s personal experiences and public service. It will examine her continuing work to protect civil rights and equal opportunity for all. Oct. 19-March 10, 2019.
On Fire: Transcendent Landscapes by Michael Scott: Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles (323/667-2000) www.theAutry.org Featuring selections from the artist’s most recent series of paintings, this exhibition looks at the sublime visuals and transformative impact of fire on the land and the imagination. Sept. 15-July 28, 2019.
Paths of Gold: Japanese Landscape and Narrative Paintings from the Collection: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara (805/963-4364) www.sbma.net This exhibition examines the aesthetics of Japanese art within both private and public interiors by showcasing nine folding screens, two scroll paintings and examples of lacquerware selected from the permanent collection and supplemented by two local loans. Nov. 10-Feb. 10, 2019.
Pontorma: Miraculous Encounters: Getty Center, 1200 Getty Drive off the 405. (310/440-7300) www.getty.edu/visit At the end of the 1520s, the painter Jacopo da Pontormo created one of his most moving and innovative altarpieces, the Visitation. This exhibition presents Pontormo’s spectacular painting alongside its preparatory drawings and two exceptional portraits painted during the same tumultuous period. Feb. 5-April 28.
Public Gardens of Santa Barbara: Tour these spectacular gardens but check websites in advance. Casa del Herrero www.casadelherrero.com; Ganna Walska Lotusland www.lotusland.org; Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden www.santabarbaraca.gov/Parks/parks_passive_main.html; Santa Barbara Botanic Garden www.sbbg.org
Public Programs and Exhibitions at The Huntington: The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., www.huntington.org An assortment of fascinating topics and displays with talks and book signings, garden tips, music, film, lectures, exhibitions and tours.
Rauschenberg: The 1/4 Mile: Los Angeles County Museum of Art www.LACMA.org (323/857-6000 ) An expansive and immersive installation featuring Robert Rauschenberg’s magnum opus The 1/4 Mile or 2 Furlong Piece (1981-98). Completed over a period of 17 years, the piece is composed of 190 panels that, combined, measure approximately 1,000 feet in length. The 1/4 mile span is representative of the artist’s central belief in working in the gap between art and life. Oct. 28-June 9, 2019.
Science Takes Center Stage: San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, San Diego in Balalboa Park (877/946-7797) www.sdnat.org A new slate of programming focuses on conservation and biodiversity featuring State of Biodiversity Symposium, Feb. 6; Border BioBlitz, March 2-3, City Nature Challenge, April 26-29 in which San Diego residents and visitors are asked to document as many species as possible using iNaturalist.
Skirball Events: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Bl., Los Angeles (310/440-4500) www.info@skirball.org Jacob do Bandolim 101, a century of Brazilian Song with Tio Chorinho, Feb. 15.
Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983: The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles www.thebroad.org/programs The internationally acclaimed exhibition celebrates the world of Black artists made over two decades beginning at the height of the civil rights movement. Los Angeles based artists appear throughout the exhibition, foregrounding the significant role of Los Angeles in the art and history of the civil rights movement and the subsequent activist era, and the critical influence and sustained originality of the city’s artists. Ticketed show. March 23-Sept. 1.
Sounds of L.A.: Getty Center, 1200 Getty Drive off the 405. (310/440-7300) www.getty.edu/visit The Getty’s annual concert series exploring the city’s varied musical landscape kicks off the 2019 season on January 19. Each month features two concerts by charismatic musicians who combine global influences in unexpected and original ways. The lineup includes performances by Los Pleneros de la 21, LADAMA and Adiyta Prakash Ensemble.
Speaking Truth to Power: From Thomas to Kavanaugh: Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Bl,., Los Angeles (310/443-7000) www.hammer.ucla.edu Anita Hill spoke truth to power, recounting before a Senate committee the sexual harrassment she endured while working for US Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. A screening of Anita is followed by a conversation with UCLA Law professor Kimberie Crenshaw and writer Rebecca Traister, Feb. 5.
UCLA Public Arts Program: UCLA Westwood campus (310/825-2101) www.arts.ucla.edu/calendars and www.tickets.ucla.edu Programs include distinguished lectures by luminaries such as Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne and Phillipe Vergne, student exhibitions showing work from UCLA’s top ranked fine arts programs, student performances directed by renowned faculty and the rich offerings of the Fowler Museum, the Hammer Museum and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. Many of the events are free and all are open to the public.
Underworld: Imagining the Afterlife: J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Center, 1200 Getty Drive off the 405. (310/440-7300) www.getty.edu/visit What did ancient Greeks believe would happen to them after they died? Organized around a monumental funerary vessel, this exhibition explores depictions of the Underworld in the art of Greece and Southern Italy. Beyond tales of famous wrongdoers and rulers of the dead, the works on view highlight the desire for a blessed existence after death. Oct. 31-March 18, 2019. Wine, Ancient Afterlife and Palmyra includes several talks related to exhibitions currently on view. The Future of Palmyura in the Digital Age, Feb. 2; Bacchus Uncorked: Love, Loss and Libations, Feb. 9, & 16; Imagining the Underworld: Life after Death in Ancient Greek Religion, Feb. 10; Beyond Death: Visualizing the Afterlife in the Ancient and Early Modern World, Feb. 17.
Ventura Music Festival: Ventura College of Performing Arts Center, 4700 Loma Vista Road, Ventura (805/648-3146) www.venturamusicfestival.org Leading off the year long festival on February 9, Anderson & Roe, an exciting piano duo, performs at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center. This summer the festival fills venues across the city with top tier music for two weekends of multi-genre music, dance performances and world class culture. Nuvi Mehta leads the Ventura Music Festival July 12-22.
Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers Assignment: Forest Lawn Museum, www.museum@forestlawn.com A tribute to the spirit and ambition of 11 forward-thinking and distinguished female photographers underscoring the momentous work they have done to bring narratives from all over the world to the pages of National Geographic. Features nearly 100 photographs and video vignettes. Thru April 7.
Your Ticket to Santa Barbara Car Free Experiences: www.SantaBarbaraCarFree.org The City’s award winning project with more than 100 community partners dedicated to making car free vacations care-free.