Featured Events in Los Angeles in February, 2024 (May Updated)

As a child, artist Karla Diaz would often get in trouble for drawing on walls. “Wait ‘til your mother gets home!” her aunt would exclaim. Diaz still loves to draw and paint. Karla Diaz: Wait 'til Your Mother Gets Home features recent works on paper and canvas that focus on American Mexican identity from the 1970s to the present, emphasizing a cultural context of social upheaval and justice through the artist’s explorations of recollection and imagination. Diaz’s vivid, narrative paintings and works on paper depict portraits and landscapes of people and places that inform her memories growing up in Los Angeles and México.

Experience a captivating and mind-blowing creative session with the extraordinary Sheena Mathieson. Immerse yourself in an exhilarating and interactive artistic journey led by the renowned artist herself! This one-of-a-kind event will take place at the esteemed Quadrant Gallery + Art Advisory in the charming city of Hawthorn. Unleash your imagination and explore the depths of mystery and creativity in-person at this extraordinary gathering. Discover innovative techniques, ignite your artistic flair, and craft something truly exceptional. Don't miss this golden opportunity to learn from the expertise of Sheena Mathieson and connect with fellow art enthusiasts. Secure your spot now and embark on an unforgettable artistic experience! This event is proudly presented in conjunction with the feel-good ART PRIZE. Reserve your place today for an enchanting encounter. Remember, this is a fun mystery CREATIVE session with SHEENA MATHIESON, so be prepared for an awe-inspiring adventure on 22nd February 2024. Tickets are priced at $65.

Join the RUN On event, a 3-mile fun run/walk taking place on February 22nd at 6:30PM. Hosted at the RUNNERS HIGH - LBX location in Long Beach, this event is the perfect opportunity to experience the benefits of On Cloud running shoes. During the event, there will be raffle giveaways, providing a chance for participants to win exciting prizes. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to try out and demo the latest models of On running shoes for free. Don't miss this unique event, where you can connect with fellow running enthusiasts and discover the comfort and innovation of On Cloud running shoes. Admission to the event is free, so lace up your shoes and join us for an extraordinary evening of running and fun.

Every object has its function, and with it a set of implicit instructions about how it should perform. In this way, our objects—in their suggestion of prescribed use, narrative, and meaning—organize our surroundings and compel us to perform accordingly, as Baudrillard theorized in his 1968 book The System of Objects. But what if objects could be peeled away from their function? Utility Fatigue poses this question by disrupting the narrative of everyday found objects and rearranging their given grammar to invite new forms of language and behavior. Franke´s sculptural practice is an extension of her performance work and her experiments in virtual space, in which she questions why we do the things we do the way we do and wonders what it would look like if we don’t. In these scenarios, she stages altered or invented routines to exhibit the close relationship between futility and freedom, agency and chance. Working in between virtual and real space, she is interested in capturing the physical body within its limitations in contrast to the always-intact and transformable objects created with software. Here, a chair is cast in silicone becoming heavy and tender. With the familiar rendered unfamiliar, the viewer is confronted with the emotional, narratological qualities of the object. Interested in the threshold between chair and chair-ness, Franke simultaneously explores the functionality that it once held—with its meaning embedded into its materiality and shape—and the possibilities that it could hold, with its meaning estranged from its materiality and leftover fragments of its original shape. In doing so she shifts the object´s value from one that is tied to its function to one that is indifferent to those demands. Unfastened from their utility, the objects are unsteady and unwieldy. At once appealing and abject, they stagger in space, unable to stand up independently. As if to provide some framework, however makeshift, Franke constructs armatures for these forms to drape over, lean against, or hang from. The tension between the object and its environment speaks to a precarious limit of recognition, allowing a liberating futility that undermines the semiotic order objects insist on. Utility Fatigue is full of these starts and stops—gestures towards trying even if failing, becoming something only to turn back into nothing—in acknowledgment of the moments of mundanity, ubiquitous and invisible, that ultimately comprise meaning. Every object is a solution to a problem. Their existence is justified by a human need, even if the need is to be without a solution.

Curated by California photographer John Divola, "Hollywood: John Divola and Robert Cumming" showcases the work of two artists who reference or use studio continuity photography as art material. In an extension of his Continuity (1995-) series, Divola presents four new arrangements of found stills, organized and grouped thematically. In a selection from his 1977 Studio Still Lifes, Robert Cumming’s photos of the backlot of Universal Studios capture film production materials and locales as surreal scenes and sculptural tableaux.

Coming of age in New York during the Black Arts Movement that championed the celebration of African history and culture, Marilyn Nance was 21 years old when she was chosen to be the official photographer for the United States at FESTAC’77. More than 17,000 artists, writers, musicians, scholars and activists from 55 countries across Africa and its diasporic communities traveled to Lagos, Nigeria in January 1977 to share in bringing to life a collective dream for the future of Black and African people. Drawing inspiration from the Olympics and similar cultural biennials, the landmark festival included live performances, literary events, colloquiums, concerts, and exhibitions that highlighted the diverse cultural contributions by Black and African people around the world, and explored the potential of a Pan-Africanist future in which all African nations were united in peace and solidarity. As one of very few women photographers who documented the month-long event, Nance created more than 1,500 photographs that now serve as an invaluable firsthand account of FESTAC’77. With nearly 500 Americans invited to participate, her collection of images features women artists Viola Burley, Carole Byard, Ajuba Douglas, Charlotte Ka, Samella Lewis, Valerie Maynard, Winnie Owens- Hart and Faith Ringgold, among many others. Betye Saar was invited to participate in FESTAC’77 as a visual artist representing the United States, and traveling to Lagos became her first of many trips to the African continent. The once-in-a-lifetime event left a lasting impression on Saar that continues to resonate through her work to this day. Additional figures from the mid-20th century—including musicians Stevie Wonder, Sun Ra, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, writer Audre Lorde, singer Miriam Makeba, civil rights leader Queen Mother Moore, and US Ambassador Andrew Young—also appear in Nance’s photographs. The festival’s foundation was built on the belief that being in community with each other as members of the Black and African diaspora had the power to create infinite possibilities and futures, and this exhibition focuses on the camaraderie between women artists whose legacies are forever connected as a result. This shared belief characterizes Nance’s active practice as a visual artist, photographer, and cultural historian, and takes shape in the form of her recently published photographic archive of FESTAC’77, (2022). About the Artist Marilyn Nance (b. 1953, New York, NY; based in Brooklyn, NY) is a visual artist and digital pioneer renowned for having produced exceptional photographs of unique moments in the cultural history of the United States and the African diaspora. For more than half a century, Nance has developed and maintained an invaluable archive of images depicting late-20th century African American life with a specialized focus on African American spiritual culture. Nance’s work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Brooklyn Museum, The Library of Congress, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Nance holds a BFA in Communications Graphic Design from Pratt Institute, an MFA in Photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MPS in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to her work as a cultural historian, Nance maintains an active studio practice that includes photography, digital media and fiber arts.

Though vast and diverse in their creative queries, the artists share a fusion of vernacular and industrial techniques with installation, painting, photographic and sculptural practices and are active in incorporating inherited skills, trades and practices that include, hand sign painting, car customization, truck detailing, adobe construction and small-scale ceramics. Introducing these modes of making within their practices allows them to pay homage to and build on the legacies of generations of artists that have been generative in and expanding the bounds of cultural production. In the last year, the artists have met regularly to discuss and plan how to shape an exhibition that could reflect not only their individual practices, but make visible connecting threads by harnessing moments of convergence that elucidate a history of collaboration, support and camaraderie amongst the group. In addition to the exhibition, the artists have sought out peers that include designers, filmmakers, writers and photographers that will contribute to the expansion of the show beyond the gallery walls. The exhibition will be accompanied by a book with an introductory essay by Dr. Rose Salseda featuring interviews and photos with the artists. The artists participating in the exhibition are: Diana Yesenia AlvaradoMichael AlvarezMario AyalaKarla Ekaterine Cansecorafa esparzaAlfonso Gonzalez Jr.Ozzie JuarezMaria MaeaJaime MuñozGuadalupe RosalesGabriela RuizShizu Saldamando

In the main space, a new body of work invites visitors to attune with bodies and forces on air. Encountered through a re-coding of color and temperature, Saraceno’s cloud and foam sculptures propose complex geometric systems of fractal color through which light illuminates in myriad constellations. From the nacreous glow of spider/webs, to the energetic heat evidenced by a star’s celestial color, the artist has long sought to make visible the spectral hues and synesthetic vectors that shape the cosmic web. A series of infrared photography suggests an era beyond the use of aerodynamics; here, temperature measurements rendered in colors reveal the thermodynamic vitality in the bodies of “lighter than air” aerosolar flight. In suspended sculpture, the allure of iridescence—the phenomena of luminous color produced by a particular intersection of light and viewing angle—becomes an allegory for a rapidly warming planet. The front gallery features sculptures in tones that reference the Earth’s flora and fauna, reflecting seasonal difference and interspecies vernacularity. Developed in consultation with ornithologists and wildlife organizations, some of these sculptures can be placed outdoors providing functional habitats for a range of animals, as meditations on biodiversity and interspecies cohabitation. Their modular structures are inspired by cumulonimbus clouds and form part of Saraceno’s long-standing project Cloud Cities—a proposal for an alternative form of urbanism and assembly that might emerge when large cities are not only built from a human perspective. Ownership of these works requires an agreement of co-ownership and shared stewardship of the environment. The exhibition will also feature Fly with Pacha, Into the Aerocene, a film that portrays the long-standing relationship between the artist, the Aerocene community he founded, and the Communities of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc in Jujuy, Northern Argentina. The film documents the communities’ struggles to protect their land against industrial lithium mining, driven by the demand for batteries in the name of a so-called ‘green transition’. In reality, these efforts are depleting water resources in the region and contaminating the Earth. The film follows the 32 world record-breaking flight of an aerosolar balloon over the Salinas Grandes. Lifted only by the heat of the sun and carried along the rivers of the wind, Pacha was recognized as the most sustainable flight in human history by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), carrying the message “Water and Life are Worth More than Lithium” written by the communities. Visitors to the gallery’s reading room are invited to participate in a collective, inter-generational artwork for the benefit of the Communities of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc. Renewing the practice of reading messages drawn in the sky through the phenomenon of pareidolia—the impulse that leads us to recognize significant patterns in ‘random’ information—visitors can draw upon cloudscapes and in turn become part of a community for the free circulation of water, information and life. A new signed Aerocene edition is also made available for purchase, the entire proceeds of which will support the communities’ ongoing legal and stewardship efforts. A final gallery will contain works that delve more deeply into Saraceno’s collaborative work with spiders. Beginning almost two decades ago, this project has led to the formation of Arachnophilia: an interdisciplinary, distributed and intercultural community that syncretizes artistic, scientific and situated knowledges through a shared affinity to spider/webs. This darkened gallery includes works woven in authorship by and with spiders that live alongside the artist at his studio in Berlin, Germany. By showcasing the meshwork of spider webs the artist hopes to encourage those who experience a fear of spiders (arachnophobia) to move toward a love and wonder of them (arachnophilia). More importantly, this ongoing exploration functions as both model and metaphor, celebrating extra-human technologies of sensing, and settlement, offering a more sensitive, collaborative way of life on Earth.

Roberts Projects is pleased to present Betye Saar: New Work. Occupying the intersections of historic narrative and ancestral memory, factitive ritual and metaphysical truth, this exhibition is testament to Saar’s enduring legacy as a pioneer of Assemblage art and an American cultural icon. Referencing the tradition of accumulative sculpture that characterizes artistic conventions, Saar’s mixed-media assemblages emerge from a unique succession of gestures that meaningfully build upon each other. This process of accumulation takes aesthetic objects with profound epistemic weight—such as vintage wooden boxes, found objects and photographs—and thoroughly transforms them into mythical entities compounded by historical time. As a key figure in the Black Arts Movement of the mid-20th century, Betye Saar’s prolific and interdisciplinary practice draws from personal narratives and cultural histories of the Black and African diaspora to make sacred connections between the quotidian and the sublime. Her symbolically rich body of work has evolved over time to demonstrate the environmental, cultural, political, racial, technological, economic, and historical context in which it exists. Saar’s early observance of Simon Rodia’s building methodology in constructing the Watts Towers in Los Angeles introduced her to ideas of how found materials can simultaneously embody both the spiritual and physical. This objective—paired with her personal interest in metaphysics, magic and the occult—formed the origin of Saar’s assemblage works. Subsequent series after her iconic work The Liberation of Aunt Jemima (1972) have sought to reveal marginalized or hidden histories, and Saar has long examined the social invisibility of Black Americans in service-oriented jobs, the construction of racial hierarchies based on skin tone within Black communities, and the ways that objects can retain the memories and histories of their owners. About the Artist Betye Saar received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1949, with graduate studies at California State University at Long Beach, the University of Southern California and California State University at Northridge. Saar holds 6 honorary doctorates from California Institute of the Arts; Otis College of Art & Design; California College of Arts and Crafts; San Francisco Art Institute;, Massachusetts College of Art; Cornish College of the Arts; and over 37 honors including two National Endowment for the Arts (1974, 1984); Studio Museum in Harlem (1989); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2019); Academy of Arts and Letters (2021). She has received 5 Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Congressional Black Caucus (2008); California African American Museum (2011); Edward McDowell Medal (2014); Museum of the African Diaspora (2017); and International Sculpture Center (2019). Saar’s work is in over 80 museum collections including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Whitney Museum; Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; National Gallery of Art; Studio Museum in Harlem; Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 2018, the Museum of Modern Art acquired 42 important early works, making their holdings the largest public collection of Saar’s artwork. Since 1961, Saar has been represented in over 900 exhibitions. Current exhibitions include: Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA (November 11, 2023 – November 25, 2025); Paraventi: Folding Screens from the 17th to 21st Centuries, Fondazione Prada, Milan, Italy (October 25, 2023 – February 26, 2024); Entangled Pasts: 1768 – Now, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (February 3 - April 28, 2024); Mapping an Art World: Los Angeles in the 1970s-80s, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA (June 18, 2023 – Mar 17, 2024); Cooking Cleaning Caring: Care Work in the Arts since 1960, Josef Albers Museum Quadrat, Bottrop, Germany (October 22, 2023 – March 03, 2024); Artist’s Choice: Grace Wales Bonner – Spirit Movers, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY (November 18, 2023 – April 7, 2024); Groove: Artists and Intaglio Prints, 1500 to Now, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA (December 16, 2023 – June 16, 2024); Betye Saar: Atlas | The Alpha and the Omega, Fondazione Prada, Milan, Italy (2021-present). Recent exhibitions include: Betye Saar: Heart of a Wanderer, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA (February 16 – May 23, 2023); Betye Saar: Serious Moonlight, Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL (October 21, 2021 – March 6, 2022), FRAC Lorraine Museum, Metz, France (September 9, 2022 – January 22, 2023), Kunstmuseum, Luzerne, Switzerland (February 25 – June 18, 2023). The Betye Saar Catalogue Raisonné Project was established in 2016 to preserve Saar’s artistic practice and educate future generations about her significant contributions to American art history. For additional information, please visit betyesaarcatalogueraisonne.org For additional information regarding Betye Saar, please contact Mary Skarbek, Senior Director at 1.323.549.0223 and mary@robertsprojectsla.com

Experience a night of laughter at the Lancaster Comedy Club Early Show, featuring the comedic talents of Jonny Pelham, Harry Stachini, and Rob Rouse. This highly anticipated event will take place on February 24, 2024, at The Borough in the charming city of Lancaster. The venue, located at Dalton Square, offers a cozy and intimate setting, perfect for a night of side-splitting comedy. Situated in the heart of Lancaster, The Borough is easily accessible and provides a vibrant atmosphere for an evening of entertainment. Join fellow comedy enthusiasts for a memorable night, as these talented comedians take the stage and showcase their unique styles and hilarious observations. With their witty and engaging performances, Jonny Pelham, Harry Stachini, and Rob Rouse are sure to leave the audience in stitches. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enjoy an early show filled with laughter, as the Lancaster Comedy Club brings together some of the finest comedy talent in the industry. Get your tickets now and prepare for an unforgettable night of comedy.

Get ready for a night of laughter with the talented comedians Jonny Pelham, Harry Stachini, and Rob Rouse at the Lancaster Comedy Club Late Show. This must-see event will take place on February 24, 2024, at The Borough in Lancaster. Located in Dalton Square, The Borough provides the perfect setting for an evening of hilarious entertainment. The Lancaster Comedy Club Late Show promises to be a memorable experience, showcasing the wit and comedic brilliance of these three incredible performers. Whether you're a comedy aficionado or simply looking for a night of laughter, this show is not to be missed. Join us on February 24, 2024, for a night of side-splitting comedy at The Borough in Lancaster. With Jonny Pelham, Harry Stachini, and Rob Rouse taking the stage, you're guaranteed an evening of non-stop laughter. Secure your tickets now and get ready to enjoy an unforgettable night at the Lancaster Comedy Club Late Show.

Join the Mindful Hike with Breathwork workshop at the stunning Calabasas Peak Trailhead in Calabasas. This morning of tranquility and rejuvenation in nature is the perfect adventure to recharge your body and mind. Immerse yourself in serene hikes, deep breaths, and positive energy. This mini-retreat allows you to find your balance, reconnect with the great outdoors, and leave feeling completely refreshed. Appreciate the beauty of scenic trails as you let go of stress and live in the present moment. Experience the bliss of breathwork with simple techniques that bring calmness and joy, suitable for all levels of experience. Take some time to sit back, relax, and soak up nature's vibes during a peaceful nature meditation. This event, sponsored by Swiftwick socks, supports sustainable practices and all their products are proudly made in the USA. Please note that tickets for this event are now sold out. Discover the power of nature and enrich your well-being at the Mindful Hike with Breathwork workshop. Book your spot for future events and get hiking suggestions by following @hikingwithsun on Instagram.

Korean Treasures presents 35 artworks recently donated to LACMA by Drs. Chester and Cameron C. Chang (M.D.), selected from the largest gift of Korean art in the museum’s history. Chester Chang (Chang Jung Ki) was born in Seoul in 1939 and first moved to the United States as a child with his family in 1949, when his father, Chang Chi Whan, was appointed General Secretary to the first Consul General of Korea in Los Angeles. The bulk of the Chang family collection has been intact for over a century. This introductory exhibition presents traditional Korean paintings, calligraphic folding screens, mid-20th century oil paintings from both North and South Korea, and ceramics of the Goryeo (918–1392) and Joseon (1392–1897) dynasties.

Welcome to the Teen Beats & Brushes Mixer, a sensational arts event held in the vibrant city of Pasadena. Hosted at the renowned Artsy Partsy, LLC, this mixer promises a night filled with creativity, music, and unforgettable memories. Located at the heart of Pasadena, Artsy Partsy, LLC offers a stunning venue where young artists can unleash their imagination and connect with like-minded individuals. The address for this artistic oasis is Artsy Partsy, LLC, Pasadena, MD, USA, Pasadena, MD 21122. Mark your calendars for February 25, 2024, as this is the date when the Teen Beats & Brushes Mixer will come alive. Don't miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this exclusive event, where tickets are priced at just $45. Immerse yourself in the world of art, surrounded by talented individuals who share your passion. Prepare to be inspired, as this mixer guarantees an experience that will leave you breathless. Let the rhythm of the beats and the strokes of the brushes ignite your creativity and unleash your artistic potential. Join this extraordinary event and become a part of the Teen Beats & Brushes Mixer phenomenon.

Morat - Si Ayer Fuera Hoy, a spectacular concert, will captivate audiences at the renowned YouTube Theater on 2024-02-25. This unforgettable event will take place at the address 1011 S. Stadium Dr, Inglewood, CA, 90301, where the show will commence. An evening filled with enchanting melodies and heartfelt lyrics awaits those fortunate enough to attend. Morat, the talented musical group, will grace the stage and transport listeners into a world of pure musical bliss. Prepare to be moved as they perform their mesmerizing compositions, including their most iconic songs. The tickets for Morat - Si Ayer Fuera Hoy will be available for purchase from 2023-10-13 17:00 until 2024-02-26 05:00. This is an opportunity to witness a performance that will leave an indelible mark upon your soul. Immerse yourself in the magic of Morat - Si Ayer Fuera Hoy, a concert that promises to be an experience like no other. Secure your seat for an evening that will resonate with your heart long after the final note fades away. Don't miss out on this extraordinary event that music enthusiasts will cherish for years to come.

Step into the world of grandeur and elegance at the Glow Gala Grand Waltz Redux. Immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere as you dance to the timeless melodies of classical music, surrounded by radiant lights and opulent decor. This extraordinary event will take place on February 25, 2024, at the prestigious venue located at 34 Donna Street in Long Beach, CA 90805. The Glow Gala Grand Waltz Redux promises to be a truly unforgettable evening, blending the grace of ballroom dance with a touch of modern elegance. As you waltz across the dance floor, you will be transported to a world of sophistication and refinement. The ambiance, created by the stunning lighting and lavish decorations, will provide the perfect backdrop for an evening of joy and celebration. Don't miss your chance to be a part of this remarkable event. Secure your place at the Glow Gala Grand Waltz Redux today. Tickets are available for the price of US$32.50. Join fellow dance enthusiasts and experience the beauty and artistry of the waltz in all its glory. Mark your calendar and prepare for an extraordinary evening of elegance and grandeur. The Glow Gala Grand Waltz Redux in Long Beach awaits you. Reserve your tickets now and get ready to indulge in the beauty of this timeless dance form.

This February ‘DRIVE’ will open with The Parking Space, featuring a Chevrolet Caprice and Impala, a Ferrari 328 GTS and a Ligier microcar, parked in the gallery alongside a video in which Rhoades fervidly discourses on his concept of the Car Projects. While driving around Los Angeles in 1998, Rhoades explains the relationship of cars to his art (parking is equated with sitting in a sculpture) and to daily practice (driving between the house, the studio and stores is time and space for the mind to race and wander). He expounds on cars as icons of art history (Marcel Duchamp and Francis Picabia speeded modern art forward with their mechanized abstractions), identifiers of class (you are what you drive) and environments of control. The radio is tuned to Power 106 FM and as the world streams by to the propulsive hip-hop beat, the romance of cars seems irresistible. In April, the installation will be reconfigured to accommodate a lounge and become The Pit. An influx of archival materials will be key to unpacking the various episodes of Rhoades’ Car Projects, starting with the Caprice and the 1996 exhibition ‘Traffic.’ Not only did the artist cut a deal with CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux, France the organizers of the show, to go in on buying him the car as a transactional work of art, he later leveraged its symbolic value by trading the Caprice for a Ferrari. This summer the exhibition’s focus will swerve onto The Racetrack. A set of half-scale NASCAR-style cars, custom jackets and colorfully painted tire barriers are among what remains of ‘The Snowball.’ Staged in California as a daylong racing event at Willow Springs speedway, ‘The Snowball’ was ultimately destined for the 2000 Venice Biennale and Rhoades’ collaborative work for the Danish Pavilion. In September, The Garage will cover the final stretch of ‘DRIVE’ with a selection of framed works on paper and a major sculptural installation. Throughout the year, the line-up for ‘DRIVE’ will feature a range of public programs. A film series centered on cars and the city of Los Angeles will be curated by film historian and critic Elvis Mitchell. A theatrical staging of the playwright Charles Mee’s ‘Under Construction,’ which was inspired by Rhoades’ art in its collage depiction of America today, will be presented as part of Hauser & Wirth’s Performance Project. Organized as an investigation in real time, ‘DRIVE’ invites people to approach the exhibition like a garage of art and ideas, in which cars are coming and going and tinkering is a productive state of mind. As an artist, Rhoades was keenly attuned to sources of cultural power and weakness. When he put the internal combustion engine on art’s pedestal, was he presciently placing the car where it belongs for a greener tomorrow? The car as a subject in Rhoades’ art continues to drive and trouble the imagination today.

This February ‘DRIVE’ will open with The Parking Space, featuring a Chevrolet Caprice and Impala, a Ferrari 328 GTS and a Ligier microcar, parked in the gallery alongside a video in which Rhoades fervidly discourses on his concept of the Car Projects. While driving around Los Angeles in 1998, Rhoades explains the relationship of cars to his art (parking is equated with sitting in a sculpture) and to daily practice (driving between the house, the studio and stores is time and space for the mind to race and wander). He expounds on cars as icons of art history (Marcel Duchamp and Francis Picabia speeded modern art forward with their mechanized abstractions), identifiers of class (you are what you drive) and environments of control. The radio is tuned to Power 106 FM and as the world streams by to the propulsive hip-hop beat, the romance of cars seems irresistible. In April, the installation will be reconfigured to accommodate a lounge and become The Pit. An influx of archival materials will be key to unpacking the various episodes of Rhoades’ Car Projects, starting with the Caprice and the 1996 exhibition ‘Traffic.’ Not only did the artist cut a deal with CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux, France the organizers of the show, to go in on buying him the car as a transactional work of art, he later leveraged its symbolic value by trading the Caprice for a Ferrari. This summer the exhibition’s focus will swerve onto The Racetrack. A set of half-scale NASCAR-style cars, custom jackets and colorfully painted tire barriers are among what remains of ‘The Snowball.’ Staged in California as a daylong racing event at Willow Springs speedway, ‘The Snowball’ was ultimately destined for the 2000 Venice Biennale and Rhoades’ collaborative work for the Danish Pavilion. In September, The Garage will cover the final stretch of ‘DRIVE’ with a selection of framed works on paper and a major sculptural installation. Throughout the year, the line-up for ‘DRIVE’ will feature a range of public programs. A film series centered on cars and the city of Los Angeles will be curated by film historian and critic Elvis Mitchell. A theatrical staging of the playwright Charles Mee’s ‘Under Construction,’ which was inspired by Rhoades’ art in its collage depiction of America today, will be presented as part of Hauser & Wirth’s Performance Project. Organized as an investigation in real time, ‘DRIVE’ invites people to approach the exhibition like a garage of art and ideas, in which cars are coming and going and tinkering is a productive state of mind. As an artist, Rhoades was keenly attuned to sources of cultural power and weakness. When he put the internal combustion engine on art’s pedestal, was he presciently placing the car where it belongs for a greener tomorrow? The car as a subject in Rhoades’ art continues to drive and trouble the imagination today.

Central to Goodman’s artistic process is the act of drawing directly from life, a practice she has maintained every day for decades. This unwavering commitment to drawing underpins a deeply intuitive mode of artmaking that combines her outward physical observations with sensations pulled from her inner imagination and memories of specific places or experiences. Often working across multiple canvases at once, Goodman sees her painting practice as a means of inhabiting the moment. As such it holds a uniquely restorative potential where the imagination can process and renew itself. The substantial physical presence of her paintings, with their thick impasto, materialize the psychological depths and complexities encountered in the process of their making. Goodman finds inspiration in the work of such 20th-century filmmakers as Tarkovsky, Bergman, Wenders and Erice, as well as Renaissance master painters like Titian and Veronese, often incorporating their creations as subjects in her observational drawings. For decades, Goodman has maintained a regular practice of drawing from films, pausing a film for six minutes and completing drawings using ink, pastels and watercolor. The resulting sketches inform the imagery and mark-making of her paintings, including her new abstract canvases on view in the exhibition at Hauser & Wirth. ‘Night beekeeper II’ (2023), takes its inspiration from the 1973 film ‘The Spirit of the Beehive,’ directed by Victor Erice. A recurring motif in Goodman’s work, the beekeeper represents mutually nurturing relationships marked by attentiveness and care. ‘Night Beekeeper II’ is among the latest paintings produced on a dark ground, a technique only recently introduced into Goodman’s work as a means to better explore the nocturnal realm. A maelstrom of vivid red, blue, orange and green, ‘Night Beekeeper II’ expresses and distills Goodman’s observations while navigating nature on dark winter evenings, contemplating both the beauty of nature and the perils facing our ecosystem. Consistently translating such experiential insights, Goodman manifests in her paintings the delicate balance between outward expression and intense introspection. About the Artist Born in London in 1961, Catherine Goodman CBE lives and works in London. Goodman studied at Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts, London, and the Royal Academy Schools, London, where she won the Royal Academy Gold Medal in 1987. Goodman’s lifelong commitment to social justice through education forms a critical aspect of her artistic identity and approach to making. In 2000, Goodman established The Royal Drawing School with HM King Charles III to deliver subsidized and free education to thousands of young and disadvantaged people in the UK. Today, she continues in her role as Founding Artistic Director and Academic Board Member. For many years, Goodman organized drawing classes for individuals dealing with homelessness and disabilities, and she continues to offer refuge classes to young people with mental health issues on a weekly basis. She is also the primary caregiver of her sister, Sophie, who was born with multiple health conditions and has always been a subject of Goodman’s practice. In 2014, Goodman was awarded Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) for services to The Royal Drawing School, and Commander of the Order of British Empire (CBE) in 2024 for her services to art in the UK. Goodman has served as the Artist Trustee at The National Gallery, London since 2019. Her paintings are held in significant private and public collections including the National Portrait Gallery, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, The Rothschild Foundation, and the Royal Collection Trust.

In the early 1990s a generation of artists in the United States were using exhibitions to draw attention to real-world crises: by the time Bill Clinton was inaugurated in January 1993, AIDS was officially the #1 cause of death for men aged 25 – 44 in the country; the Los Angeles uprising had been declared the most destructive period of local unrest in US history; and the Culture Wars were in full force, after the Robert Mapplethorpe ‘obscenity’ hearing marked the nation’s first criminal trial over content in an exhibition. Terms such as multiculturalism, identity politics and marginalization signified spaces of contestation, while in art, the market had collapsed following a global recession, causing an unprecedented number of galleries to shutter. It was in this context that artist Charles Gaines developed the exhibition ‘The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism’ for the University Art Gallery at the University of California, Irvine, in close collaboration with the gallery’s director, Catherine Lord. Presenting works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Renée Green, David Hammons, Ben Patterson, Adrian Piper, Sandra Rowe, Gary Simmons, Lorna Simpson, Carrie Mae Weems, Pat Ward Williams and Fred Wilson—all little known artists at that time—‘The Theater of Refusal’ intended to ‘reveal the strategies of marginalization and to propose an alternative,’ as Gaines described his approach then. Integral to the show was a reading room, for which Gaines accumulated articles and reviews about the participating artists that he highlighted to reveal limitations in the discourse of marginality and its instrumentalization by mainstream criticism. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ‘The Theater of Refusal’—in a social and political context that bears many similarities—this exhibition in downtown LA looks back at that seminal project and continues the theoretical investigation to understand its resonances today. Co-curator Homi K. Bhabha has called this process ‘retroaction.’ He suggests, ‘A conventional retrospective looks back from the summit of the present to synthesize the past by giving it a culminating shape. In contrast, ‘RETROaction’ brings forth the legacies of ‘The Theater of Refusal’ in the early 1990s to interact with the lessons and lesions of art today. It takes a view of the present in all its decolonizing tumult—racial violence, pandemics, climate catastrophe, migration and displacement—pinpointing a critical moment of transition in the ‘90s from which to move forward.’ ‘RETROaction’ presents works from the early 1990s by Charles Gaines, Lorna Simpson and Gary Simmons, who all participated in the original ‘The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism,’ as well as a new iteration of the exhibition, this time subtitled ‘Black Art and Reconstitution,’ presenting the work of ten artists who all embrace abstraction and materiality in their practice, selected by art historian, Ellen Tani, together with Gaines. ‘We speak less now of marginalization and refusal than of the world systems—historic and ongoing—that undergird those processes: capitalism, colonialism, racism. We consider Bhabha’s description of the way we can think of past work and its relation to the present moment through an investigation of strategies of marginalization from the ‘90s and how it has transitioned into a critical space—30 years later—now dominated by the issues of decoloniality, which in turn gives representation to those suppressed ideas of the ‘90s,’ says Gaines. ‘We chose to undertake an investigation of abstract art produced by Black artists to show that the controversies around representation—a significant context for the marginalization of their practices—continues today. Like the original project, ‘Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Reconstitution’ rethinks structures of artistic knowledge and the critical discourse that surrounds it.’ About RETROaction and the New York presentation: RETROaction is a project initiated at Hauser & Wirth with the prominent Harvard academic, Homi K. Bhabha, to explore the ‘nowness’ of art and critical concepts from the recent past in dialogue with artists who work with the gallery: it posits that our current time is one for retroaction more than retrospection. The first iteration of the project created a smaller presentation of the ‘The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Reconstitution’ and also explored the Whitney Biennial in 1993—a show that has subsequently been recognized as establishing many terms that underpin our current cultural debates. Artists included: Ida Applebroog, Charles Gaines, Mike Kelley, Zoe Leonard, Glenn Ligon, Cindy Sherman, Gary Simmons and Lorna Simpson with Kevin Beasley, Torkwase Dyson, Leslie Hewitt and Rashid Johnson. About the curators Homi K. Bhabha is the Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities in the English Department and Comparative Literature Department at Harvard University. He is the author of numerous works exploring postcolonial theory, cultural change and power, contemporary art and cosmopolitanism. His works include ‘The Location of Culture,’ which was reprinted as a Routledge Classic, and the edited volume ‘Nation and Narration.’ Bhabha has also written articles on contemporary art for Artforum and essays on the work of William Kentridge, Anish Kapoor, Taryn Simon and Matthew Barney, amongst others. With the support of the Volkswagen and Mellon Foundations, Bhabha has led a research project on the Global Humanities. He is a Corresponding Fellow at The British Academy, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Critic-in-Residence at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He holds honorary degrees from Université Paris 8, University College London, Freie Universität Berlin and Stellenbosch University. Charles Gaines is a pivotal figure in the field of conceptual art. His body of work engages formulas and systems that interrogate relationships between the objective and the subjective realms. The concept of identity politics has played a central role within Gaines’ oeuvre, and the radical approach he employs addresses issues of race in ways that transcend the limits of representation. Using a generative approach to create series of works in a variety of mediums, he has built a bridge between the early conceptual artists of the 1960s and 1970s and subsequent generations of artists pushing the limits of conceptualism today. Gaines is also exhibiting as an artist in ‘RETROaction.’ Ellen Tani is an art historian and curator based in Rochester NY, where she is Assistant Professor of Art History at Rochester Institute of Technology. She has held postdoctoral fellowships at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and her museum career includes curatorial roles at the ICA Boston, Whitney Museum and Bowdoin College Museum of Art. As a specialist in contemporary art’s intersection with critical race studies, with a particular focus on conceptual- and performance-oriented practices, Dr. Tani uses methods from the arts and humanities to explore questions of power, gender, race and ethnicity from the 20th Century to the global present. Her writing has been published in Art Journal, Panorama, American Quarterly, Art in America and other outlets. Kate Fowle is curatorial senior director at Hauser & Wirth. Prior to joining the gallery in 2023, she was director of MoMA PS1; chief curator at Garage Museum in Moscow; and executive director of Independent Curators International (ICI) in New York. She was also the first international curator of UCCA in Beijing and co-founder of the first Masters Program in Curatorial Practice on the West Coast. Fowle started her museum career in the UK, where she initially trained as an artist. She has curated more than 50 exhibitions internationally and initiated numerous institutional programs to support artistic research and collective practices. Publication In summer 2024, a new edition of the 1993 publication ‘The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism’ will be released by Dancing Foxes Press with Künstlerhaus Stuttgart and LAXART, marking the 30th anniversary of Charles Gaines’ and Catherine Lord’s exhibition and publication ‘The Theater of Refusal.’ Coedited by Rhea Anastas, Charles Gaines, Jamillah James and Eric Golo Stone, this publication reprints in facsimile the eponymous 1993 publication that documented the show, which contained essays by Maurice Berger, Gaines and Lord, as well as the transcript of a roundtable that included a range of artists and writers. Reproducing images of the exhibition for the first time in color, the new edition augments the original publication with an essay by poet and scholar Fred Moten; recent conversations between Lord and Gaines and between Moten and Gaines; a roundtable discussion that echoes the first, moderated and edited by Thomas (T.) Jean Lax and Jamillah James; and an afterword by Rhea Anastas. Supporters include Hauser & Wirth, Galerie Max Hetzler, the Rennie Collection and a Teiger Foundation Director’s Award.

Presenting the experience of space as a dynamic, often volatile construct grounded in the relationships between various compositional parts, the exhibition is focused on formally engaging diverse constructivist approaches to space as well as teasing out the many ways they affect our social, economic and political lives in contemporary society. How have the structures we’ve built over time contributed to or taken away from the quality of life? What role do these structures play in granting or restricting access and movement between them? What new futures can be imagined from the distortion and reconstruction of existing space? Patrick Akpojotor Patrick Akpojotor (b. 1982) is Lagos-based multidisciplinary artist working across painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. His work is influenced by his fascination with built space and architecture and its ability to shape one’s identity. His practice explores differences in human attitude as they relate to the culture of the built environment they inhabit. Merging together visual references of built environment, geography, human forms and imagined structures, he interrogates our sense of balance and perception, challenging us to see differently. Paul Onditi Paul Onditi (b. 1980) is a Nairobi-based artist, whose practice challenges our understanding of cultural topography as well as the physical world in which we exist. Addressing themes of pollution, climate change, fragmented and unequal societies, and the degradation of our natural planet, Onditi composes intricate and complex masterpieces portraying societal chaos and decay on his preferred canvas of digital polyester inkjet plates. Soo Kim Soo Kim (b. 1969) is an LA-based artist who works with paper-based digital prints made from digital photographs to construct complex renderings of familiar places in our daily experience of the world. She is currently a professor and Program Director of Photography, and heads the Critic-in-Residence program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Kim’s work is in the public collections of The J. Paul Getty Museum, The Broad Foundation, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Experience the exclusive COLLECTOR'S FIRST LOOK TICKET at the SPRING/BREAK Art Show in Culver City on February 27, 2024, from 2pm to 5pm. This ticket grants you access to the private collectors preview, allowing you to be among the first to view the stunning contemporary art by established and emerging artists. Immerse yourself in over 50 curatorial projects, curated by 70 curators, featuring the works of 200+ talented artists. Please note that for security reasons, only small purses are allowed on the premises. We kindly request that you refrain from bringing backpacks, large tote bags, luggage, or other artwork, as entry will be denied if any of these items are present. To ensure a smooth entry process, we require guests to arrive at the event at their selected time slot, as indicated on their ticket. Late arrivals may be accommodated, but we cannot guarantee entry or provide refunds in such cases. As an advocate for the arts, SPRING/BREAK Art Show offers free exhibition space to independent curators during international arts weeks. By purchasing a COLLECTOR'S FIRST LOOK TICKET, you are supporting this initiative and helping us continue to provide a platform for curatorial visions. Discover the captivating theme of INTERIOR/EXTERIOR at the 2024 SPRING/BREAK Art Show. Stay up to date with our website for announcements on special projects, programming, and events. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to explore the artistic world. Last entry is 15 minutes before closing time, and guests are welcome to stay up to 3 hours after their entry time. Please bring your ID and ticket for verification at the event. There are no age restrictions, but children under 16 must be accompanied by a guardian. We have valet service and private secure parking available on-site, and rideshares can drop off at 5880 Adams Blvd., Culver City. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our website. We prioritize the health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors, and staff. Our Health & Safety Plan follows the recommendations provided by the CDC and the State of California. Please be aware that regulations and protocols may change, and we will update ticket holders accordingly. We kindly ask that if you are sick or recently exposed to illness, you refrain from attending the event. Stay safe and join us at the SPRING/BREAK Art Show Los Angeles this February.

The RUN-OF-SHOW TICKET for the event scheduled from February 27 to March 3, 2024, at SPRING/BREAK Art Show Los Angeles in Culver City grants access to various exclusive previews and show days. The schedule includes a Collectors First Look + Press Preview on February 27th from 2pm to 5pm, a VIP Opening Night from 5pm to 8pm, and Public Show Days from February 28th to March 3rd. Please note that large bags, backpacks, luggage, artwork, and large tote bags are not allowed on the premises. Timed entry tickets are required, and arrival at the specified time is essential for entry. The event, featuring over 50 curatorial projects and 200+ artists, aims to showcase contemporary art by established and emerging artists. The theme for the 2024 edition is INTERIOR/EXTERIOR, with special projects, programming, and events to be announced. The location is ADA compliant, and there are health and safety protocols in place to ensure a secure environment for all attendees. Tickets are non-refundable and support the provision of free exhibition space to independent curators.

Complementing her paintings on view in West Hollywood, Hauser & Wirth’s Downtown Los Angeles art center will feature a special presentation of Steir’s limited-edition prints, produced in collaboration with Crown Point Press, highlighting the artist’s longstanding explorations with printmaking and its importance within her practice.

PUBLIC SHOW DAYS | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 3, 2024 Experience the vibrant world of contemporary art at the SPRING/BREAK Art Show in Culver City. From February 28 to March 3, 2024, visitors can immerse themselves in a curated exhibition featuring over 200 artists and 70 curators. Held during Armory Arts Week and Frieze Arts Week Los Angeles, this event is a must-visit for art enthusiasts. During the Public Show Days, guests can explore the exhibition from Wednesday to Friday, between 2pm and 8pm. On Saturday, the show opens at 12pm and closes at 8pm, while on Sunday, it runs from 12pm to 6pm. Please note that the last entry is 15 minutes before closing time. To ensure a smooth entry, guests are required to arrive at their selected time slot. Late arrivals may be accommodated, but refunds cannot be provided if access is not granted. It's important to remember that bags larger than a small purse are not permitted, so please leave backpacks, luggage, and large tote bags at home. SPRING/BREAK Art Show is dedicated to supporting independent curators and artists by providing free exhibition space. By purchasing a ticket, you're helping to sustain this initiative and contribute to the thriving art community. Don't miss out on this extraordinary art experience! Get your ticket now and discover the INTERIOR/EXTERIOR theme of the 2024 SPRING/BREAK Art Show Los Angeles. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our website.