5 design things to do April 20-26

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This week: Browse an Insta-Art Gallery; learn about ways that artists are responding to isolation and quarantine; consider the implications of Covid-19 on micromobility and the sharing economy; see some alternative ideas for the LACMA site; and explore the Corning Museum of Glass.

Art from the quarantined world posted to Instagram as part of Furth & Yarshar's group show titled "Solo Show"

1)  Furth & Yashar: Solo Show

With conventional avenues of access to culture abruptly shutdown, art and performance are instantly finding new ways to thrive all over the internet. In response to this shift to the online world, interior designer Oliver Furth and brand consultant Sean Yashar have created a social media only art show, with new works posted everyday for a dose of daily inspiration.  They describe "Solo Show" as a group show informed by this time of separation, offering space for artists and patrons to come together and continue to lift up and support one another. Catch Yashar and Furth on this DnA , talking about how LA designers are getting creative during the lockdown.

When: Available now

Where: Instagram

Cost: Free

Beneath the Surface with Marissa Quinn - Jason Markow - MediumMarissa Quinn

2) Oceanside Museum of Art's Sidewalk Activism | SmallTalk : Artist Responders

The street has long been a site for unmediated commentary, debate, and advocacy. But what happens when we are isolated at home and the streets can no longer serve as a public square? That's the topic of a conversation between the curator and some of the artists represented in the current exhibition Sidewalk Activism at the Oceanside Museum of Art. The exhibition explores street art and the use of emotion, beauty, humor and manipulation of media to affect hearts and minds. Now curator and art historian Jim Daichendt will talk with Sidewalk Activism artists Bobby Ruiz, Marissa Quinn, and Robbie Conal about the role of artists during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it will change public art, the art world, and their own lives going forward. Live questions will be accepted, time permitting.

When: Tuesday, April 21, 7 - 8 pm

Where: LIVE Stream advance registration here.

Cost: Free

LA's First Bikeshare Program Has Launched in Santa Monica - The ...

3) Co-Motion Live: Is Sharing Dead? What Micromobility 2.0 Will Look Like In Post-COVID Cities

Almost as quickly as they took over the streets, shared scooters and bikes are now conspicuously absent due to Covid-19, leaving mass layoffs and financial distress in their wake, and people wondering whether heightened concerns over germ-sharing might adversely impact this nascent branch of the sharing economy. At the same time, active transportation (self-propelled like biking and walking) has emerged as an even more vital means of transit, as people around the world look to avoid crowded trains and buses, and newly traffic-free streets have communities rethinking their commutes.

Greg Lindsay, Co-Motion Director of Strategy; Janelle Wang, CEO, Acton; and Joshua Schank, Chief Innovation Officer, LA Metro, explore what this pandemic means for micromobility as cities begin planning their post-COVID futures.

When: Wednesday, April 22, 10 am

Where: You can pre-register for the Zoom webinar here.

Cost: Free

 Peter Zumthor's design for the rebuild of LACMA is a step nearer construction. Rendering courtesy lacma.org.

4) SaveLACMA Pop-Up Architecture Competition Winners

Shoulda, coulda, woulda... With the start of demolition of four buildings at LACMA -- the Ahmanson and Hammer buildings and the Leo S. Bing Theater by William Pereira, and the Art of the Americas building by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer -- the Peter Zumthor-designed replacement building is a step nearer to being realized. But that has not stopped a rearguard action from two opposition groups, SaveLACMA and the Citizens Brigade to Save LACMA. The latter has even launched a pop-up competition, seeking alternative designs for the site. Irrespective of where you stand on the project, which has passionate admirers as well as detractors, it is always interesting to see how different designers approach the same problem. 26 designers have entered ideas, which will be available for public view online later this week. The jury includes former LACMA curator Patrice Marandel, who has been very critical of the changes taking place at the museum; and Lauren Bon, daughter of philanthropist Wallis Annenberg, who endowed Michael Govan’s director chair. 

When: Friday, April 25

Where: See the winning designs here.

Cost: Free

5) Corning Museum of Glass - Virtually

If you thought that the Corning Museum of Glass in upstate NY was a glorified trophy case for their mid-century cookware, you will find you were pleasantly wrong. On a campus of modern glass buildings and having nothing to do with the company's eponymous product line, the museum opened in 1951 as a non-profit institution to preserve and expand the world's understanding of glass. With galleries showcasing contemporary art and design in glass as well as the history of glass over 3,500 years, innovation and conservation centers, and glass-making demonstrations and classes, the museum is home to the world’s most comprehensive and celebrated collection of glass. Now in the wake of the temporary Covid-19 closures, they offer 10 ways to explore the museum online. 

When: Available Now

Where: Find 10 ways to explore the museum digitally here.

Cost: Free