Turn vacant lots into green spaces, catch an outdoor screening of Zootopia, admire Modernist flatware, see blueprints of TV sitcom homes, and hear artist Doug Aitken discuss his work.
1) Knife / Fork / Spoon at Heath Ceramics
Dung Ngo is a designer, author, editor, and publisher with a passion for Modernist flatware. Meet Dung and check out his exhibit of flatware design from the 1920s to the present, including designs by Eliel Saarinen, Gio Ponti, and Achille Castiglioni.
When: Thursday, September 8, 6 pm
Where: Heath Ceramics Los Angeles, 7525 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
More information: Click here.
2) Family Tree, a show of new works by Mark Bennett
Tennessee-based artist Mark Bennett makes fantasy “blueprints” of famous television houses from such classic sitcoms as I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch as well as classic movies like Psycho. In his first exhibition atMark Moore Gallery since 2005, he shows new floor plans as well as new “family tree” drawings, which map Hollywood romances, both real and imagined. Also, on show in the main gallery at Mark Moore, Nomad, a display of large-scale sculptures and smaller objects by Israeli born artist Zemer Peled.
When: Saturday, September 10 – October 29; Opening Reception: Saturday, September 10, 6 – 8 pm
Where: Mark Moore Gallery, 5790 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
More information: Call 310-453-3031, or click here.
3) Zootopia: Screening at Sunset Cinema on Helms Walk
Zootopia is a must-see for its unforgettable scene of the DMV run by sloths, but the smash-hit, Disney animated movie is also catnip to anyone who loves a fantasy city, especially one inhabited by “anthropomorphic animals seeking civilized coexistence.” Zootopia will be screened this Saturday night at Helms Bakery District in Culver City, the second of four weeks of outdoor screenings of some classic action/adventure/sci-fi films. The Helms folks recommend you get there early to shop and grab a bite in the Helms district. Chairs will be provided, as well as free valet parking at Helms Avenue and Venice Boulevard.
When: Saturday, September 10, at 7:15 pm
Where: Helms Bakery District, 8758 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034
More information: Click here for more information.
4) From Lot to Spot annual party
Los Angeles is filled with dusty, vacant lots that can become full of trash and add to urban blight. From Lot to Spot is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving low-income communities of color by transforming unused spaces into much-needed parks, playgrounds, community gardens and social spaces. They’re celebrating eight years of activism with an annual party and fundraiser, in honor of Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, renowned architect Michael Maltzan and greenspace powerhouse Belinda Faustinos. There’ll be food, live banda music, cocktails and a silent auction.
When: Saturday, September 10, 6 – 9 pm
Where: Mia Lehrer & Associates, 185 South Myers Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033
More information: $50-100. Buy tickets here.
5) Doug Aitken and Philippe Vergne discuss “Electric Earth” at MOCA
The LA-based artist and provocateur Doug Aitken has staged installations throughout the world, using art, cinema, and experimental music to engage audiences. A mobile series of happenings in 2103 called “Station to Station,” captured in a documentary of the same name, featured a revolving cast of artists aboard a train traveling from one coast of North America to the other, while performing along the way.
Aitken’s first North American survey, “Doug Aitken: Electric Earth” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, is “punctuated by the signs, sculptures, photographic images, and altered furniture—all unbound from vernacular language and culture—that Aitken has conceived over the years.” Among the exhibited artifacts are collages and drawings, work with architecture, artist’s books, and graphic design. Aitken will discuss the nature of creativity and his immersive style of art with MOCA Director Philippe Vergne.
When: Sunday, September 11, at 3 pm
Where: The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 North Central Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012
More information: Tickets are FREE with museum admission; priority seating for MOCA members. Call 213-621-1741 or email visitorservices@moca.org
UPCOMING
Design For The Ages: Up Close With Frances Anderton and Roman Alonso
Let’s get older in style! On Thursday, September 15th, Roman Alonso, founding partner of Commune Design, creators of ACE hotels in Palm Springs and DTLA, will sit down with Frances Anderton, host of KCRW’s Design and Architecture, to talk about how our environmental needs evolve as we age. Tickets are free but you should RSVP, here.