Free admission to SoCal Museums: Pacific Standard Time closes

The six-month long celebration of Los Angeles' time and place in art history known as "Pacific Standard Time" draws to a close today with over a dozen museums offering free admission. Pacific Standard Time was an unprecedented effort of over 60 museums from across Southern California to recognize Los Angeles' contributions to, and influence on the world of art.

A Weekend in the Arts-LA Style

LA Art Show Premiere Party

The LA Art Show Premiere Party was a welcome addition to LA Arts Month. Held in the DTLA Convention Center, the year's annual creative-centric event featured prominent artists from over 100 galleries located in Los Angeles and worldwide. Actor, David Arquette played host to the 6,000+ guests in attendance. Featured, were 3 art shows in one: contemporary art, fine art and fine prints. Everything in one place, at one time? Juuuuust my cup of tea.

A retrospective of Los Angeles arts and artists (Pacific Standard Time: Art In L.A. 1945-1980)

One of the largest collaborative art projects in Southern California officially kicked off last weekend. Pacific Standard Time: Art In Los Angeles 1945-1980 is a long overdue project that celebrates Los Angeles' contribution to and impact on the arts and popular culture. Over 60 museums and cultural venues are joining forces across Southern California (from Berkeley to San Diego) to share with the world the significant works, artforms and artists that this era in L.A. has produced.

Glowing in the Aftermath

So I have officially spent the past two nights or so googling all about the Slow Loris and the Pacific Trash Vortex. Thanks Google for fueling the fire in my neurotic ways. My newfound obsession with the Slow Loris is due to my own curiosity (they're SO fascinating... but endangered, sadly), but the interest in the Trash Vortex, a collection of trash about the size of Texas swirling about in the Pacific, was sparked by Saturday's Glow 2008 at the Santa Monica Beach and Pier.

It was the most crowded I've ever seen that area (it felt like half of LA was there at the same time), and that was an exhilarating, though borderline claustrophobic, sight to see... Initially, we just walked around enjoying the lively vibe and glowing colors. It wasn't until we came across a random floating object pulsating in the darkness of the waters, followed by unanimously asking "what the heck is that??", that we finally took the time to really read about the installations in the context that they were meant to be experienced.

I can't speak for the rest of the Glow crowd, but I'm happy to say that I now have additional memories to tuck away in my whimsical brain... from listening intently into an isolated telephone on the beach, as a poet sitting in a boat off in the distant sea guided me through a world of stars and dreams, to collectively screaming with the crowd around me as we gazed up at the large-scale outdoor waterscreen projection emitting colorful patterns in reaction to our collaborative voices, to thoughtfully discussing the floating object's commentary on the Pacific Trash Vortex days later.

In embracing and reflecting on its surroundings and the interaction of the festival-goers, these installations subtly hit upon deeply fundamental ideas: we are just as much a contributor to and participant in the environment around us, and how the environment evolves is correlated with how we choose to interact with our surroundings. While we are the stewards of this Earth, we're also highly indebted. Somehow, I feel the need to listen to Coldplay's "Yellow" as I think back on these memories, remembering myself walking along the coast while being inspired by the radiating lights...

Our experience with Primal Source by Usman Haque

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Marketing Assistant

Glowing from Dusk to Dawn

Paris Nuit Blanche (White Night) is an annual celebration of the city of light's art and culture, where multiple galleries, museums, and other venues stay open all night for free. Visitors roam around the city checking out special light installations, performances, and the like.

Santa Monica is bringing its own adaptation to the beach and pier for the first time this weekend... Glow 2008 will take place this Saturday from 7pm to 7am, coinciding with the Grunion Run at 10:30pm.

Glow will fill the hours between dusk to dawn with compelling, enchanting and effervescent sights and sounds situated in spaces and times that expand possibilities for where, how and when the public experiences contemporary art.

With the historic Santa Monica Pier and adjacent world-famous Santa Monica Beach as their space, artists were commissioned to create unique and inviting works of art that welcome the public to be both audience and actor for twelve celebratory hours. Inspired by the wildly successful Nuit Blanche in Paris, Glow takes its spirit from the fabled grunion that live in local waters and come ashore several times a year to spawn in the sand creating a momentary sensation of iridescence.

Check it out if you can!

-ExperienceLA Staff

Incognito

Santa Monica is definitely a favorite neighborhood of mine. It's got a great casual hangout vibe, whether that means strolling down 3rd street to live music with crepes in hand, checking out the hip hop scene at Zanzibar on Saturday nights, or having meaningful midnight conversations with friends at the pier. And oh, the burgers and sweet potato fries at Father's Office. To die for.

It's almost incognito in a way... Enough variety to choose from, and admittedly a tourist attraction of its own, but far enough away from the glitz of fancier, iconic neighborhoods LA is too often stereotyped for. Los Feliz is my other favorite neighborhood that definitely carries the incognito vibe through and through.

A gem cozily situated in the heart of Santa Monica is definitely the Bergamot Station, a historic train station transformed into a dynamic and lively arts complex. The Santa Monica Museum of Art is part of this complex and tomorrow night (May 3rd), they're hosting their fourth annual INCOGNITO, a unique exhibition and art sale of works created by hundreds of acclaimed artists from LA and across the globe. Even Raymond Pettibon! Need I say more??

Check out SMMoA when you get a chance. I love the location, the vibe of the museum, and the art that they choose to exhibit. From my experience, it avoids the pitfalls of overly commercialized exhibits that favor trendy topics or artists. In other words, it's my kind of museum.

May 3rd: Incognito
May 6th: Pioneering Visions/Important Exhibitions

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Marketing Assistant