The newest, coolest L.A. and O.C. museum shows to see in March
For the record:
10:50 a.m. March 3, 2022Bubblefest at Discovery Cube Orange County begins March 30, not March 20 as originally stated.
Van Gogh at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the humble ramen bowl celebrated at Japan House Los Angeles and the reopening of one of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms at the Broad lead our March list of exhibitions across Southern California.
Check back here for weekly updates. And before you go, call or check online for reservation requirements and other COVID-19 protocols. Here are the shows that have our attention:
New and upcoming
‘L.A. Memo: Chicana/o Art from 1972-1989’
Works by influential L.A.-based artists including Carlos Almaraz, Patssi Valdez, Teddy Sandoval and Judy Baca are on view March 18 through Aug. 14. Also on view: “Patriotism in Conflict: Fighting for Country and Comunidad,” the Chicano Moratorium of August 1970 is revisited in this exhibition featuring archival photographs, videos, printed materials and ephemera (through June 19). LA Plaza de Cultural y Artes, 501 N. Main St., downtown L.A. Thursday-Sundays. Free; reservations recommended. (213) 542-6200. lapca.org
‘Archival Intimacies: Queering South/East Asian Diasporas’
The intersection of LGBTQ life and the immigrant experience in Southern California’s South Asian communities is explored in this multi-site project on view through May 29. ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, 909 W. Adams Blvd., L.A. Closed Sundays-Mondays. Free. one.usc.edu. Also at USC Pacific Asia Museum, Annex Gallery, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. $7, $10; free for ages 17 and younger, and every second Sunday of the month; advance tickets recommended. (626) 787-2680. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu
‘Cars of Film and Television’
Vehicles from “Ghostbusters,” “Batman,” “Back to the Future,” etc. are now on display in the Omaze Hollywood Gallery. Also on view: “Pole Position: The Juan Gonzalez Formula 1 Collection,” examples of F1 race cars from across three decades (through June 5); “Bond in Motion,” featuring cars, motorcycles, boats and other vehicles used in James Bond films through the decades (through Oct. 30). Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Special exhibition fee: $40-$65 (includes admission to the rest of the museum); regular admission: $11-$16; children younger than 4 are free; advance purchase required. (323) 930-2277. petersen.org
‘Fieldnotes: Lynn Hanson” and ‘A Narrative: John Robertson’
Paintings, drawings, etc. by the husband-and-wife artists from Ventura are on view through July 10. Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 and 123 N. 10th St., Santa Paula. Closed Mondays-Tuesdays. $3, $4; students: free. , and free for students and museum members. santapaulaartmuseum.org
‘Connected Spaces: Cheryl Ann Thomas + Michael F. Rohde’
Ceramic sculptures by California artist Thomas and woven tapestries by her longtime friend Rohde are on display through Aug. 21. Also on view: “Ashwini Bhat: Imprinted, Assembling California,” sculptures, photographs and a video work by the San Francisco artist (through May 1). American Museum of Ceramic Art, 399 N. Garey Ave., Pomona. Open Fridays-Sundays. $7-$21; 12 and younger, free; pay what you can, the first Friday of each month; advance timed-entry tickets required. (909) 865-3146. amoca.org
‘Ann Phong: Re-Evaluating Normal’
The California artist’s large-scale paintings exploring the pandemic, social strife and environmental degradation are on display through May 21. Begovich Gallery, Cal State Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd. Open Tuesdays-Thursdays; Fridays by appointment. Free. fullerton.edu
‘Parisian Ecologies: The City Transformed in Nineteenth-Century Prints and Drawings’
Vintage images of Paris, on view March 24 through June 25. Benton Museum of Art, Pomona College, 120 W. Bonita Ave., Claremont; open Tuesdays-Saturdays. Free; reservations required. pomona.edu
‘Infinity Mirrored Room — The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away’
This popular immersive environment created by artist Yayoi Kusama has now reopened (separate reservation required). Also on view: “Since Unveiling: Selected Acquisitions of a Decade,” works by John Baldessari, Julie Mehretu and others added to the Broad collection over the last 10 years (through April 3). The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Open Wednesday-Sunday. Free; advance timed-entry tickets required; no on-site standby line. (213) 232-6200. thebroad.org
‘Deborah Roberts: I’m’
The artist interrogates concepts of Black beauty, race and identity in mixed-media works on paper and canvas on view March 19 through Aug. 20. Also: “Mario Moore | Enshrined: Presence + Preservation,” portraits celebrating frontline and essential workers, members of marginalized groups and others (March 23 through Oct. 2); “LaToya Ruby Frazier: The Last Cruze,” photographs, video and an architectural installation documenting the 2019 shuttering of an auto plant in Ohio and its effect on the local working-class community (through March 20). California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, L.A. Closed Mondays. Free. (213) 744-7432. caamuseum.org
‘Norman Rockwell in the 1940s: A View From the American Homefront’
U.S. military members, factory workers and others during World War II are saluted in classic works by the American painter, on view through Oct. 2. Catalina Museum for Art & History, 217 Metropole Ave., Avalon. Open Tuesdays-Sundays. $15, $17; kids 15 and younger are free with a paying adult; advance purchase recommended. catalinamuseum.org
Maybe it’s the record-breaking summer temperatures, exacerbated by global warming, but some art museum folks in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts seem to be suffering from heatstroke.
Bubblefest 2022
This family-friendly special event includes science demonstrations, a laser show, interactive exhibits, paddle boats and an inflatable obstacle course, all running March 30 through April 17. Discovery Cube Orange County, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Open daily. Special event pricing, $23.95-$32.90; regular museum admission: $14.95-$19.95. discoverycube.org
‘Painted Prophecy: The Hebrew Bible Through Christian Eyes’
Illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages that examine faith groups’ understanding of the Hebrew scriptures are on display through May 29. Also on view: “Imogen Cunningham: A Retrospective,” portraits, nudes, plant studies and street scenes captured by the 20th century photographer (through June 12); “In Dialogue,” contemporary photographs and pre-1900 European paintings and decorative arts drawn from the museum’s collection (March 15 through June 26); “Powder and Light: Late 19th-Century Pastels” (March 15 through Aug. 14). Getty Center, Sepulveda Boulevard and Getty Center Drive, L.A. Closed Mondays. Free; advance timed-entry tickets required. (310) 440-7300. getty.edu
‘The Art of the Ramen Bowl’
Beautifully decorated porcelain bowls are on display March 18 through July 5. Japan House Los Angeles, Hollywood & Highland, Level 2 Gallery, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Open daily. Free. japanhousela.com
‘Sutra and Bible: Faith and the Japanese American World War II Incarceration’
The importance of religion and spirituality to Japanese Americans unjustly forced into internment camps during World War II is revealed in this exhibit featuring sacred texts and objects on view through Nov. 27. Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave., downtown L.A. Open Tuesdays-Sundays. $7, $16; reservations recommended, walk-ups available. (213) 625-0414. janm.org
‘Your Place in the Multiverse: Jean Lowe’
A two-decade survey of the artist’s room-size installations is on view March 19 through Sept. 18. Also on view: “Our Friend Wayne Thiebaud,” the beloved California painter who died in December is celebrated in this exhibit on view through May 1. Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach. Closed Wednesdays. $9, $12; children 12 and younger are free. (949) 494-8971. lagunaartmuseum.org
California painter and teacher Wayne Thiebaud, who mastered Realism with vibrant still lifes, died Saturday at his home in Sacramento.
‘Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You.’
Works by the multimedia artist, known for her visually striking collages that combine black-and-white images with boldface type, are featured in a decades-spanning, campus-wide retrospective March 20 through July 17. Also on view: “Legacies of Exchange: Chinese Contemporary Art From the Yuz Foundation,” works by Ai Weiwei, Huang Yong Ping and others, presented in partnership with the Yuz Museum in Shanghai (through March 13); “Black American Portraits,” a centuries-spanning selection of paintings, drawings and photographs of African Americans drawn from LACMA’s collections (through April 17). Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Closed Wednesdays. $10-$25; ages 2 and younger are free; discounts available to L.A. County residents. (323) 857-6010. lacma.org
‘Shipwrecks: Duty of Memory’
Images of dilapidated and deteriorating vessels, abandoned on beaches around the world and captured by Italian photographer and former diplomat Stefano Benazzo, are on display through April 17. Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton. Open Mondays-Thursdays. $5. themuck.org
‘Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources’
Works by the post-Impressionist painter are displayed with pieces by Monet, Gauguin, Delacroix, et al. as well as first editions of novels by Dickens, Tolstoy, et al., in this engrossing, special ticketed exhibition on view through May 22. Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. Open Tuesdays-Sundays. “Van Gogh” tickets: $10-$16; free for museum members and ages 6 and younger (regular admission: $6, $10; active-duty military and their families, and ages 6 and younger are free). sbma.net
‘Gosette Lubondo: Imaginary Trip’
The Congolese photographer explores past and present, the individual and society, the legacy of colonialism and the challenges of modern life in images on view through July 3. Also on view: “How Do You See This World?: The Art of Almighty God,” retrospective of paintings by Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto (through May 8); “Aboriginal Screen-Printed Textiles From Australia’s Top End,” works by contemporary textile artists from northern Australia (through June 19). UCLA Fowler Museum, 308 Charles E. Young Drive North, Westwood. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Free. (310) 825-4361. fowler.ucla.edu
‘Ebon: Fear of a Black Planet’
John Jennings and Stacey Robinson, collectively known as Black Kirby, salute one of the first Black comic-book superheroes in this exhibition on view March 19 through June 19. Also on view: the companion exhibit “Black Kirby X: Ten Years of Remix and Revolution” (March 19 through June 19); “Fox Movie Flash: The Street Vendor Camera in San Francisco, 1950-1963,” images of everyday people captured by roving portrait photographers (March 26 through Nov. 27); “Jazz Greats: Classic Photographs from the Bank of America Collection,” images of legendary singers and musicians (through April 3). UCR Arts (California Museum of Photography, Culver Center of the Arts), 3824-34 Main St., Riverside. Open Thursdays-Sundays. Free. ucrarts.ucr.edu
‘Bali: Agency and Power in Southeast Asia’
Aspects of Balinese life and culture are recorded in paintings collected by cultural anthropologists Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead during fieldwork on the Indonesian island during the 1930s; on view March 18 through June 12. USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. $7, $10; free for ages 17 and younger, and every second Sunday of the month; advance tickets recommended. (626) 787-2680. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu
Incidents of Asian hate push the museum to review its collections and move exhibitions away from stereotypes toward a more complex view of Asian culture.
Continuing
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ newly opened shrine to all things cinema features exhibits exploring the art and craft of filmmaking, historic memorabilia including props and costumes, plus movie screenings, film series and artist talks. 6067 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open daily. $15-$25; ages 17 and younger are free. Reservations required. (323) 930-3000. academymuseum.org
‘how we are in time and space: Nancy Buchanan, Marcia Hafif and Barbara T. Smith’
Works by the three veteran artists and longtime friends (through June 12). Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Open by appointment, Friday-Sunday only. Free. armoryarts.org
2022 Masters of the American West Art exhibition and sale
Recent works by contemporary western painters and sculptors are on view through March 27. Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, L.A. Closed Mondays. $6-$14; children younger than 3 are free; reservations available online; walk-ups allowed. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org
‘Everest: Ascent to Glory’
The stories of the explorers and guides who first attempted to scale the world’s tallest mountain are told in photographs, film and artifacts in this exhibit on view through Aug. 28. Also on view: “All That Glitters: The Crown Jewels of the Walt Disney Archives,” jewelry and accessories used in Disney and 20th Century Studios film are featured in this special-ticketed exhibition (through June 19). Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Closed Mondays. “All That Glitters”: $10-$25 (includes museum admission); general admission: $10-$15; children younger than 12 are free; advance purchase recommended. (714) 567-3600. bowers.org
‘Landscape Through the Eyes of Abstraction’
The concept of the traditional landscape painting is reimagined in multimedia works by noteworthy artists including Kim Abeles, Laddie John Dill and Claudia Parducci; through July 31. California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks at the Oaks, 350 W. Hillcrest Drive. Open Thursday-Sunday. Free. (805) 405-5240. cmato.org
‘Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia’
Daily life in the capital of the ancient Khmer empire is illuminated through artifacts and a companion IMAX documentary in this special ticketed exhibition on view Sept. 5. California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Drive, L.A. Open daily. Permanent exhibits are free; special exhibitions, including IMAX films, vary in price. Reservations required. (323) 724-3623. californiasciencecenter.org
‘Tupac Shakur. Wake Me When I’m Free’
The influential rapper who died in 1996 is remembered in this exhibition featuring sound installations, poetry, personal effects and more; through May 1. The Canvas @ L.A. Live, Georgia Street and Olympic Boulevard, downtown L.A. $19.50-$49.50. wakemewhenimfree.com
‘Wake Me When I’m Free’ celebrates the life and art of Tupac Shakur. But Tupac’s sister is suing the trustee of Shakur’s estate over what’s inside.
‘Daisy Hightower: An Installation by Rosalyn Myles’
The L.A.-based artist celebrates her maternal grandmother in this mixed-media installation on view through May 8. Also on view: “Diedrick Brackens: heaven is a muddy riverbed,” exploring the L.A-based weaver and poet’s recurring use of the catfish as a motif (through May 8); “Jaishri Abichandani: Flower-Headed Children,” a survey of figurative sculptures and painted portraits by the New York-based artist (through May 8). Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open Thursdays-Sundays. $7, $9; Sundays are pay what you can; reservations required. craftcontemporary.org
‘Jewelry and Harmony: Highlights From the Episodes’
Handcrafted jewelry and musical instruments seen in or inspired by the PBS series “Craft in America” (through March 19). Craft in America Center, 8415 W. 3rd St., L.A. Open Tuesdays-Saturdays. Free. craftinamerica.org
‘Experience 49: blue/s’
The color blue in all its permutations is explored via painting, sculpture, photography, collage, soundscapes and site-specific installations in this group exhibition on view through March 26. ESMoA (El Segundo Museum of Art), 208 Main St., El Segundo. Open Fridays and Saturdays. Free; advance timed-entry tickets required. (424) 277-1020. esmoa.org
‘Evening Mile: The Paintings of Julika Lackner’
The L.A.-based artist captures the beauty of Southern California at night in a series of landscape paintings on view through May 1. Forest Lawn Museum, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Free. forestlawn.com
‘Pipilotti Rist: Big Heartedness, Be My Neighbor’
This survey of videos, installations and sculptures by the Swiss multimedia artist is on view through June 6. The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo, downtown L.A. Open Wednesdays-Mondays. Special ticketed exhibition costs $10-$18 (advance purchase required; each ticket is good for a free second visit); children younger than 12, free. (213) 626-6222. moca.org
Get inside Pipilotti’s playhouse, a psychedelic excursion into the power of digital art.
‘Assyria: Palace Art of Ancient Iraq’
Relief sculptures, on loan from the British Museum, that depict warfare, hunting, courtly life, etc. (through Sept. 5). The Getty Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. Closed Tuesdays. Free; advance reservations required. (310) 440-7300. getty.edu
‘Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom’
The role that music has played in inspiring social justice movements in America from the Revolution to the present day is explored in this exhibition on view through May 8. Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown L.A. Closed Tuesdays. $12-$18; ages 4 and younger are free. (213) 765-6800. grammymuseum.org
‘Ruth Gruber: Photojournalist’
Images taken by the globetrotting photographer, journalist and humanitarian are on display through April 13. Holocaust Museum LA, 100 the Grove Drive, L.A. Open Thursdays-Sundays. $10, $15; students and California residents with valid ID, free; advance timed-entry tickets required. holocaustmuseumla.org
‘Science and the Sublime: A Masterpiece by Joseph Wright of Derby’
The Enlightenment-era artist’s monumental 1768 painting “An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump,” on loan from the National Gallery in London, is exhibited along with other works from the Huntington’s collection; through May 30. Also on view: “Mapping Fiction,” exploring the geographies of fictional worlds in works by such authors as James Joyce, Lewis Carroll, Robert Louis Stevenson, J.R.R. Tolkien and Octavia E. Butler (through May 2). Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Closed Tuesdays. $13-$29; children younger than 4 are free; advance timed-entry tickets required. (626) 405-2100. huntington.org
How local libraries shaped a sci-fi legend
‘Jamal Cyrus: The End of My Beginning’
Black political and cultural identities are explored in this two-decade survey of works by the Houston-based multidisciplinary artist, on view through May 29. Also on view: “Sara Cwynar: Apple Red/Grass Green/Sky Blue,” photo collages, digital images and video works by the New York-based artist (through May 29). Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 1717 E. 7th St., L.A. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Free. (213) 928-0833. theicala.org
‘Mammoths and Mastodons’
Fossils and exhibits recall the prehistoric mammals that once called Southern California home. La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open Wednesday through Sunday. $7-$15; California teachers and EBT cardholders, active and retired military, and kids 2 and younger are free; advance timed-entry tickets required. (213) 763-3499. tarpits.org
‘Family Album: Dannielle Bowman, Janna Ireland, and Contemporary Works from LACMA’
Images by artists of color inspired by the visual language of family photographs will be on view through June 5. LACMA’s Charles White Elementary School Gallery, 2401 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Open Saturdays only. Free. lacma.org
‘Andy Warhol: Selections From the Luckman Permanent Collection’
More than 70 works by the iconic Pop artist (through April 30). Luckman Gallery, Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Free. luckmanarts.org
‘Alex Gardner: We All Exist Right Now’
The painter and Long Beach native explores the interaction of people and spaces (through May 1). Long Beach Museum of Art, 2300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. Open Thursdays-Sundays. $10, $12; ages 12 and younger are free. (562) 439-2119. lbma.org
“Our House: Selections From MOCA’s Collection”
Works by Mark Rothko and others, from the 1950s to the present (through Nov. 13, 2023)
‘Our House: Selections From MOCA’s Collection’
Works by Mark Rothko and others, from the 1950s to the present (through Nov. 13, 2023). MoCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Open Thursdays-Sundays. Free; special exhibitions, $10, $18. (213) 626-6222. moca.org
‘What would you say?: Activist Graphics From the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’
The use of art and design to promote social-justice causes is explored in this exhibit on view through April 17. Also on view: solo exhibitions from artists Mark Steven Greenfield, April Bey, Paul Stephen Benjamin, Carla Jay Harris and Keith Collins (through April 17). Museum of Art & History (MOAH), 665 W. Lancaster Blvd., Lancaster. Closed Mondays. Free; reservations required. (661) 723-6250. lancastermoah.org
‘Judy Baca: Memorias de Nuestra Tierra, a Retrospective’
Works by the acclaimed Chicana muralist, educator and activist are on display through March 31. Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach. Open Tuesdays-Fridays. $7, $10; younger than 12, free; advance purchase suggested. molaa.org
Judy Baca wants to bring her acclaimed “Great Wall of Los Angeles” mural into the present. But a new MOLAA retrospective reveals sides of the artist beyond murals.
‘Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall’
Special multimedia exhibit charts the life and career of the renowned primatologist and activist (through April 17; additional $6-$10 fee required). Also on view: “Ichthyosaur: New Discoveries,” the intact skull of a ginormous prehistoric marine reptile (through April 11). Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., L.A. Closed Tuesday. $8-$17; ages 2 and younger are free; reservations recommended, walk-ups welcome. (213) 763-DINO. nhm.org
‘Richard Hunt: Details’
Lithographs made by the sculptor during a 1965 residency at the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles are on display through July 4. Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Closed Tuesdays-Wednesdays. $12-$15; students, active military and ages 18 and younger are free. (626) 449-6840. nortonsimon.org
‘Drama: Story-Telling in Art’
The use of narrative in art is explored in this juried exhibition on view through March 19. Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, 117 N. Sycamore St., Santa Ana. Open Fridays-Sundays; by appointment, Mondays-Thursdays. Free. (714) 667-1517. occca.org
‘Don Bartletti: Elusive Moments — Enduring Stories’
New exhibit surveys the career of the Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times photojournalist (through May 1). Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. Open Thursdays-Sundays. $5, $10; students, children and active-duty military: free. oma-online.org
‘The Modern Chair’
Examples of cutting-edge chair design from the early 20th century to the present day (through April 3). Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center, 300 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. Closed Mondays-Wednesdays. $5. psmuseum.org
‘Water, Earth & Fire’
Ceramics by local artists are on view through April 16. Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. Closed Sundays. Free. pvartcenter.org
‘Black Quantum Futurism: CPT Reversal’
The concept of time is explored in this multimedia exhibit presented by the Black Quantum Futurism Collective, a collaboration among artists Camae Ayewa (a.k.a. Moor Mother) and Rasheedah Phillips (through March 12). The Gallery at REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. Closed Mondays. Free. redcat.org
‘The Weight of Memory: William Catling’
Midcareer survey of works by the artist who specializes in sculpting with clay; through May 15. Also on view: “Are You With Me? Sonya Fe,” oil paintings and mixed-media drawings by the contemporary Chicana artist (through May 29). Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside. Closed Monday-Tuesday. $3, $5; children younger than 12, active-duty military and veterans and family members: free. riversideartmuseum.org
‘Princess Diana Exhibition: Accredited Access’
Images of the Princess of Wales and her family, taken by veteran royal photographer Anwar Hussein and his sons Zak and Samir (through March 27). Santa Monica Place, 315 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. $17-$25. feverup.com
A new Santa Monica exhibition featuring Hussein’s work details untold stories and archival images of the late royal—one of the most photographed women in the world.
‘Sustain: From Loss to Renewal’
Images by local artist Stephanie Mercado salute L.A.’s diverse workforce in this pandemic-inspired exhibit (through March 20). Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Closed Mondays. $7-$12; special exhibition pricing: $13-$18; admission is free for everyone on Thursdays and for children younger than 2 every day; advance timed-entry tickets required. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org
‘Cauleen Smith: In the Wake NFT’
Short video-based works by the L.A.-based artist are on view on an outdoor electronic billboard through March 31, alongside work by Pipilotti Rist (through June 6). Sunset Spectacular, Sunset Boulevard and Sherbourne Drive, West Hollywood. Anytime. Free. tomwiscombe.com
‘Quadrant’
Four distinct group shows, each organized by a different up-and-coming artist/curator, are on display through March 12. Also on view: “Lynchland: Genre, Auteurism & a Fish in the Percolator,” an immersive exhibit exploring the juxtaposition of the sinister, the surreal and the quotidian, as exemplified in the films of David Lynch (through March 12); “Deconstructed Labyrinth,” a mutable installation created by Daniela Soberman. Torrance Art Museum (TAM), 3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Closed Sunday-Monday. Free. torranceartmuseum.com
‘Riding L.A.’
The history of public transit in the City of Angels is explored in this new pop-up installation presented by the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation. Union Station, Waiting Room Kiosk, 800 N. Alameda St., downtown L.A. Open daily. Free. unionstationla.com
‘Ulysses Jenkins: Without Your Interpretation’
This retrospective saluting the groundbreaking Los Angeles video and performance artist is on view through May 15. Also on view: “A Decade of Acquisitions of Works on Paper,” contemporary prints and drawings by Richard Artschwager, Ruth Asawa, Huma Bhabha, et al. (through May 1); “Lifes,” an exhibit exploring the process of interdisciplinary art-making features contributions from scores of artists working in different media (through May 8). UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. Closed Mondays. Free; reservations required. (310) 443-7000. hammer.ucla.edu
‘Sea Sky Land: towards a map of everything’
Thirty large-format paintings and sculptures created by Enrique Martínez Celaya are on display through April 9. USC Fisher Museum of Art, 823 W. Exposition Blvd., L.A. Closed Sundays-Mondays. Free. (213) 740-4561. fisher.usc.edu
‘The Cultivators: Highlights From the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection’
The achievements of Black Americans through the centuries are celebrated in this survey of paintings, sculpture, photographs, etc. on view through March 27. Weisman Museum, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Free; advance timed-entry tickets required. arts.pepperdine.edu
‘Questionable History’
Images of Vladimir Lenin from the museum’s collection are juxtaposed with contemporary works depicting the former Soviet premier in this exhibition on view through March 20. Also on view: “Soviet Jewish Life: Bill Aron and Yevgeniy Fiks,” images by the American photographer are displayed alongside works by the Russian multidisciplinary artist (through March 20); “Memory Structure, Scaffold Series,” installation by L.A.-based artist Sichong Xie that interrogates the hidden contributions of labor (through March 20). Wende Museum, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City. Open Friday-Sunday. Free; reservations required. (310) 216-1600. wendemuseum.org
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Updates
8:01 a.m. March 12, 2022: This post has been updated to add new exhibits at the LA Plaza de Cultural y Artes, Petersen Automotive Museum, ONE Archives, USC Pacific Asia Museum and the Santa Paula Art Museum, and to remove exhibitions that have recently ended.
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