SAT 10/17: Jophen Stein at The Box

The 5 Deadly Senses, Jophen Stein's newest series and solo exhibition at The Box gallery, opens this Saturday 7-10:00pm. The work explores romantic comedy, inspired by early Hollywood musicals and motifs affiliated with the genre. Stein is a LCAD alumnus and has apparently been banned, along with his artistic creation The Snootson Family Showcase, from the states of Iowa and Idaho. Curious! The evening will include drinks and music courtesy of DJ Kristina B. The exhibition runs through December 5th.

FRI 10/16: Film Free-for-All at The Hammer

I attended the Hammer's previous installment of Open Projector night with a friend, and found the no-holds-barred democratic process to be delightful fun. It's an open forum to scream praise or criticism of each film amid the darkened crowd! Free entrance, a cash bar and free popcorn also contribute to the allure. I recommend being brave and entering your film (10min or less), or just heading down to enjoy the rowdy crowd, films and Emcee Seth Morris (San Franciscan comedian and Artistic Director of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater LA). Submissions accepted from 7 to 7:30pm. Accepted media formats: VHS, DVD, Mini DV & Mini HDV, Super 8mm, 8mm, and 16mm film. Parking is available under the museum for $3 after 6:00p.m.

SUN 9/27: good morning Bon Iver

Hollywood Forever Cemetery's gates will creak open tonight at midnight to kick off a unique show, orchestrated by Justin Vernon (Wisconsinite and founder/face of Bon Iver) and The Troubadour. The concept, a sunrise performance, was hatched as the pièce de résistance, wrapping up Bon Iver's almost two year tour. The schedule is rumored to include film and music presentations, hand-selected by Vernon, which will entertain the concert-goers until the show begins at sunrise: 5:20am. All will be welcomed into the day by Bon Iver's soulful stereophonic swells and fades.

Sat 6/14: The Board Gallery

The Board Gallery presents the artistic works of Dog Town and Z-Boy's Chris Cahill and Dog Town seed, and longtime friend of the Heathers, Justin Valentine. Opening reception is this Sat 6/14 from 8-10pm, and promises to be a good time. Address is 3333 Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach. Free parking across the street at City Hall.

Sat 6/14: LOL @ J Flynn Gallery

LOL: This Ain't Grandma's China, featuring works by Mindy Cherri and Charles Krafft, opens this Sat 6/14 at J Flynn Gallery. The reception is from 7-10pm. J Flynn is located at 2950 A Randolph Ave. in Costa Mesa. Can you imagine gifting one of these pieces to your Granny? I think mine would laugh upon opening it.

Thurs 6/12: Sister Spit @ the Hammer

Sister Spit: The Next Generation will be bringing their "legendary all-girl spoken word roadshow" to the Hammer Museum Thurs 6/12 at 8pm. The Next Generation, an incarnation of the Sister Spit Ramblin' Roadshow of the '90s, is a dynamic group of ‘zine writers, fashion plates, novelists, performance artists, slam poets and fancy scribblers from across the US, whose show promises to be a raucous literary adventure. Tickets are free.

Thurs 6/12: Against the Grain @ LACE

Against the Grain opens at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions this Thurs 6/12, 7-9pm. The show is curated by LA-based artist Christopher Russell and features works by Brian Bress (partial view of Plains Fight above)- whose collages are like wondrous fantasy worlds, Wendell Gladstone, Julian Hoeber, Brian Kennon, Amy Sarkisian, and Ami Tallman, among others. In honor of LACE's 30th anniversary, this show is a nod to their 1988 show Against Nature: A Group Show of Work by Homosexual Men, which exposed the margins of the already marginalized world of gay men. Against the Grain will be on view through 8/10.

6/6-6/8: Ink-N-Iron Festival

The 5th annual Ink-N-Iron Tattoo & Kustom Culture Festival is taking place today 6/6 through Sun 6/8. The festival will feature 280 of the best tattoo artists in the world and a series of additional events, including an art exhibit, burlesque showgirls, live bands (incl. the Swingin' Utters), a pin-up pageant, carnival rides, and a car show. The best part: it's all taking place aboard and around Long Beach's Queen Mary. Tickets are $35/day or $70/all 3 days. And you get $10 off your admission if you get a tattoo at the festival.

Sat 5/31: Best in Show opening @ ISM Gallery

ISM: gallery in Long Beach presents a playful take on the journey from student to professional artist with it's friendly art competition Best in Show, opening Sat 5/31, 7-10pm. During the opening reception, artworks will be displayed anonymously and visitors will have an opportunity to vote for the artist they feel is “Best In Show." Please RSVP to attend.

Fri 5/30: Free Friday Night @ the Bowers

Tonight is free admission beginning at 4pm at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. The museum's China and art exhibits will remain open until 8pm and you can catch the 6:30 screening of the documentary film The First Emperor for free. Based on the latest research and including location photography at key sites in China, the film sheds new light on the achievements, ambitions, and legacy of the enigmatic First Emperor of China--an emperor who wished to reign for all eternity. Run time is 40 min.

Fri 5/30: Fridays Off the 405 @ the Getty

Tonight from 6-9pm, the Getty Center presents Fridays Off the 405 and opens its courtyard to the public for free. You can tour the galleries, enjoy the music provided by DJ Dirty Finger and DJ B-cause, take in the views of the city, and revel in the onset of summer! There's also a cash bar open until 8:30pm, so bring some bills if you want a drink.

Thurs 5/22: Re:PRESENT @ LACE

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions is hosting a benefit Art Auction Thurs 5/22. Doors open at 7pm and the live auction starts at 8pm. Ann Magnuson will be MC-ing and the evening will feature both silent and live auctions of over a hundred original artworks by the likes of Vito Acconci, Ultra-red, and Alison Frey. Tickets are $50, call 323.957.1777 for info. Gallery preview hours: 5/2 – 5/21, Wed - Sun 12 - 6pm, Fri 12 - 9pm.

Sat 5/17-5/18 Fun With Chalk

This weekend is the 10th Anniversary of the Mission Viejo Street Painting Festival: Fun With Chalk. Go see an asphalt parking lot turned into a gallery of magnificent artworks. Join Madonnari (street-painters) from all corners of the earth and visit the temporary tent galleries also on site. Takes place Sat 5/17-Sun 5/18, 10am-6pm @ Norman P. Murray Community Center: 24932 Veterans Way at La Paz Rd., Mission Viejo.

Sat 5/17 danyol @ The Box Gallery

Danyol's At the Seams opens this Saturday at The Box Gallery in the SoBeCa (South on Bristol entertainment, culture and arts) District of Costa Mesa. San Francisco's self-described Indie/Country/New Wave band Carletta Sue Kay will be playing at 8pm with the artist on guitar.

4/5-6/16 Warhol photog @ GCAC

Cal State Fullerton's Grand Central Art Center is showing some 155 Polaroids and photos taken by pop-art-superstar Andy Warhol. The images depict notable socialites and Factory regulars alike, including Tatum O'Neal, John McEnroe, Jon Gould, Constance Young, and Mary Tyler Moore. Also captured are rare still life images and landscapes of flea markets, a Halloween parade, beaches, dogs, and Japanese toys. The photos were a gift from the Andy Warhol Foundation and will be on display through 6/16.

Myanmar Relief

With current circumstances, the survivors of the Nargis Cyclone face many future hardships, including the risk of disease and starvation. Here are some accredited locally-based agencies that you can donate to to help the men, women and children of Myanmar on their arduous road to recovery:
Direct Relief International
International Medical Corp
International Relief Teams
World Emergency Relief

Surf Sounds @ Huntington Bch Surfing Museum

The HB International Surfing Museum is currently running Surf Sounds part 2: Featuring Jan & Dean and Sharing Perspectives: Paintings by Celine Chat. The Surfing Museum preserves an important part of Huntington Beach's image as "Surf City, USA," and further exemplifies the fact that HB is the "most heavily surfed beach on the West Coast" (per Surfer's Almanac). The museum's Surfing Walk of Fame, dedicated in 1994, includes honorees in many surf-related categories, and extends from the corner of PCH and Main Street.

Sat 5/03 9BeetStretch @ OCMA

Join the Orange County Museum of Art for a very special 24-hour performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. 9BeetStretch, a musical composition and sound scape, conceived and implemented by Leif Inge, a Norwegian composer, is part of the Odd Beethoven Festival. Performance schedule:1st movement: Saturday, 12 pm-5:30 pm, 2nd movement: Saturday, 5:30 pm-10:30 pm, 3rd movement: Saturday, 10:35 pm-3:30 am, 4th movement: Sunday, 3:30 am-12 pm. Lounge furniture will be provided and light refreshments are available for purchase throughout the night. The event is free, but you're encouraged to B.Y.O.P. (Bring your own pillow and sleeping bags).

Sat 5/03 Art Walk Santa Ana Artists Village

As per every first Sat of the month, the gallery doors of Santa Ana's Artists Village will remain open late this Sat from 6:00-10:00pm. Check out the show at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in particular to see the full version of the above detail of Elliot, I Spilled the Milk, by Christina Natsuko Paulos, whose website contains many treasures worth troving for.

Fri 5/02 First Fridays @ Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is hosting its First Fridays event tonight. The schedule will proceed as follows: 5:30pm TOUR:“Tour of the Ancient Latin American Hall” led by Karen Wise, Ph.D. & Curator in charge of Archaeology 6:30pm DISCUSSION:“How Does Evolution Build a Complex Brain?” 7:00-10:00pm MUSIC: featuring Akron/Family, The Dodos, and DJ sets in the African Mammal Hall by Carlos Niño and Morpho. The museum is located at 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90007. Tickets are $9 and food and drinks are available for purchase.