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Best Current Art Exhibits In Los Angeles Right Now

Once upon a time a certain high profile New Yorker called Los Angeles a cultural wasteland. His name is Woody Allen and he was wrong. Dead wrong. Our lively arts scene has it all, from top rate theater performances to premiere musical happenings to stellar art exhibitions. For your viewing pleasure, following are five of the latter, now mounted in the City of Angels.  
"Hidden Narratives: Recent Acquisitions of Postwar Art"
The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art 
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036 
(323) 857-6000
www.lacma.org

Head for level two of LACMA's Ahmanson Building from now through January 6, 2019 to take in "Hidden Narratives: Recent Acquisitions of Postwar Art", a multi-talent exhibition of recent pieces added to this fine institution's vast modern and contemporary art collection. Artists represented, including Jesse Howard, Alexis Smith, Bas Jan Ader, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Ken Price and Lawrence Weiner prove their abilities as story tellers who convey their tales via various means, from mixed media to paintings and sculptures.

"Jackson Pollock's Number 1, 1949: A Conservation Treatment"
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles 
250 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 621-2766
www.moca.org

Have you ever had the opportunity to see a great piece of art while it is being returned to its original glory? Well, now you can. On display as an expert paintings conservator meticulously cleans its surface over a six month period, Jackson Pollock's "Number 1, 1949: A Conservation Treatment" is on view through September 3, 2018 at MOCA. The person doing the job will be glad to talk to patrons about the process should you be there to view when the conservation treatment is in full effect.

"Sarah Cain: Now I'm Going To Tell You Everything"
Institute of Contemporary Art  
1717 E. 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 928-0833
www.theicala.org

From now through March 11, 2017, "Sarah Cain: Now I'm going to tell you everything" is an exhibition not to be missed. Guided by a Bernadette Mayer poem of the same name written for her as inspiration, Cain used the ICA LA's courtyard wall on 7th Street as her canvas. This local artist crossed styles as she worked, loving from abstract to TK, from pop and graffiti to express herself on her massive 800-square-foot creation. Who wouldn't want to set their eyes on the eye-popping result? Another great reason to drop in on this and other alluring exhibits: Admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art is free. Always.

Jasper Johns: 'Something Resembling Truth'
The Broad 
221 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 232-6200
www.thebroad.org

Legendary American artist Jasper Johns six decades of creations are proudly represented at this highly anticipated showing through May 13, 2018. Called Jasper Johns: 'Something Resembling Truth', some 120 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings from this prolific artist are on view for the first time in the City of Angels due to a collaboration with London's Royal Academy of Arts. Expect to be blown away by this keen retrospective that will surely be the talk of our town. 

"Gary Simmons: Fade to Black"
California African American Museum
600 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
(213) 744-7432
www.caamuseum.org

"Gary Simmons: Fade to Black" is on downtown through July 31, 2018. The exhibition, mounted in CAAM's grand lobby, consists of five different 440-square-foot walls, pays homage to the silent films of yore, all of which were cast with African American actors. Simmons uses the titles of these movies in giant letters and an exaggerated type face seems to move his viewers into the realm of subliminal messages.

By Jane Lasky.  
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