Ludovic Nkoth’s new exhibition takes you from Cameroon to Paris in search of ‘home’
I haven’t been thinking about the Roman Empire, but I have been thinking about “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” coming in December. I’m Steven Vargas, your L.A. Goes Out host, and here are the top events for the upcoming weekend recommended by the crew (sign up here for the newsletter):
Weekly countdown
1. ‘Ludovic Nkoth: The Is of It’
New York-based and Cameroon-born artist Ludovic Nkoth spent the last year in Paris creating new work as part of a residency at Académie des Beaux-Arts. Now those new paintings will travel to François Ghebaly in downtown L.A. and fill the gallery for Nkoth’s exhibition, “The Is of It.” The show reflects his investigations of “home” as a physical and a mental space, as well as how it becomes part of our identity. The concept of home surfaced during his residency as he reflected on how Cameroon was colonized by the French in the early 1900s.
“It’s me trying to grapple with my history and newfound histories that I think I fit in, but also histories that are new to me,” he told The Times.
Throughout his residency, he tried to unpack what it meant to take part in French culture, navigating what belonged to him and his culture. During the residency, he dove into the history of Montmartre. The results are paintings that are familiar to Nkoth, inspired by Cameroon people and culture.
“Folded in between everything that I’m already doing, there’s a deep investigation of my life in Cameroon, the life of my family that is still in Cameroon and also the life of the people that came before them,” he said.
For him, his work is more than just a feat of artistic skill. When he paints, he digs deeper into the “psychology of a moment” to allow the subjects in the pieces to hold emotion, history and presence on the canvas. “The Is of It” opens on Saturday and runs until Nov. 11. François Ghebaly is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and the exhibition is free. More details can be found on the gallery’s website.
2. ‘Measure STILL for Measure’
“All the world’s a stage,” or at least at Boston Court Pasadena. The theater presents its first-ever immersive play that takes place throughout the entirety of the venue — not just the stage. “Measure STILL for Measure” follows an ensemble of actors in rehearsal for Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” The star director, who is also set to perform in the play within the play, crosses physical and social boundaries to assert an unspoken power dynamic that alters the course of the night. The show written and directed by Boston Court Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky takes audiences from the rehearsal rooms to the stage, showing the sinister ways sexual harassment lingers in the theater industry. Intrigued to learn more? Check out The Times’ Todd Martens’ story on the production. “Measure STILL for Measure” runs until Oct. 15 and tickets range from $25 to $47. More details can be found on Boston Court Pasadena’s website.
3. ‘Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction’
Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents a new exhibition all about the art of textiles. “Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction” is a broad and robust look into the history of the medium. Throughout the exhibition, you can see over 150 works made by traditional and intergenerational artists. It guides you through creations made with pre-loom technologies such as basketry, knotting and netting. The exhibition links influential textile artists of the 20th century — including Anni Albers, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Sheila Kicks and Lenore Tawney — to contemporary artists — including Andrea Zittel, Jeffrey Gibson and Ulrike Müller — showing the relationship between abstract art and textile arts. “Woven Histories” is recommended by The Times art and design columnist Carolina A. Miranda. The show runs until Jan. 21 and tickets to LACMA range from free to $25. More details can be found on LACMA’s website.
4. Bodytraffic
Los Angeles’ popular dance company, Bodytraffic, heads to the Wallis Center for Performing Arts in Beverly Hills this weekend to start its 2023/2024 L.A. season: Perpetual Pursuits. The title is dedicated to resilience in the face of adversity and striving for something bigger. The company, led by Tina Finkelman Berkett, will perform world premieres by Fernando Hernando Magadan and Joan Rodriguez in addition to Micaela Taylor’s “SNAP” (a classic from Bodytraffic’s repertoire) and the company premiere of Trey McIntyre’s “Blue Until June.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and tickets range from $49 to $69. For more information, check out the Wallis’ website.
5. L.A. Phil Gala: Celebrating Frank Gehry
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is celebrating Walt Disney Concert Hall’s 20th anniversary with a gala concert in homage to the venue’s architect, Frank Gehry. The concert at the downtown L.A. hall will document the history of Walt Disney Concert Hall and Gehry through music. The performance begins with Bach’s Partita in E: Preludio, the first piece performed in the then-still-under-construction hall. The remainder of the program is inspired by Gehry’s interests, from his love of the sea (as depicted in the concert hall’s steel sail design) and jazz. Aside from Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil, Herbie Hancock will take the stage with Maiden Voyage, choreographer Lucinda Childs will accompany Esa-Pekka Salonen’s “FOG” and the R&B singer H.E.R., a Grammy Award winner, will perform with the orchestra. The gala performance is at 7 p.m. Thursday and remaining tickets start at $129 . More information can be found on L.A. Phil’s website.
Bonus round: Al Sur de la Frontera
The Ford in Hollywood Hills presents the world premiere of Al Sur de la Frontera. The performance, produced in partnership with Boss Witch Productions, blends the traditional music from the Sierra Zapoteca of Oaxaca with experimental arrangements. The group is made up of an acclaimed and diverse set of musicians, performers and artists. Al Sur de la Frontera was conceived by Mexico City-raised, L.A.-based interdisciplinary artist Carmina Escobar and maestro Estanislao Maqueos, and created with Escobar and artist Madeline Falcone of Boss Witch Productions. The performance celebrates the Southern diaspora and depicts immigrant struggles through experimental artistry, highlighting the strength of humanity. The show is at 8 p.m. Friday and tickets range from $27 to $38. More information can be found on the Ford’s website.
On my mind
On Saturday, I attended the Graham100 performance at the Soraya in Northridge. It marked the beginning of a three-year-long centennial celebration of the Martha Graham Dance Company.
The highlight performance of the evening was “Rodeo” by Agnes de Mille, featuring a bluegrass arrangement by Gabriel Witcher. De Mille’s ballet follows a cowgirl who falls for the head wrangler on a ranch. She tries to impress her crush with a little help from the lead roper, who shows her a dance step or two. But when she gets the head wrangler’s attention, she realizes she really likes the lead roper. Essentially, it’s a rom-com for the stage.
The piece included bits of tap, line and social dancing. At one point, a group of characters gathered in a circle for a line dance, holding hands as they dove under one another’s arms. When the crew fumbled one of their dives, the premeditated movement dissolved and the dancers collapsed from the choreography before dancing again. While some may think of a mishap on stage as taboo, I enjoyed it. The movement snafu allowed the audience to laugh and see themselves as part of the fun. Social dances are meant to take the pressure out of structured movement and feel something joyous and communal. The audience’s reaction only proved that the company approached the style with care.
The last piece, “Maple Leaf Rag” by Graham, further exemplified the sentiment. It is the last full ballet that Graham choreographed, premiering in 1990. The piece is set to Scott Joplin’s song of the same name. Throughout the piece, she mocked her own seriousness, often interrupting sections with a dancer in a dramatically long white dress turning with her leg lifted and landing in an overly-committed stance. At the center of the stage was a joggling board, bringing more humor to the movement as dancers bounced while traversing the wobbly bench. The dance accentuated Graham’s techniques, which are cherished today, while also letting people (and herself) know that it isn’t that serious.
On Sunday, I went to the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown L.A. to see Hubbard Street Dance Company. The program included “Busk” by Aszure Barton, “Coltrane’s Favorite Things” by Lar Lubovitch and “Dear Frankie” by Rennie Harris. In the first two pieces, Shota Miyoshi stood out as a performer, committing to each movement with emotion and vigor. Even in “Coltrane’s Favorite Things” where emotionless dance led to an underwhelming performance, his duet with Alexandria Best shined.
I was particularly looking forward to “Dear Frankie,” and the company did not disappoint. It began with slow, soft steps that soon erupted into a frenzy of queer social dance as Abdiel Figueroa Reyes pumped his hips back and forth until the energy moved to his feet. The piece pays homage to house music DJ Frankie Knuckles and queer dance spaces. The choreography incorporated vogue, whacking and house dance stylings, illustrating the impact queer communities of color have had on pop culture with the styles born out of dance clubs and ballroom. Dancer Michele Dooley’s knowledge of the dance forms was particularly clear. They duck-walked in and out of the wings, intermixing an overhead whack with house footwork — effortlessly bringing the audience to a roar. The dancers kept moving until the very end, even as the curtain fell. The decision felt intentional, reminding us that while Knuckles is gone, his legacy lives in today’s thriving queer spaces.
Go out speed round
Go out before it closes: Face Guts in Glassell Park has a weeklong run of “Casual Banter” closing on Oct. 14. The exhibition, curated by Joshua White, features new drawings by Darius Airo. The works, all made throughout the last decade, depict Airo’s interest in animation and graffiti art through elaborate characterized figures. The works are filled with personality, pop art, surrealism and an occasional band T-shirt. The exhibition is free and the gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. More details can be found on the Face Guts website.
Go out for free: Gagosian in Beverly Hills presents “Derrick Adams: Come as You Are.” The exhibition centers on Black figures in brightly colored, geometric paintings. The works portray people in carefree leisure in an effort to uplift and support Black culture. Check out The Times’ full story on the exhibition written by Leigh-Ann Jackson. “Come as You Are” is free to view and runs until Oct. 28. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and more information can be found online.
Go out and learn: ONE Magazine celebrates 70 years since its inaugural issue in January 1953 with an exhibition documenting the magazine’s legacy of LGBTQ+ liberation and advocacy. While ONE Magazine ended publication in 1967, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives continues. “ONE Magazine at Seventy” is on view at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries in Hollywood until Nov. 5. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday and more information can be found on Circa Festival’s website. Learn more about the celebration with Manuel Betancourt’s coverage for The Times.
Go out with the kids: Let the kids get crafty this weekend with a family workshop at Craft Contemporary in Mid-Wilshire. The art museum will host a pop-up book workshop led by artist Rachel Curry. The session will guide you and the little ones through folding techniques and cutting patterns to create a layered pop-up book to take home. The workshop takes inspiration from Margaret Griffith’s hand-cut paper installation, “Chirk,” which you can also check out before or after the session. Tickets cost $10 (or free for members) and the event is from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. More details can be found on Craft Contemporary’s website.
Go out on a date: Take your special someone to a night performance filled with poetry, music and stand-up comedy. Spanish Aqui Presents is an all-Latino improv comedy team made up of Raiza Licea (“Hacks”), Carlos Santos (“Gentefied”), Oscar Montoya (“Minx”) and Tony Rodriguez (“The Simpsons”). At 9 p.m. Friday, the quartet of comedians will bring together even more stars, including actress Gina Torres (“Suits”), comedian Steve Hernandez, poet Angela Aguirre and musician Reina Macias. Tickets to the show at the Paramount in Boyle Heights cost $22.66 if they’re bought in advance and $25 the day of the show. More information can be found on Dice.
Go out all night: Long Beach Museum of Art is ringing in the opening of its fall exhibition, “Ordinary People,” with its annual AfterDark preview party. “Ordinary People” is a group exhibition that features Crenshaw Dairy Mart, QUA — LGBTQ Ukrainians in America, Tlaloc Studios, AMBOS Project, People’s Pottery Project and Slanguage Studio. Drawing on “Freedom is a Constant Struggle” by Angela Davis, the show centers on communities pushing to sustain social movements. The opening reception party is from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and tickets cost $20. More information can be found on Eventbrite.
Go out all week: The 15th annual Hola México Film Festival is running until Saturday with a long lineup of films and panels. The festival closes with “Viaje Todo Robado” by Diego Graue and a musical performance by Los Malditos at 6 p.m. Saturday. The movie follows a father who is up to his neck in debt and finds a wad of cash at work. He uses it to take his family on vacation and faces some unexpected consequences along the way. The festival takes place across the Montalbán Theater in Hollywood, Regal Cinemas L.A. Live in downtown L.A. and La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown L.A. Tickets range from free to $259, depending on the package, and more details can be found on the festival’s website.
Go out and wander: “The Feminist Art Program (1970-1974): Cycles of Collectivity” at REDCAT in downtown L.A. brings together histories of diverse feminists through archival materials, artwork and audio/video installations. Wander through the interactive exhibition and explore works by artists like Andrea Bowers and Gala Porras-Kim. The exhibition is free and available to view from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. More details can be found on REDCAT’s website.
Go out and celebrate: In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, the Getty Center in Brentwood is hosting a family event filled with activities celebrating Indigenous cultures. Events include a food tasting, a block stamp workshop led by Meztli Projects and a performance of Raven Chacon’s “Zitkála Šá” by Carmina Escobar, Micaela Tobin and Jacqueline Wilson. The free celebration is from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and more information can be found on the Getty’s website.
More from the crew here
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Keep the fall vibes going by trying out these 8 perfect California road trips that show off the season’s amber and orange hues.
Take a step back from the noise of the city and visit one of the 16 most beautiful and inviting public gardens in SoCal.
Stroll through L.A. history with these 11 iconic homes in the city you can tour IRL.
I’m all ears!
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Follow our feed of recommendations and itineraries on Instagram and Twitter, and if you have recs of your own, send them to steven.vargas@latimes.com.
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