Hans Burkhardt, master artist of Los Angeles @ Jack Rutberg Fine Arts

Visual arts
The expansive and influential career of Hans Burkhardt (1904–1994), who constantly updated and reinvented as a painter in Los Angeles is the focus of a survey exhibition of paintings and drawings, “Hans Burkhardt: Within & Beyond the Mainstream.” In the video, gallerist Rutberg notes, with certain contained astonishment, that Burkhardt, who transferred to L.A. after ...

Young lions of modern dance – Hofesh Shechter, Kyle Abraham – set to roar 2

Dance
A very rich week in dance is upon us. Two strong young choreographic voices are contending across town, both are must viewing, indeed game changers, for the art form. Wednesday and Thursday nights, the Israeli-born, London-based, pants-on-fire Hofesh Shechter brings “Political Mother” to Royce Hall (huge thumbs up on that title, Hofesh). And the equally ...

Alluring mix of mid-century jazz & photography comes to Northridge

Music · Visual arts
October 23 is as good a day as any, no better, to trek to the deep San Fernando Valley. On that Sunday, the campus of Cal State University, Northridge, will be super alive in an extraordinary double-bill highlighting the best of African-American art. [slideshow id=38] Featured photographers: Roland Charles, Willie Middlebrook, Jack Davis, Calvin Hick ...

The divine meets the dogged: Tippi Hedren & Edith Head reunite

Fashion · Film · Theater
High Hollywood gets a sparkling rejuvenation when the divine Tippi Hedren will meet the determined Edith Head at a theater opening on October 28. It’s the restaging at the Odyssey Theater in West Los Angeles of the one-woman show, “A Conversation with Edith Head.” Ms. Head, who was petite, loomed large as a cinema costumer. ...

Yvonne Mounsey, 39 others, feted for Jerome Robbins collaboration

Dance
In a truly beautiful gesture, on September 30, the 2011 Jerome Robbins Award was dedicated to 30 former or current New York City Ballet principal ballerinas, 4 posthumously, who danced several principal roles in Jerome Robbins’ ballets. Included was Los Angeles’ own Yvonne Mounsey, 92, who danced with City Ballet from 1949 – 1958, and ...

John Lautner, visionary architect and artist, honored in Los Angeles

Architecture & Design
The John Lautner Foundation and the Los Angeles Conservancy co-convened a marvelous panel discussion comprised of passionate professionals who have purchased and/or restored modern homes designed by architect John Lautner (1911-1994). The L.A.-based architect would have turned 100 this past July.

Bad boys of Lula’s China tour: Marcus Miller & Freedom Jazz Movement

Dance · Music
Marcus Miller – Drums Kamasi Washington – Tenor Sax Ardom Belton – Upright Bass Mahesh Balasooriya – Piano Last June, I had the unspeakable joy of being the writer on the bus of Lula Washington Dance Theater’s three-week tour of China, primarily in Henan Province. It was a spectacular, gargantuan life experience. What added art ...

Balanchine’s “Symphony in Three Movements,” from 1972, to Stravinsky

Dance · Music
Alastair Macaulay, in the New York Times, reviews the work in 2008, performed by NYCB, Macaulay at his most inspired: I marvel in particular to watch and hear the many strangenesses with which Balanchine answers Stravinsky’s “Symphony in Three Movements.” He makes you hear the music better, and yet he often does so by springing ...

LA Filmforum contributes “Alternative Projections” to Pacific Standard Time

Film · Visual arts
Los Angeles Filmforum screens a wonderful line-up of short experimental films under the rubric of Alternative Projections: Experimental Film in Los Angeles, 1945-1980. The next chapter of the multipart series happens on October 16 with “Industry Town: The Avant-Garde and Hollywood.” Alternative Projections is part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945 – 1980, ...

All hail the “Kings”!

Dance
Courtesy of my Facebook Friend, Marcelo Gomes, here’s Gene Schiavone’s marvelous portrait of the dancing dudes, their Royal Heinesses, er… Highnesses, THE KINGS OF THE DANCE. You gotta love these kingly kreatures … Impresario Sergei Danilian clearly does, as he’s producing ballet’s premier testosterone showcase for a fourth time.I’ll be there, opening night in Costa ...