This Weekend at LACMA: Baldessari Closing, LA Jazz Treasure Award, Bergman Series, and More

September 10, 2010


wrong-baldessari

John Baldessari, "Wrong," 1966–68, Contemporary Art Council, © John Baldessari

Have you been putting off seeing John Baldessari: Pure Beauty? Well put it off no longer: the exhibition closes this weekend. Depending on what day you come, there's plenty more to do while you're here.

Tonight's Jazz at LACMA concert is a special event, as we bestow the LA Jazz Treasure award on legendary keyboardist Les McCann. McCann has been around for decades and has played with all the greats. He's the man behind the outstanding track "Compared to What," among others. Here's an amazing TV performance of the song, along with Eddie Harris on saxophone, from the late 60s. Tonight he'll be performing with the Javon Jackson Quintet.

Also tonight, our latest film series begins—Cries and Whispers: The Psychological Cinema of Ingmar Bergman. Tonight's films are Persona and Cries and Whispers, both starring Liv Ullman. The series continues tomorrow with a triple feature: The Magic Flute, Hour of the Wolf, and The Magician. These are all classic, if intense, feats of cinema. Here are a couple of trailers, for tonight's Persona and Saturday's Hour of the Wolf, to give you some idea of what to expect.

Sunday we've got a film of a whole other kind—Bruno Wollheim's award-winning documentary David Hockney—A Bigger Picture, which follows Hockney at age 70 as he leaves his longtime Southern California home for his native England, reinventing his painting along the way. It'll be a great—and free—way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

If you prefer a great—and free—way to spend a Sunday evening, then stick around for the Debussy Trio—Marcia Dickstein (harp), Angela Wiegand (flute), and David Walther (viola)—who will perform as part of our Sundays Live concert series.