This Weekend at LACMA: Caravaggio Opens, Kubrick Film Series, Eight More Exhibitions on View

November 10, 2012

The veritable feast of fall exhibitions at LACMA culminates on this three-day weekend in what some might consider the main course: Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy (it is open to members right now, and opens to the public on Sunday). The exhibition fills the western side of the Resnick Pavilion with fifty-six magnificent paintings of the seventeenth century, made by Caravaggio and the many painters who were influenced by his masterful use of light, shadow, and visceral emotion. Along with masters in their own right like George de la Tour, Diego Velázquez, and Simon Vouet, the exhibition features eight paintings by Caravaggio himself—none of which have ever been on display in California before. Gain added insight to the exhibition by attending a free lecture Sunday afternoon by Andrew Graham-Dixon, author of Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane.


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Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Ecce Homo, 1605, Musei de Strada Nuova, Palazzo Bianco, Genoa, Italy, photo © Musei di Strada Nuova

Bodies and Shadows, like the Stanley Kubrick exhibition that opened just last week, is a specially ticketed exhibition (we recommend you reserve your viewing time before you arrive). Before you buy your tickets to either, consider becoming a member first. Not only will you receive two free tickets to each exhibition ($80 value right there—practically the full cost of an Active membership), you’ll also get twelve months of free admission to the rest of the museum, discounts in the stores and on events, and more. If you’re going to come to LACMA even just one more time in the next twelve months, save money—and support the museum!—by becoming a member.

Speaking of Stanley Kubrick, that exhibition has been getting rave reviews and tons of positive comments from visitors on Facebook and Twitter. Give yourself some extra time to become engrossed in the film-by-film presentation in the galleries, which include costumes, annotated notes from Kubrick, photographs, and related artworks. This weekend also sees the start of our Kubrick film series in the Bing Theater, where we will be screening all of his films throughout November and December. Tonight, two of his earliest classics: the grossly underrated The Killing (Tarantino fans: take note if you haven’t seen this clear influence on Reservoir Dogs), and the powerful Paths of Glory, starring Kirk Douglas in one his best performances.

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In addition to these two most recent exhibitions, there is plenty else to do and see at LACMA this weekend. Families can enjoy our free Andell Family Sunday activities, while the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra will perform Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) at our free Sundays Live concert.

We also have seven more major exhibitions on view right now, plus numerous smaller rotations from all areas of our collection. Don’t sleep on the excellent Drawing Surrealism exhibition on view in BCAM right now, which features surrealist icons like Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, André Breton, Matta, and many others. Other exhibitions include solo shows by Robert Mapplethorpe, Ken Price, Ed Ruscha, and Walter De Maria.


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Matta [Roberto-Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren], Original art for “Maldoror,” c. 1938, private collection, © 2012 Roberto-Sebastián Matta Echaurren Estate/ARS/ADAGP, Paris

Scott Tennent