Ever wonder why Picasso started painting ears where eyes should go and what prompted Georges Seurat to depict parks with a bunch of dots? This weekend at LACMA, come explore the origins of modern art on Saturday, September 22, at 8:30 am with a special gallery course on The Beginnings of Modern Art. Included is an exclusive tour of LACMA's modern art galleries before the museum opens to the public. Many textbooks and art history courses may mark modern art's origins as 1900 onward, but LACMA's director of adult programs Mary Lenihan is here to prove that notion wrong as she presents its roots in the preceding century, outlining Barbizon artists, the Impressionists, the Post-Impressionists, Symbolism, and the great Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. It's an intimate and enlighting experience you won't want to miss!
On Saturday, September 22, at 7:30 pm, LACMA presents a free screening of the pilot for the ABC show A Million Little Things, which will be followed by a post-screening conversation including the entire cast and executive producers, moderated by Michael Schneider from Indiewire. Make sure to bring some tissues, as the show's premise centers around a group of close friends who experience a terrible tragedy that turns out to be the most life-affirming moment for themselves.
Also this Sunday, September 23, at 1 pm, come check out the world premiere of Beneath the Hagia Sophia for free at LACMA. This documentary reveals the secrets under one of the world's most iconic structures; directed by Göksel Gülensoy, the film is based on decades of exploration of the legendary structure's underwater tunnels and waterways and a short presentation by archaeologist Haluk Çetinkaya will precede the screening. The Hagia Sophia, famous for its marvelous large dome, is located in the heart of Istanbul and dates back to the 6th century, once accepted as the most important church in the Christian world and later a revered mosque during Ottoman times.
This Friday, September 21, at 6 pm, hop onboard the Jazz at LACMA train and take a ride to Trane Stories—A Salute to John Coltrane, where the group will celebrate the music of John Coltrane with lyric, poetry, and spoken word, as well as his music. Then on Sunday, September 23, at 6 pm, Sundays Live presents the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds performing a suite led by director Stephen Piazza.