A few weeks ago I spent some time in Palm Springs during Desert X- I needed to see and feel some art and Desert X, with its outdoor installations, was a perfect fit for our pandemic times.
One of the installations was in the gardens at Sunnylands. The garden installation was lovely, but for me the best surprise came in a small side gallery in the welcome center. Inside this small space were the works of Isreali artist Yaacov Agam. The installation ” In Motion: Agam at Sunnylands” featured distinctive works collected by the Annenbergs.
What was most striking to me was not just the art but the way the gallery made me feel. For art enthusiast, you know what I am mean, there is a sacred peacefulness accompanied by rich emotion that you feel when in a gallery experiencing a piece of art. I had not realized until that moment at sunnylands just how much I missed galleries and museums as a place to nurture my soul. It was emotional and Agams’ work is a designer’s dream. Both precise and interactive. I felt happy.
Fortunately, for all of us in DTLA our Covid numbers are subsiding and finally opening up some of the treasured cultural spots that feed our souls. Two of the most significant are MOCA Grand Ave. and The Broad. Two incredible art institutions on Grand Ave in downtown LA.
Here is what you need to know to experience ART in DTLA and its FREE!
MOCA Grand Ave will be open to the public with advance FREE ticket reservations. All visitors, including members, will need to get advance timed-entry tickets online. Tickets are now available for advance reservations on moca.org. Phone reservations will be available at the MOCA Box Office by calling 213-633-5351 beginning May 20 between the hours of 11am-3pm.
General admission to MOCA is free courtesy of Carolyn Clark Powers.
Tickets to The Broad are always free for General Admission and advance tickets sales are encouraged. Currently timed entry tickes are available after June 14, but they still have a standby line if you prefer.
When visiting be sure to check out Invisible Sun, a new collection exhibition. Developed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the groundswell of demands for social justice and racial equity, Invisible Sun features works that resonate with this unprecedented period of rupture and unrest. Artists featured include El Anatsui, Alexander Calder, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Julie Mehretu, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Cindy Sherman, and many others in the Broad collection. You can also experience new expansive presentations of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichenstein, Kara Walker and Andy Warhol.
The Broad has temporarily adopted new hours. Closed Monday and Tuesday and are open Wednesdy – Firday 11-5 and Saturday Sunday 10-5. Be sure to check the website for safety protocols during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our city is opening again slowly and safely. Not sure what it is going to look like in the long term. But for today it feels bright, with the opportunity to experience art and soothe our collective souls.
It’s been a challenging time and any comfort is welcome.