LA Agenda: Design and Arts Events in Southern California
Author:Valerie ChenIn an admirable effort to heighten passenger experience and improve preconceived notions about public transit, the Los Angeles Metro has commissioned artists to incorporate their mastery throughout the system since 1989. Led by Metro Art Docent Council volunteers, the ongoing Metro Art Moves tours highlight this artistic fusion with insightful stories and activities. The limited-capacity tours involve about 90 percent walking and last about an hour and a half to two hours long, depending on if you take a winter tour or a year-round tour. Open Thursday, December 5 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. Thursday tour begins at Union Station’s information kiosk and ends at the Downtown on Ice skating rink at Pershing Square. Saturday tour begins and ends at street level entrance to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Rail Station on Hollywood Blvd. Sunday tour begins and ends at Union Station’s information kiosk. General admission is free; no reservations required (recommended to arrive early, as capacity is limited).
Celebrated for his woodworking talent, the late Sam Maloof was a trailblazer in the modern arts movement. He designed stunning furniture, which galvanized a well-deserved MacArthur Genius Grant and honorary doctorates from various universities (including the California State University at San Bernardino). Alfreda Maloof was also an artist and acted as a muse to her husband’s work. The two lived together in a hand-built residence, equipped with an adjoining woodshop. Though the Maloof residence and workshop were moved in 1990 due to an interruptive freeway extension, the newer location now acts as a living museum. Docent-led tours of the Maloof Foundation Historic Residence and Garden showcase award-winning furniture and an expansive art collection. Museum and tour proceeds benefit the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for the Arts and Crafts, a nonprofit organization that encourages craftsmanship. Every Thursday and Saturday at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. General admission: $10; Seniors: $8; Students: $5. 5131 Carnelian St, Rancho Cucamonga.
Adam Silverman: Clay and Space runs until January 19 at the Laguna Art Museum as the renowned potter’s first-ever museum exhibition (his last 50 New Pots exhibit was held at Heath Ceramics in San Francisco). Silverman, whose passion for pottery began 25 years ago, has devised four unique yet still relevant galleries in sequential fashion. The first gallery has an installation of 15 plexiglas boxes containing pots; the second involves two large pot-shaped rooms that hold pots made from materials found in Laguna Beach (e.g., seaweed, clay from the nearby canyons, etc.); the third features a large-scale sculpture that is tantalizingly visible from the museum lobby; and the last gallery includes multimedia, using video projections to integrate illusions and architecture in his work. Runs through Sunday, January 19. Open Monday to Tuesday and Friday to Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m; Thursday until 9 p.m. General admission: $7; Students and Seniors: $5; Children, Military members and Museum members: free. Free first Thursday of the month from 5 to 9 p.m. 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach.
