The Agenda: Heatherwick Studio Designs, Mid-Construction Art Show, And Museum Month
Author:Lindsey ShookExhibit
“Provocations: The Architecture & Design of Heatherwick Studio”
British designer Thomas Heatherwick and his London-based studio come stateside for the first time in this comprehensive show. Showcasing the studio’s vast range of inventive approaches to design, the exhibit illustrates how the firm has combined novel engineering, new materials, and innovative technology to create progressive building forms. From crafting Longchamp’s handbag design to a contemporary art museum housed in an historic grain silo, this is one show not to be missed.
When: Friday, 2/20–Sunday, 5/24
Where: Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
Exhibits
This month, Macy’s is the patron saint of arts and sciences. They’re offering half-price admission at more than 40 of San Diego’s top museums, including the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Maritime Museum, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and many museums at Balboa Park. Stop by your local Macy’s to pick up a pass (and do some shopping while you’re at it).
When: Through Saturday, 2/28
Where: Various locations, San Diego

NEMA art plaza
Unveiling
Mid-Market’s dazzling luxury high-rise gets a thoughtful mini urban art park that’s for more than just residents. Meant to entice both residents and passersby to take a moment (or two) to reflect on their surroundings amidst the city’s hustle, the plaza was designed by local artists Topher Delaney and Calvin Chin. “Promised Land,” as it’s been deemed, features cartography-inspired artwork, planters with Japanese black pines, and two 20-foot stone sculptures inscribed with bar codes. Granite-paved pathways are laid out in the pattern of a map depicting a grid of San Francisco’s streets. Alongside are two vector-shaped pathways—made of granite sourced from Northern California’s Raymond quarry—that are etched with artful renderings of the California coastline and Sacramento Delta.
When: Sunday, 2/15, Noon-4pm
Where: 8 Tenth Street, San Francisco
Exhibit
“Embodied Place: Observations and Notations”
Sierra Nevada College’s new MFA program addresses the challenges faced by contemporary artists in an evolving global environment through an interdisciplinary approach. Twenty artists debut their multimedia works, exploring everything from history to present-day realities, including a narrative of Detroit’s transformation as told through Jit dancer Harleem Rasul. Don’t miss the panel discussion (7pm-8:30pm) with Amy Franceschini, founding member of the artist/design group FutureFarmers.
When: Friday, 2/27, 6-9pm; exhibit through Friday, 2/27
Where: Sierra Nevada College, 999 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village

The Broad
Preview
Sky-Lit: Volume, Light, and Sound
Be among the first to set foot inside the hotly anticipated (and still-under-construction) downtown LA museum. This Sunday, The Broad opens its doors for a special installation of two site-specific artworks on the third floor gallery. Meant to interact with specific features of Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s architecture, BJ Nilsen’s sound sculpture DTLA brings city noises from outside in, while Yann Novak’s Stillness plays with the ability of sound and light to affect physical and emotional states (this one will be turned on after sunset). Advance timed tickets are already sold-out, but day-of rush line tickets ($10) will be sold from 2:30pm-8:30pm or you can enter to win tickets here. Word to the wise: You might want to set up camp the night before.
When: Sunday, 2/15, 3pm-10pm
Where: The Broad, 221 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles