The Agenda: ICA LA, SF’s Fall Art & Antiques Show, and Big Sur Rebuilt
Author:Lindsey ShookGrand Opening
Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Last month, the Santa Monica Museum of Art moved its digs to the buzzy Downtown L.A. arts district and was reborn as the Institute of Contemporary Art. The 12,700-square-foot industrial building was designed by sought-after museum architect Kulapat Yantrasat of wHY and boasts ample space for exhibitions, education areas, and creative collaborations. Artist Mark Bradford designed a fresh new logo, and local artist Sarah Cain created a site-specific work on the museum’s exterior wall. There’s no excuse to miss ICA’s inaugural shows—self-taught 20th century master Martín Ramírez, who captured his own experiences as a Mexican migrant laborer in a series of mesmerizing drawings, and an installation by Abigail DeVille using found objects from the museum’s surrounding neighborhoods—because the entire museum experience is free to the public. While you’re downtown, check out The Space, a new contemporary art venue within walking distance of the museum.
When: Inaugural exhibits on view through Sun. 12/31
Where: 1717 E. 7th St., Los Angeles
Event
San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show
It’s well into fall and San Francisco is still celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. The annual Fall Art & Antiques Show, chaired by fashion designer Andrew Gn, is taking Flower Power as its cue. Inspired by floral imagery across the decades, this year’s show is rich with symbolism and the romance of spring blooms. In between antique browsing, don’t miss the conversation with authors Susan Lowry and Nancy Brenner, along with Berkeley-based photographer Marion Brenner, who will talk about California’s different garden styles and approaches impacted by the geography and microclimates of the region. Bonus points for anyone who comes dressed in their best floral attire.
When: Thurs. 10/26–Sun. 10/29
Where: Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, 38 Fort Mason, San Francisco
Ventana Big Sur
Rebranding + Re-opening
Californians have been mourning the loss of access to Big Sur for the past six months since the stunning coastal town was cut off to the public because of fallen bridges and landslides. In this time, the iconic Ventana Inn changed hands (marking the North American debut of Alila Hotels & Resorts), rebranded, and revamped. The multi-million-dollar renovation includes a refresh of guest rooms, suites and villas, the new Glass House Gallery to showcase works of art, a new luxury glamping experience offering 15 safari-style, canvas tents spanning a 20-acre canyon, and the new awe-inspiring Ocean Meadow Lawn for events and celebrations. Now, all you have to do is make a reservation and hit the road.
When: Now open and accepting reservations
Where: 48123 Highway 1, Big Sur
Exhibit
Drawing from American modernist painters, second-wave feminist art, and neo-tantric artists, Loie Hollowell’s sculptural paintings are nothing short of provocative. For her first show at Pace Gallery’s Palo Alto outpost, she has created a series of sister paintings, each exactly a mirrored opposite of the other. Pulling inspiration from strong contemporary female figures like Georgia O’Keefe, Judy Chicago, and Amy Schumer, she notes that her own work is more personal than political. Check out the exhibit during your lunch break on Tuesday the 24th and catch a trunk show (12 – 2 p.m.) by local design star Harputs’ Own while you’re there.
When: Through Thurs. 11/2
Where: Pace Palo Alto, 229 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto
Opening
McEvoy Foundation for the Arts
There’s a great new addition to San Francisco’s art scene opening at Minnesota Street Project this weekend. Nion McEvoy, CEO of Chronicle Books, brings the McEvoy Family Collection out from behind closed doors. Think works by iconic California artists, including Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn, Ed Ruscha, and David Hockney alongside pieces by Anne Collier, Roe Ethridge, and Ragnar Kjartansson. In addition to the selection of works Nion and his mother, Nan, have collected over the years, the space will showcase new works in visual, literary, film, and media arts.
When: Opens to the public Fri. 10/27
Where: Minnesota Street Project, 1150 25th St., San Francisco
