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Pencil This In: Art Openings, Peter Case at McCabe's and Holidays Storyelling at Vroman's
Rob Burden: Toy Biz' Captain America (Marvel Superheroes 1990), Oil on canvas. (Image: Courtesy of La Luz de Jesus)
TGIF! We found a few events around town tonight that might pique your interest, including art openings at La Luz de Jesus and Gallery1988; holiday storytelling at Vroman's; Peter Case at McCabe's and a three-day symposium on Latin-American art at LACMA. Read on for all the details.
ART*
La Luz de Jesus Gallery opens two exhibitions tonight: Daniel Martin Diaz's Quantum Mysticism and Robert Burden’s Toy Box. In Quantum Mysticism, Diaz explores the secrets of symbols that represent sacred machines, time travel, sacred geometry, The Illuminati, alchemy, and the mysteries of higher consciousness. Burden's work features epic portraits of the small action figures that he played with as a boy. “Burden enjoys the irony of spending hundreds and hundreds of hours in order to make a single painting that glorifies an object that was cheaply, mass-produced for millions of kids.” Opening reception from 8-11 pm. A book signing for Diaz’s book precedes the reception from 7-8 pm. Both shows run through Dec. 31.
STORYTELLING
Tonight at 7 pm, Vroman's hosts its Holiday Open Mike Night. Writers are invited to come armed with your worst (or best) holiday stories to share. A prize will go to the crowd favorite. Signups for readers will start at 6:15 pm with 10 slots available. Stories should be no longer than 5 minutes each, and Vroman’s asks that storytellers keep it clean.
ART
Gallery1988 Melrose opens the group show Devil Town tonight from 7-10 pm. The show, curated by artist Daniel Danger, features more than 15 artists all inspired by Danger’s theme of "rural and distant suburbs, dead farmlands [and] quiet and dark towns..." The show is a departure from Gallery1988’s usual pop culture focus. Participating artists include Dan Black, Hellen Jo, JC Richard, Nicholas Bohac and Scott Belcastro.
MUSIC
Peter Case—former lead singer of The Plimsouls—is on tour to support his recently released rarities album The Case Files. He plays two shows (tonight and tomorrow) at 8 pm at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. Last we checked, there were a few tickets left for tonight’s show only. He’s recording an forthcoming Live At McCabe's album over these two nights. Tickets: $20.
LEARN
Beginning tonight, LACMA (in conjunction with UCLA) holds the three-day symposium Contested Visions in the Spanish Colonial World at the museum. The symposium brings together more than 30 of the most distinguished scholars in the field from Mexico, South America, Europe, and the U.S. Tonight at 7 pm, Cecelia F. Klein (UCLA) presents the keynote lecture, "Suffer the Little Children: Contested Visions of Child Sacrifice in the Americas."
*Pencil pick of the day
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Want more events? Follow me on Twitter (@christineziemba). Or follow Lauren Lloyd—who takes care of Pencil on Wednesdays (@LadyyyLloyd).
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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