January 12, 2007
With the holidays finally finished, it’s time to start off a whole new year of exciting art and cultural happenings in Santa Monica. And if this month is anything like what the rest of the year will bring us, it’s going to be a great one. January starts off with a Santa Monica Museum of Art opening that will take you on an art trek to Tijuana; the 18th Street Arts Center will serve up a hot dish of Brazilian samba; Highways, the Santa Monica Symphony and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition remind us of the importance of the American Civil Rights Movement; local teens give us a look at their world at the Santa Monica Library and the galleries at Bergamot Station debut their new winter exhibitions.
It’s definitely a good weekend to get out and about and experience the delights that Santa Monica has to offer.
Strange New World: Art and Design from Tijuana
Opening Reception — Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.
Exhibition runs through April 7
Santa Monica Museum of Art
Bergamot Station G1
2525 Michigan Ave.
(310) 586-6488
The Santa Monica Museum of Art presents “Strange New World: Art and Design from Tijuana.” This is the first major traveling exhibition to focus on the vibrant art scene in Tijuana, Mexico — a leading crucible of cultural innovation. Friday night’s opening party celebrates Tijuana’s cutting-edge electronic music scene with contributions from some of the city’s top DJs and VJs.
For a sample of the exhibition and the party, check out the interactive virtual bus tour of Tijuana on the museum’s Web site: http://www.mcasd.org/exhibitions/strangenewworld/
It’s only virtual, but it’s still totally awesome!
Through Our Eyes
Santa Monica Teens and Self-Expression
Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
On Saturday afternoon, the Santa Monica Teen Advisory Council will let us see the world from their perspective, telling us what they care about and what it’s like to grow up in the world today.
Highways Honors Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Content of their Character
Friday and Saturday, Jan. 12-13, at 8:30 p.m.
Highways Performance Space
1651 18th Street at the 18th Street Arts Center
(310) 315-1459
Award-winning filmmaker Charles Burnett brings an eclectic three-part presentation of poetry, song, multimedia and performance pieces to Highways this weekend. Parts one and two will take place on Friday night, with the final portion on Saturday. Works both serious and satirical will address the meaning of Dr. King’s dream from a variety of viewpoints.
And for those of us who like our art in heaping healthy doses, there’s even more art at Bergamot Station on Saturday night, when several of the galleries host receptions to open their winter seasons. Here’s just a few of the galleries you should visit.
Leigh Salgado and Jose Lozano
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Patricia Corriea Gallery
Copro/Nason — A Catalogue Raisonne
Booksigning from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
CoproNason Gallery
Richard Sedivy and Masayuki Oda
Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Arts
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Avenue
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
Monday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
SGI USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium
525 Wilshire Boulevard
(310) 434-4003
Celebrate the legacy of one of America’s greatest leaders on Monday when the Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition, the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica College present a multiethnic interfaith program on Monday. The morning includes a keynote address by Reverend Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter, Sr., Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, followed by an readings and music. Immediately after the morning program, a Community Involvement Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. nearby at 606 Wilshire Blvd. offering informational displays by a variety of community organizations.