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The Skirball Cultural Center partially reopens this weekend with “Ai Weiwei: Trace,” the artist’s portraits of imprisoned dissidents and free-speech advocates, all crafted with Lego bricks. It’s a smaller version of Ai’s installation for his unprecedented 2014 exhibition on Alcatraz, which Times critic Christopher Knight called “an always-poignant, often-powerful meditation on soul-deadening repressions of human thought and feeling.”
The Skirball show leads our weekend list of cultural offerings for your viewing consideration. All times are Pacific.
SoCal in-person events
“Ai Weiwei: Trace”
The acclaimed artist and activist‘s Lego portraits go on view in an 8,000-square-foot gallery lined with a gold-colored wallpaper, a design by Ai’s studio that turns images of surveillance equipment into a decorative pattern. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Saturday through Aug. 1. $7-$12; kids under 2 are free; advance timed-entry tickets required. skirball.org
We’re back with another list of best virtual bets. Cinco de Mayo is quickly approaching and we got you covered there, but there’s also a little something for film buffs, dance lovers, classical music aficionados, and more. Keep reading to see some of the best virtual (and socially distanced) events Houston has to offer this coming week.
In Good Company, a series of dance films choreographed by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch to the music of The Dead South. If you haven’t been following along, the Houston Ballet has been releasing the short dance films – 11 in total and each set to a track from the Canadian acoustic quartet – weekly, and yesterday marked the release of the final installment. You can view all the films of
After long consideration, Miller Outdoor Theatre emerged after having to cancel the entirety of its 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; live music, dance and theater performances coming to the outdoor theatre space beginning May 1. Online tickets can be purchased here beginning April 26. A list of the upcoming May performances is as follows.
May 1, 8 p.m.:
Cinco de Mayo at Miller- Headlined by Cindy Shea, two-time Grammy Award trumpet player, all-female group Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea will provide a festive time for the entire family with a wide range of mariachi music aimed at introducing the audience to a staple of Latino culture.
Heartbeat of Mexico, now in its fifth year, caps Musco Center’s free @THEMUSCO-Online series with two free events that bring the spirit of the annual community festival into individual homes. This celebration of Mexican-American art and culture is presented with our longtime collaborators, the Chapman Latinx Staff and Faculty Forum.
Visit muscocenter.org for a full listing of this season’s dynamic offerings surrounding the themes of cultural equity and emerging voices.
Heartbeat of Mexico: Mariachi Fest
Saturday, May 15 at 1 p.m. PDT
Nationally recognized mariachi ensembles such as Las Colibrí, Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, and Mariachi Espectacular share the virtual stage with local school-based mariachi programs from Chapman University, Santa Ana High School, and Garey High School.