LA Art Guide: New Exhibits at LACMA, The Broad & More – February 2024

Los Angeles Arts Scene Flourishes This February

Los Angeles’ major cultural institutions are debuting new exhibitions and events this month, offering a diverse range of artistic experiences. From contemporary Japanese art to the magic of Studio Ghibli, and explorations of art and science, the city’s cultural landscape is vibrant and evolving.

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo

February 14 – January 10, 2027 – The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures presents Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, curated by Jessica Niebel, with support from assistant curator Emily Rauber Rodriguez. The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film. An interactive animation table allows guests to create their own animated sequences, and a dedicated play zone caters to younger audiences. The exhibit features over 100 hand-picked objects from Studio Ghibli, many on display for the first time in North America, including art boards, posters, an animation desk, and original drawings.

Autry Museum of the American West: Desert Dreams and Coastal Currents

February 14 – March 29 – Desert Dreams and Coastal Currents, housed in the Marilyn and Calvin Gross Gallery at the Autry Museum of the American West, showcases works depicting desert landscapes and pueblo life. The exhibition explores the rise of Southern California and the Southwest as centers of artistic innovation, and its lasting impact from Laguna Beach to Santa Fe. Featured works capture the spirit of American Manifest Destiny through the eyes of early 20th-century artists.

The Broad: Wild Up: The Great Learning

February 7 – In conjunction with the exhibition Robert Therrien: This Is a Story (on view until April 5), orchestral collective Wild Up will perform The Great Learning, Paragraphs 2 and 7 by Cornelius Cardew, with 30 non-musicians. This performance aims to inspire a sense of collective joy through collaborative creation.

Getty Center: Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985

February 24 – June 14 – The Getty Center’s new exhibition, Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985, commemorates the power of photography during a pivotal era. The exhibition, located in the West Pavilion’s lower level, features work by studio and street photographers, community organizers, and graphic designers who celebrated Black culture and advanced the fight for civil rights.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Village Square: Gifts of Modern Art from the Pearlman Collection

February 22 – July 5 – LACMA presents Village Square: Gifts of Modern Art from the Pearlman Collection, showcasing nearly 50 paintings acquired through the Gene J. And Betye M. Burton Acquisitions Endowment. The exhibition features works by artists including Paul Cézanne, Amedeo Modigliani, Édouard Manet, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The exhibition honors the memory of Betye Burton, who passed away this past fall.

Marciano Art Foundation: Bruce Conner/Recording Angel

February 21 – July 25 – The Marciano Art Foundation presents Bruce Conner/Recording Angel, curated by Douglas Fogle. The exhibition features a four-screen presentation of seven of Conner’s most quintessential films, woven together for a single projection in the Marciano Art Foundation Theater Gallery. Conner himself described his work as prioritizing “vision” over words.

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles: Good on Paper: Works from the Gene J. And Betye M. Burton Acquisitions Endowment

February 24 – August 2 – MOCA’s Good on Paper exhibition celebrates works on paper acquired through the Gene J. And Betye M. Burton Acquisitions Endowment. The exhibition features pastels, collages, watercolors, and other works by artists including Lee Bontecou, John Cage, Cynthia Hawkins, Kahlil Robert Irving, Barry Le Va, Lee Lozano, Ree Morton, Nancy Rubins, Joey Terrill, and Hannah Wilke. The exhibition honors the legacy of Betye Burton following her recent passing.