The Getty
Ancient gems, Japanese lacquer, Oedipus meets Elvis, music of Argentina, and more

April 2009

Find Events at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa

N E W   E X H I B I T I O N S

Current Exhibitions

Explore the Collection

Carvers and Collectors: The Lasting Allure of Ancient Gems
through September 7
The Getty Villa
Explore some of the best-preserved and most beautiful masterpieces of ancient art in this exhibition of gems by Greek and Roman carvers, along with modern works they inspired. See sumptuous carved portraits and mythological scenes on stones often no larger than an inch, and investigate the artistry in incredible detail with special cameras installed on selected gems in the exhibition.

Learn more about this exhibition.

See all events related to this exhibition.

Ancient carved gems on view at the Getty Villa
Apollo, attributed to Solon, 30–20 B.C. Gift of Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman. Banner image: Gems from the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum

Tales in Sprinkled Gold: Japanese Lacquer for European Collectors
Through May 24
The Getty Center
See stunning works of Japanese lacquer from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, traveling to the U.S. for the first time. The exhibition features the Mazarin Chest, a masterpiece of Japanese art recently restored with funding from the Getty Foundation. A selection of additional lacquer items provides history and context for this important type of Japanese art that was popular among the wealthiest European collectors.

Learn more about this exhibition.

See all events related to this exhibition.

Mazarin Chest, newly restored, on view at the Getty Center
The Mazarin Chest, Japanese, about 1640. Image courtesy of and © V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Also on View
Have you tangoed? Two-step over to Tango with Cows: Book Art of the Russian Avant-Garde, 1910–1917 at the Getty Research Institute through April 19.

Plus, enjoy a special loan treat through April 5, Lucian Freud's Still Life with Aloe, alongside two sumptuous still lifes from the Museum's collection.

See all current exhibitions >>

C O M I N G   S O O N

Future Exhibitions

Four special exhibitions open March 31 at the Getty Center.

Paul Outerbridge: Command Performance
March 31–August 9
American photographer Paul Outerbridge Jr. burst onto the New York art scene in the early 1920s with photographs that were visually fresh and decidedly Modernist. This exhibition brings together nearly 100 photographs from all periods of Outerbridge's career, including his Cubist still life images, staged magazine photographs, and controversial nudes.

Jo Ann Callis: Woman Twirling
March 31–August 9
This exhibition showcases 30 years of the remarkable career of contemporary L.A. photographer Jo Ann Callis, who creates fascinating tableaux inspired by L.A. film, fashion, and design.

Paul Outerbridge: Command Performance opens March 31
Images de Deauville, Paul Outerbridge, 1936. Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Mrs. Ralph Seward Allen, 1942. Digital image courtesy the Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, New York. Paul Outerbridge, Jr. © 2008 G. Ray Hawkins Gallery, Beverly Hills, California

Taking Shape: Finding Sculpture in the Decorative Arts
March 31–July 5
This exhibition reveals the rich sculptural aspects of the decorative arts, presenting furniture, light fixtures, and other objects from the Getty Museum as well as Temple Newsam, a historic country house near Leeds, England.

Made for Manufacture
March 31–July 5
Many Renaissance and Baroque artists made drawings for sculpture and decorative arts. In this exhibition, attention is paid to how the form of a design reflects an object's function and how two-dimensional drawings were transferred to three-dimensional works of art.

See all future exhibitions >>

T H E A T E R   A T   T H E   V I L L A

Performances and Films

Villa Theater Lab: Oedipus: The King, Mama!
Friday, April 17, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 18, 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 19, 3:00 p.m.
The Getty Villa
Sophocles meets Graceland as the actors, musicians, and comedians of the Troubadour Theater Company present a fast-paced, laugh-filled adaptation of the Greek classic. It's not your mama's Oedipus cycle! Tickets are $7 and are available beginning Tuesday, March 24, at 9:00 a.m.

Learn more and get tickets.

Oedipus: The King, Mama! / April 17, 18, and 19
Oedipus meets Elvis in Oedipus: The King, Mama!

M U S I C

Performances and Films

Sounds of L.A.: Chango Spasiuk
Saturday, April 4, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 5, 3:00 p.m.
The Getty Center
Our annual world music series concludes with two concerts by Chango Spasiuk, master of the passionate Argentinian folk music known as chamamé. Spasiuk presents a tour de force of accordion performance blending indigenous rhythms with hints of jazz and rock. Reservations are required and are available beginning Tuesday, March 24, at 9:00 a.m.

Learn more, make reservations, and hear a music sample.

Chango Spasiuk in concert / April 4 and 5
Accordian wizard Chango Spasiuk, master of chamamé. Photo: Vanessa Schwemmler

F I L M   S E R I E S

Performances and Films

Tales of Genji
Saturday, April 18, 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Getty Center
Enjoy two rarely screened films inspired by the 11th-century Japanese novel The Tale of Genji. Princess Yang Kwei-Fei (4:00 p.m.) tells of a beautiful concubine who becomes an emperor's wife. The Tale of Genji (7:00 p.m.), follows Genji, the charming, handsome son of the emperor, who seems to have it all but who cannot control his desire for the taboo. Complements the exhibition Tales in Sprinkled in Gold: Japanese Lacquer for European Collectors.

Learn more and make reservations.

Classic Japanese films / April 18
The Mazarin Chest (detail), Japanese, about 1640. Image courtesy of and © V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

L E C T U R E S   &   C O N V E R S A T I O N S

Lectures and Conferences

Kehinde Wiley on His Art and Its Influences
Thursday, April 2, 7:00 p.m.
The Getty Center
Contemporary painter Kehinde Wiley speaks about his work—including his current project to paint radical portraits of African men in cities around the globe—and reveals how he blends art historical influences with contemporary culture. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations.

Kehinde Wiley speaks about his art / April 2
Randerson Romualdo Cordeiro (detail) (from The World Stage: Brazil), Kehinde Wiley, 2008. Courtesy of Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, CA

Mythical Stones: The Appeal of Engraved Gems in the Age of Augustus
Thursday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.
The Getty Villa
Popular with elites and commoners alike, carved gemstones had a remarkably influential role as propaganda in the early days of the Roman Empire. On the occasion of the exhibition Carvers and Collectors: The Lasting Allure of Ancient Gems, classicist Dimitris Plantzos reveals the subtle messages these valuable stones conveyed. Free; a ticket is required.

Learn more and get tickets.

The messages in carved gems / April 2
Gem engraved with Pan gazing at a mask (detail), Roman gem (A.D. 1–100) set in a modern ring

MYhistoricLA—Preserving Los Angeles
Saturday, April 4, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Central Library
Share your favorite L.A. places at this kickoff day for SurveyLA, Los Angeles's first-ever comprehensive survey of its historic resources. At this event co-organized by the Getty Conservation Institute, you can give your tips about the city's hidden gems to staff and volunteers of the City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources, swap stories with fellow Angelenos, and enjoy film screenings and a panel discussion (separate reservation required). All events are free!

Learn more about the day of activities at the Central Library.

MyHistoricLA activity day / April 4
Classic L.A.: the Munch Box hamburger stand in Chatsworth. Photo: Emile Askey

Works in Progress: Playing the Game? Approaches to Performing the Piano Music of Christian Wolff
Tuesday, April 14, 2:00 p.m.
The Getty Center
Visiting Getty researcher Philip Thomas presents a lecture on American composer Christian Wolff and his composition For Pianist, which was first performed by David Tudor. The lecture draws on Thomas's research in the David Tudor archive at the Getty Research Institute and features performances of solo piano works composed by Wolff in the 1950s. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations.

Philip Thomas speaks and performs / April 15
Philip Thomas, 2007. Photo: Grenville Charles

Ethical Dilemmas in the Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Art
Wednesday, April 29, 7:00 p.m.
The Getty Center
Much of modern and contemporary art is deliberately created to be ephemeral. Should it be conserved—and if so, how? Conservators, collection managers, and art historians debate the issue in a panel moderated by Edward Goldman, host of KCRW's Art Talk. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations.

Conserving modern art / April 29
Untitled (Golden) (detail), Felix Gonzalez-Torres, 1995. © The Felix Gonzalez-Torres Foundation, Courtesy Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York

F O R  F A M I L I E S

Family Activities

Family Drawing Hour
Saturdays, April 4, May 2, and May 30, 3:30 p.m.
The Getty Center
Put your best face forward at this drawing hour just for families! Get a close look at some unforgettable faces in the Museum's collection, then try your hand at making an expressive portrait of your own. Geared for families with children ages 7 and up, but anyone can participate. Free; no reservations required. Sign up at the Museum Information Desk beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Learn more about Family Drawing Hour.

Family Drawing Hour / April 4
Enjoy making art as a family at Family Drawing Hour.

N E W

Exclusive for e-Getty Subscribers!
Join the Loyalty Rewards program at The Grove and receive 1,500 bonus points and one week of complimentary parking. In addition, receive complimentary gift wrapping on all gift card purchases. Print this e-mail and bring it to the Concierge Services at The Grove to receive this special offer. For more information, call The Grove's Concierge Services at (323) 900-8080. Offer expires April 30, 2009.

Subscriber offer: a week of free parking at The Grove

Event Calendar

Reservations, Tickets, and Information:
(310) 440-7300

Event Calendar

Browse all our spring offerings on our event calendar.

Spend a relaxing Saturday evening with art as Art Circles continues on April 4. Explore positive portrayals of women in Bolognese art on April 15 and take a journey with the Mazarin Chest on April 23. At the Getty Villa, discover new revelations about the Pantheon in Rome on April 23, peek inside the collection of a great British Grand Tourist on April 25, and learn about changing ideas on conserving antiquities on April 30.

Plus, reservations are available now for conversation with Gay Block, Catherine Opie, and Jo Ann Callis on May 21.

Most events are FREE.

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HOURS: Tues–Fri and Sun: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Sat: 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Closed Mondays

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THE GETTY VILLA
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 440-7300

HOURS: Thurs-Mon: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays.

Admission to the Getty Villa is always FREE. A ticket is required. Each Villa ticket allows you to bring up to three children ages 15 and under with you in one car. Please note that this does not apply to tickets for events, such as lectures and performances. Check current ticket availability online or call (310) 440-7300. Ticket availability is updated weekly for a two-month period. Same-day tickets may also become available online without advance notice. Groups of 15 or more must make reservations by phone. Parking is $15, but FREE for evening events after 5:00 p.m.

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