Eighty years after it was first painted, the recently conserved América Tropical—the only U.S. public mural by famed Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros still in its original location—will once again be on view to the public starting October 9. To celebrate, the Getty Conservation Institute, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles and others, is presenting a series of public events that explore the artistic, social, and historical significance of América Tropical.

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Learn more about the Getty Conservation Institute project to conserve, interpret, and provide public access to the mural »

Formal elegance, technical precision, and optical innovation are the hallmarks of the work of photographer Ray K. Metzker. His finely crafted black-and-white images probe photography's expressive potential, offering a new view of our world and our interaction with it.

This exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of Metzker's five-decade career and situates his work in the tradition of the Chicago Institute of Design (ID), the profoundly influential art school where he studied in the '50s.

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Please note that the Getty Center is CLOSED Saturday and Sunday, September 29 and 30, when the 405 Freeway is closed for construction. The Getty Villa is open.

See Vesuvius erupt at the Getty Villa! This outdoor film series features two spectacular versions of The Last Days of Pompeii: the 1913 silent masterpiece and the 1959 extravaganza directed by Sergio Leone. See the exhibition The Last Days of Pompeii: Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection before each screening, and enjoy Pompeii-themed drinks and treats at the Cafe. Tickets $7.

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This virtuosic young ensemble performs a special program inspired by the exhibition Messerschmidt and Modernity. Enjoy music from Messerschmidt's time by Mozart and others, as well as three newly commissioned pieces by L.A.-based film composers Bear McCreary, Don Davis, and Mark Mothersbaugh. Tickets $20; $15 students/seniors.

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Don't miss the West Coast debut of Oaxaca-based Pasatono Orquesta, which performs music created by "the people of the clouds" and influenced by American jazz of the 1920s and '30s. In addition to handcrafting the indigenous instruments on which they play, this ensemble is known for its extensive research on the culture of Mexico's Mixtec people and their rural folk orchestras. Free; reservations required.

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Join noted British sculptor Tony Cragg, whose fascinating sculpture of stretched and morphing heads is a focal point of the exhibition Messerschmidt and Modernity, as he explores the issues of human expression revealed in the "Character Heads" of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. Free; reservations recommended.

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From masterpiece paintings to a scene from The Simpsons, modern works of art, literature, and performance have found inspiration in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 and its destruction of Pompeii. Hear antiquities curator Kenneth Lapatin highlight some of his most unusual discoveries while developing the exhibition The Last Days of Pompeii. Free; a ticket is required.

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Many luxurious tablewares of mid-18th-century France were adorned with mini-sculptures portraying the ingredients of the food contained within. Curator Charissa Bremer-David explains how the naturalism of these elegant vessels reflected the broader interests of the Enlightenment—and the latest culinary trends. Free; reservations recommended.

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Celebrate FashionWeekLA! Explore the draping of Greek and Roman costumes worn by women, and discover ancient men's couture, from the Roman toga to the classical tunic. Join reconstructionists from the Legion Six Historical Foundation, the Roman reenactment society, as they deconstruct ancient garments represented in the Getty Museum's collection. Free with your advance, timed-entry ticket to the Getty Villa.

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O P E N I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– Farewell to Surrealism: The Dyn Circle in Mexico (Oct. 2)
– In Focus: Robert Mapplethorpe (Oct. 23)

C O N T I N U I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– The Photographs of Ray K. Metzker and the Institute of Design (through Feb. 24)

C L O S I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– In Focus: Picturing Landscape (through Oct. 7)
– Messerschmidt and Modernity (through Oct. 14)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Talk: Tony Cragg (Oct. 3)
– Talk: The Ghent Altarpiece (Oct. 4)
– Concert: Calder Quartet (Oct. 5)
– Concert: Pasatono Orquesta (Oct. 6 & 7)
– Getty Perspectives: Taryn Simon (Oct. 17)
– Talk: Dining in 18th-Century France (Oct. 25)

C O N T I N U I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– The Last Days of Pompeii: Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection (through Jan. 7)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Film Series: The Last Days of Pompeii (Oct. 12 & 13)
– Artist-at-Work: Ancient Garments (Oct. 13 & 20)
– Talk: Living in Roman Luxury (Oct. 20)
– Talk: Pompeii on Display (Oct. 24)
– Talk: How to Win an Election (Oct. 27)

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