A Mixed Bag: The SoCal Edition

Christopher Lowell, The Dreamers – Studies, 2008. Dimensions unknown.
Courtesy Stephen Cohen Gallery.

The Dreamers: Christopher Lowell began this year-long project by asking artist-friends from around the world to create artworks about their dreams and aspirations and mail them to a post office box in Southern California. At the end of the year, all of the artists gathered to view the work they had created, and to share stories of dreams fulfilled or lost. Photographed by Lowell, their portraits are on view at Stephen Cohen Gallery through April 24.

Youth Speak: Teenage journalist and L.A. resident Ernesto Pineda reflects on the difficulties of healthy eating.

MunchMad: Grub Street L.A. has the dish on this new Facebook group for foodies.

Smack Down: New York’s street food competition, The Vendys, is moving west.

"Compton Cookout" was the name given a (despicable) UC San Diego fraternity event that promised a taste of "life in the ghetto." University officials respond.

An Idea Called Tomorrow: Co-organized by the California African American Museum and the Skirball Cultural Center, the two-venue exhibition considers the active role we must all play to bring about a more just, equitable, and peaceful future. On view through May 2. (See feature in Whitewall online.)

Cultural Genocide: Sign the petition to save Watts Towers Art Center, a space of art education and cultural programming for youth and under-served communities.

41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers: The original surviving members of the L.A. Black Panthers speak out in this new documentary film. Opens March 26 at Culver Plaza Theatres for a limited time engagement.

Govenator (radically?) suggests moving money from the big house to the school house.

The Raza's Edge, a public program at the LA County Museum of Art on April 3, will focus on the Chicano presence in the history of art. (See Walter Robinson's recent piece for Artnet, The Chicano Avant-Garde.)

Tecate Cake: The SoCal beer craze is seeping into area sweets.

It's Cool, I'm Good: Three new videos by artist Stanya Kahn are on view at Susanne Vielmetter Projects through April 24. They "smack of YouTube vernacular," says critic Micol Hebron in Artforum.

Edible Sunset: The hipster neighborhood of Silver Lake sounds tasty.

Life's Flavor: The little round ladies painted by Brazilian artist Nina Pandolfo are on view at Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art in Culver City through April 18.

Avocado Pound Cake: Courtesy of L.A. food blogger Joy the Baker.

So You Think You Can Cook?

Gristle: The DJ and former vegan, Moby, was in L.A. this week signing copies of his new book on the food industry.

Jonesin: SoCal artist Alika Cooper renders Grace Jones's infamous performance at Paradise Garage (a collaboration with Keith Haring) in gouache.

Hot Pink: Hotcakes Bakes, said to offer some of the tastiest baked goods in L.A., gets reviewed by a city newbie.

Need a Date? This list of wild and foraged foods includes date trees, which are found in desert areas of SoCal and Arizona.

It Makes Sense: Ann Landi of Artnews on Jeffrey Deitch's shift from dealer to director.

Obscenely Smart: Art21 columnist Catherine Wagley on the work of Mel Bochner, now on view in L.A.

How Many Billboards? This two-month public art project, organized by the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, wraps up April 15 with a panel discussion on the visual ecology of advertising and architecture.

Follow SoCal Art: @artwhirled, @KnightLAT, and @artbystander.

Follow SoCal Food: @joythebaker, @eatingLA, and @carolineoncrack.