The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia | Through May 14

The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia traces the flow of materials and ideas throughout the region. Lacquer, a natural polymer derived from tree sap, was a widely circulated and prized commodity. Stylistic variations set regions apart. Still, the dynamic flow of techniques, materials, and visual vocabularies continued uninterrupted even during times of relative isolationism. Drawing inspiration from a spatial conception where North, South, East, and West are joined by a fifth direction, the Center, the exhibition unpacks the nature of these exchanges—as trade, tribute, and treasure.

Visitors are invited to circumnavigate islands of micro-stories and trace the development of lacquer art as a multi-directional process. With over 80 important works from LACMA’s collection, The Five Directions offers a nuanced rethinking of lacquer in the region, celebrating Japan, Korea, China, and the Ryūkyū kingdom (Okinawa) as meeting points as well as centers in their own right.

Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group, 1938–1945 | Through Jun 19

In 1938 in New Mexico, a loose configuration of artists came together to form the Transcendental Painting Group. Led by New Mexico painters Raymond Jonson and Emil Bisttram, and joined by painters such as Agnes Pelton and Lawren Harris, the members of the group sought to explore spiritually heightened abstraction by employing free-wheeling symbols and imagery drawn from the collective unconscious. According to their manifesto they strove “to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world, through new concepts of space, color, light and design to imaginative realms that are idealistic and spiritual.” Due to the onset of World War II the group was short-lived. However, their paintings continue to emphasize how abstraction can be used in service of the spiritual. Another World is the first comprehensive traveling museum exhibition devoted to the group.

Light, Space, Surface: Selections from LACMA’s Collection | Opens Apr 2 | Member Previews: Mar 30–Apr 1

Light, Space, Surface: Selections from LACMA’s Collection explores the art of Light and Space as well as related works with highly polished surfaces often referred to as “finish fetish.” In the 1960s and 1970s, various Southern California artists began to create works that investigate perceptual phenomena: how we come to understand form, volume, presence, and absence through light, seen directly through other materials, reflected, or refracted. Many used newly developed industrial materials—including sheet acrylic, fiberglass, and polyester resin—in their work. Light, Space, Surface draws on LACMA’s deep holdings of this material, revealing the vibrancy and diversity of this aspect of American art history. The exhibition features works by Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Judy Chicago, Ron Cooper, Mary Corse, Ronald Davis, Laddie John Dill, Fred Eversley, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, John McCracken, Helen Pashgian, Roland Reiss, Roy Thurston, and Hap Tivey.

Sam Francis and Japan: Emptiness Overflowing | Opens Apr 9 | Member Previews: Apr 6–8

In the work of American artist Sam Francis (1923–1994), Western and Eastern aesthetics engage in a profound intercultural dialogue. Francis first traveled to Japan in 1957, developing a lifelong affinity for Japanese art and culture that influenced his work. His expressive handling of negative space shared pictorial and philosophical affinities with aspects of East Asian aesthetics, particularly the Japanese concept of ma, the dynamic between form and non-form. With over 60 works from LACMA’s collection and key lenders, this is the first exhibition to explore the artist’s work in relation to ma and other aspects of Japanese aesthetics. It will include works by Francis in the company of historic Japanese works to illustrate stylistic priorities shared by both. Also on view are works of contemporary Japanese artists (many associated with Gutai and Mono-Ha) whom Francis knew from his extensive time in Japan in the 1960s and ’70s.

Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond | Opens Apr 23 | Member Previews: Apr 20–22

This exhibition presents 75 works by women artists who were born or live in what can broadly be termed Islamic societies. Frequently perceived as voiceless and invisible, they are neither. Each through her unique vision is fashioning not only her own definition of self but also helping to redefine and empower women everywhere and to challenge still-persistent stereotypes. Their art depicts a breadth of inventively and often ideologically conceived women’s imagery, bearing witness to rapidly shifting political developments and often accelerated social transformations taking place in lands extending from Africa to Western and Central Asia, as well as in diasporic communities. Their powerful narratives are embedded in their art, expressing both personal and universal concerns. Across generations and working in different media, the artists share a common sense of identity not exclusively “Middle Eastern” but certainly female, which is evident in their work.

Aspect Ratio Short Film Showcase | Sat, Apr 30 | 6–8 pm | Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park Recreation Center | FREE, RSVP suggested

This showcase of works made in LACMA’s Aspect Ratio film class explores cathartic reflections of family, roots, history, and the places and people that matter most—with lenses specifically attuned to Willowbrook and the lives lived here. Learn More

Wellness