This month’s selections of art to see in and around Los Angeles highlight how we tell our stories through material culture. Kwame Brathwaite’s photographs include iconic images of the Black Power and Civil Rights movements, while an exhibition of Ancient Greek, Maya, and Moche pottery conveys scenes of myth and daily life. Jackie Amézquita’s “soil paintings” and the collaborative works of the 3B Collective trace cultural and interpersonal networks from LA to Mexico and Central America. An exhibition at the Academy Museum chronicles the role that Jewish filmmakers and producers played in establishing Hollywood as a global cinematic capital, and an intimate tribute to the late LA musician and producer Ras_G immerses visitors in his sonic and visual world.
Over the course of six decades, photographer Kwame Brathwaite, who passed away last year, chronicled the breadth of African-American life and culture, creating what are now some of the most iconic images of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Things Well Worth Waiting For showcases his work devoted to music, fashion, and community through roughly 50 photos from the 1960s and 1970s. These include portraits of Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Abbey Lincoln, and other musicians; images of the Grandassa Models who epitomized the phrase “Black is Beautiful” that the photographer helped popularize; and a slideshow projection of color stills set to a jazz soundtrack curated by Swizz Beatz.