Discovering Explosions in the Sky

For all you Friday Night Lights fans out there, you’re probably familiar with the music of Explosions in the Sky. It’s that feel good, inspirational music that’s played throughout the show. When I hear it, I think of Coach Taylor pumping up his players in the locker room. Though, I should admit I didn’t actually know the band was called Explosions in the Sky.

This past weekend, I saw a listing for an art exhibit at Hollywood Forever Cemetery for Explosions in the Sky’s new album Take Care, Take Care, Take Care which dropped today. The art installation called Taking Care: 6 Visual Interpretations was set up on the cemetery grounds and featured works by six different visual artists. Each created works in response to one of the six songs on Explosions In The Sky album. How cool does that sound? I’d never been to the Hollywood Forever before and going there at night listening to music and looking at art was pretty fricken cool.

“Last Known Surroundings” – Matthew Lessner

This was my favourite piece of them all. The pictures were hung side by side shared similar views. Each room looking different but all overlooking a cityscape. And listening to the msuic while staring just made me feel great.

“Human Qualities” – James Fields

This was a film was projected behind a gated grave. The film was all about water and movement.

“Trembling Hands” – Matt Amato

I didn’t take a pic of this. It was a screen that had numbers rotate from 1 to 5 then back to 1. It was in a dark room and you could see the counting as you approached. This was the least of my faves.

“Be Comfortable, Creature” – Jesse Fleming

This film was projected on a huge screen, similar to a drive in.  People just sat on the grass (the only space that didn’t have graves) while watching the moving pictures. I loved that you could see the palm trees in the background.

“Postcard from 1952” – Chris Lipomi

This was a two part installation. The first part was in a building and were planks of woods that were connected together. When you walked outside there was a structure in the middle of a large green space.  I never looked in or looked down, but many people did. I found it much more interesting watching people approach it and react the same way.

“Let Me Back In” – Alexis Disselkoen

This was the most interactive of the art pieces.  People were encouraged to lie underneath and very low tarp which lit up to the  music. It was quite calming.

Discovering the LACMA

In Toronto, we have tons of museums. Arts and culture is thriving. I would visit the AGO and the ROM quite frequently. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I asked around what the big museums were. Every city has a major museum. It may not be on the calibre of the Louvre, but a museum none the less. Many people suggested I visti the Getty Museum. The architectural is quite beautiful but I found the art itself, not so much. Sorry Getty, you and I just aren’t a match. But I did some more research and I found the LACMA. And yesterday, on President’s Day, we had our first date. And it went well.

On Holiday Monday’s the LACMA is free. How awesome is that? I love free access to museums. It reminds me of London where almost all the museums are free to enter. Like the Getty, the LACMA has many outdoor components. It’s quite beautiful, but I found the wayfinding quite difficult. I just didn’t really know where I was going and what I was supposed to see. Luckily there were tons of docents around to guide you in the right direction. I only explored a portion of the LACMA and saw some pretty cool stuff. And I can’t wait to go back to see the rest.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My fave piece and possibly the most popular is the outdoor installation “Urban Light” which sits on Wilshire Boulevard. I couldn’t resist taking a photo too! See where else the Urban Light has appeared here.

Urban Light in No Strings Attached

Urban Light with cast of Glee for Vanity Fair Magazine

Oscar Nominated Documentary: Waste Land

As you know, I’m running down the five Oscar Nominated Documentaries and so far I’ve discussed Exit through the Gift Shop, GasLand, and Restrepo. Next up Waste Land. Here’s another Sundance Film Festival premiere that I heard a lot about while working the fest. I didn’t catch it, but it came to Toronto for Hot Docs just a few months later and it was on my list of films that I couldn’t miss! It’s really difficult for me to make the time to watch films during the festival, but I made it for this one. Let me tell you, it was the best film I saw at the fest. Truly.

This doc was not only moving, but was just such a well told story about the most unglamorous subject: garbage. There was so much heart in the movie from the artist, Vik, who travels to Brazil’s largest landfill to create art out of its garbage, to the garbage pickers who Vik meets. You connect with everyone in this film and want to know more about the people who spend their lives picking up garbage. And you hope that this experience makes a positive impact in their lives. But like all movies, they end. Though there is an update when the credits roll, their lives continue on.

Verdict: I’ve seen a lot of docs this past year and Waste Land by far deserves this Oscar. It has everything a doc film should have and best of all, you see how Vik not only affects the people he meets but vice versa. But I’m unsure if this film will actually win. I have a feeling Restrepo may take it. But I’m telling you, Waste Land should get it. Period.

But wait there’s one more. Up next Inside Job.