SEP/OCT 2020
1
PRESIDENT’S GREETING As we closed our doors this spring, a thoughtful colleague wondered aloud, “Is it a pause or a paradigm shift?” In the six months since, our water lilies have bloomed, receded, and bloomed anew. And all this time we have been closed, we have not been able to enjoy them or one another. We wait to be a place of gathering no longer— not because we can be open as before, but because a shift has occurred and we are gathering in new ways and redefining what it means to be the place to do so. This fall, the Skirball Cultural Center is coming to you. At home. Online. To go. The creativity of Noah’s Ark, surely the most extraordinary immersive children’s museum experience in the world, is docking in your living room. Join master puppet maker Chris Green in his New York City studio for a behind-the-scenes tour and a private tutorial to make your own kinetic creature from supplies in an at-home art kit. Skirball Stages, a series of online concert experiences, brings the wonder of global musical performances to the safety of your home. And Skirball Suppers are offered for pick-up each evening a new concert premieres. Our Words and Ideas series continues with a stellar lineup: Margaret Atwood, Laila Lalami, and Kiese Laymon. The daughter of an immigrant garment worker, artist Aram Han Sifuentes started sewing when she was six years old, and fiber arts remain the medium through which she explores expressions of citizenship, belonging, politics, and protest. Following two sold-out banner-making workshops this summer, Sifuentes continues her work in our Skirball community with a virtual voting booth for the disenfranchised. We will be forever honored that Sifuentes shares our commitment to democratic ideals and that her contribution marks our first-ever all-digital exhibition. Your Skirball community is gathering. Please join us.
Jessie Kornberg President and CEO Skirball Cultural Center
OUR MISSION The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society. SEP/OCT 2020
3
MUSIC SKIRBALL STAGES
Premiering on YouTube!
In the midst of a global pandemic, musicians from around the world have come together to create a new form of storytelling for the Skirball community. Join us for Skirball Stages, a special series of streaming concert experiences. Featuring both striking musical performances and heartfelt, behind-the-scenes interviews, each event is a testament to music’s ability to connect across cultures, honor generations past, and inspire perseverance through challenging times. Don’t miss these uniquely curated experiences, which pair national and international acts originally booked for the Sunset Concerts 2020 season with talent from the local music scene. Make a night of it and also enjoy carry-out Skirball Suppers on the evening of each concert premiere! Visit skirball.org/skirball-stages for details on how to stream each concert premiere on YouTube. All concerts will be available for streaming on the Skirball’s YouTube channel following the premiere date.
VIRTUAL CONCERTS
FREE | RSVPs recommended
Skirball Stages is made possible by generous support from:
The Bilger Family
With a special focus on supporting and sustaining LA’s artistic community, Skirball Stages invited local acts to perform safe, spectator-free, and socially distanced sets in our Taper Courtyard.
Aditya Prakash Ensemble
ADITYA PRAKASH ENSEMBLE AND RINI
Premiering Saturday, September 26, 8:00 pm (PT)
Enjoy an evening of American music from the Indian diaspora. Combining classical ragas, chants, and rhythms with brass band arrangement, jazz harmony, and hip-hop–infused beats, the Aditya Prakash Ensemble impresses with an improvisational flow. Be serenaded by frontman Aditya Prakash, an accomplished Carnatic virtuoso known for his powerful and emotive voice. Across the country, performing from her New York City studio, composer and violinist Rini serves up a unique blend of electronica and bass-heavy art rock with her band. Pulling from musical traditions of India and the United States, both the Aditya Prakash Ensemble and Rini transcend genre to create music wholly their own.
Rini
SEP/OCT 2020
5
MUSIC
Dustbowl Revival
DUSTBOWL REVIVAL AND MAMES BABEGENUSH
Premiering Saturday, October 24, 8:00 pm (PT)
LA darlings Dustbowl Revival return to the Skirball with special guest Lashon Halley for a spirited and celebratory performance. Following the release of their ambitious 2020 album, Is It You, Is It Me, the funky folk band delights with big orchestral arrangements and goosebump-inducing harmonies. Across the Atlantic, Mames Babegenush takes us on a tour of the Port of Copenhagen before setting up for a lively outdoor performance. Get ready to dance along to the popular klezmer band’s boundary-pushing mix of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish and Eastern European folk.
Mames Babegenush
6
s ki r ba l l . o r g
Gavin Turek
Ak Dan Gwang Chil
GAVIN TUREK AND AK DAN GWANG CHIL
Available for streaming through November 29, 2020
There’s still time to catch our first Skirball Stages concert event! Featuring Los Angeles native Gavin Turek and Ak Dan Gwang Chil (ADG7) of Seoul, South Korea, tune in for a little pop bliss. Ethereal and crooning, Turek gives an intimate performance that harkens back to the very best of ’80s and ’90s R&B, while ADG7 breathes new life into the sacred, shamanic, and secular gut (ritual music) and minyo (folk song) traditions of the Hwanghae-do region. Promotional partner: Media sponsor:
Xênia França
SAVE THE DATE XÊNIA FRANÇA
Premiering Saturday, November 21, 8:00 pm (PT)
Latin Grammy–nominated singer Xênia França invites you to soak up the traditional rhythms of Bahia, Brazil, mixed with a pulsing blend of electronica, jazz, and R&B. A prominent member of her local art scene, França captivates with smooth vocals and creative verve. Keep an eye out for an announcement regarding the LA-based act to be paired with França for our final Skirball Stages presentation of the year! SEP/OCT 2020
7
WORDS AND IDEAS AN EVENING WITH MARGARET ATWOOD
Tuesday, September 15, 6:00 pm (PT)
Writers Bloc Presents® and the Skirball present lauded author Margaret Atwood as she discusses The Testaments, the gripping sequel to her groundbreaking feminist allegory, The Handmaid’s Tale. Set in the totalitarian Republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United States, The Handmaid’s Tale emerged as a cautionary tale when published in 1985. Today, many readers consider it prophetic. The Testaments is set fifteen years after the events of Atwood’s classic novel and follows the lives of three women confronting their ties to Gilead. In an evening that promises to captivate, come away with a renewed dedication to democracy.
Margaret Atwood
Paperback book purchase required to register.
Per paperback book: $18.56 + shipping VIRTUAL TALK
LAILA LALAMI IN CONVERSATION WITH KIESE LAYMON
Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America
Wednesday, September 30, 7:30 pm (PT)
Hear from Laila Lalami, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Other Americans, as she discusses her first work of nonfiction, Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America. Using her own journey from Moroccan immigrant to United States citizen as a starting point, Lalami explores how marginalized groups—including immigrants, women, and people of color—are often blocked from many of the rights, liberties, and protections associated with American citizenship. Moderated by writer Kiese Laymon (Heavy: An American Memoir), this evening offers illuminating and deeply personal insights about the experiences of those whom America embraces with one arm and pushes away with the other.
Laila Lalami
Signed books available for preorder at booksoup.com.
FREE | Reservations required VIRTUAL TALK
Kiese Laymon
8
s ki r ba l l . o r g
CALIFORNIA BALLOT MEASURES
Pros and Cons with the League of Women Voters Tuesday, October 13, 7:00 pm (PT)
Get ready to vote! Regarding issues ranging from the rights of gig workers to reforms on our property tax system, the results of the upcoming election will have widespread impact on Californians. Grab your sample ballot and join us for a nonpartisan overview of the most pressing state ballot measures up for a vote this November 3. Led by Mona Field, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, this online program takes a look at the pros and cons of each measure to help you make informed decisions. Copresented with the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles.
FREE | Reservations required
VIRTUAL TALK
PREPARE FOR THE ELECTION VIRTUAL TALK
Make sure you’re registered! LA County residents, visit lavote.net to register to vote or confirm your registration status. While you’re there, learn about the various ways you can vote in the upcoming election—including several options for safely casting Vote by Mail ballots. Get informed! Visit vote411.org, a one-stop shop for election-related information brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. Cast your ballot! For those planning to submit a Vote by Mail ballot via USPS, voting early can help ensure your ballot is counted. You can sign up to track your Vote by Mail ballot at california.ballottrax.net. Ineligible to vote? All are welcome to cast a symbolic ballot in The Official Unofficial Voting Station, a project by artist-activist Aram Han Sifuentes! See p. 13 for details. SEP/OCT 2020
9
CLASSES Visit skirball.org/classes for instructor bios.
JEWISH MEDITATION
Tuesdays, September 15, October 13, and November 17, 7:00–8:00 pm (PT) Find your center and quiet your mind with Jewish meditation. Drawing from the long history of contemplative practice within Judaism, this series infuses meditation techniques with Jewish language, intentions, texts, and understanding for an inclusive and illuminating experience. Instructor: Alison Laichter 3 sessions
$54 General | $36 Members
ONLINE CLASS
This class is made possible in part by support from:
ART AS PROTEST
Wednesdays, September 30–November 4, 10:30 am–12:00 pm (PT) The art of protest has given us imagery we’ll never forget. Go on a visual exploration of dissent that covers the work of Ai Weiwei, Frida Kahlo, Toni Scott, and so many more. Learn how art has been used to confront injustice throughout history, transform public opinion, and express and preserve individual voices. Instructor: John Paul Thornton 6 sessions
$150 General | $120 Members ONLINE CLASS
Slaves, Indians and the Founding Fathers, 2020. Artwork by Toni Scott.
TELEVISION’S FIRST GOLDEN AGE
How Sweet It Was
Thursdays, October 1–November 5, 10:00 am–12:00 pm (PT)
Travel back to the early years of television, when viewers were transported from their work-a-day world to a realm of unequaled entertainment. Drawing on vaudeville roots, early television gave us laughs and thrills from such iconic performers as Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Groucho Marx, and the comedy duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. With a focus on both the programs and the personalities, enjoy video highlights that bring back memories of an unforgettable era. Instructor: Steve Barri 6 sessions
$150 General | $120 Members 10
s ki r ba l l . o r g
ONLINE CLASS
Young Jewish girls in Debdou, Morocco, c. 1915.
PHOTOGRAPHING JEWS
Race, Gender, and Power in the Mediterranean Thursdays, October 1–November 5, 1:30–3:00 pm (PT)
Since the nineteenth century, Mediterranean Jews have appeared as exotic subjects in photographs produced primarily by and for European audiences. Drawing on historical method and visual analysis, this class explores the history of photography, its ties to imperial expansion, and what these photographs can teach us about Jewish life in the Mediterranean. Instructor: Rachel E. Smith 6 sessions
$120 General | $90 Members
ONLINE CLASS
Protest against child labor in New York, 1909.
WOMEN IN YIDDISH SONG
A Sing-Along History Class
Mondays, November 2–23, 10:30 am–12:00 pm (PT)
Connect to generations past by singing along to Yiddish folk songs! This class covers everything from heartfelt love songs to empowering tunes about the justice-seeking women of the labor movement and the partisan resistance fighters in the Holocaust. Leave with a more illuminated understanding of history, told from the perspective of Ashkenazi Jewish women. New music by Polina Shepherd, Chava Alberstein, and Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman will also be featured. Instructor: Cindy Paley 4 sessions. Song sheets in Yiddish and transliteration provided.
$60 General | $40 Members
ONLINE CLASS SEP/OCT 2020
11
EXHIBITIONS THE OFFICIAL UNOFFICIAL VOTING STATION
Voting for All Who Legally Can’t October 1–November 30, 2020
Experience the act of voting as it could be: broad, inclusive, and cause for celebration. The Official Unofficial Voting Station is an idealized online polling place created by artist-activist Aram Han Sifuentes. A radical extension of democracy, the playfully designed voting station welcomes everyone to cast a symbolic ballot— regardless of the legal barriers that prevent approximately ninety-two million people in the United States from participating in elections. Make your voice heard online and join an aspirational voting movement from home, with custom “I Voted” stickers and more, all designed by the artist exclusively for Skirball participants. Keep an eye on the online tally as Sifuentes counts your ballots through the election season! Following two sold-out, artist-led online workshops offered by the Skirball this past summer—in which participants created their own fabric protest banners—The Official Unofficial Voting Station: Voting for All Who Legally Can’t represents the next phase of a 2020–2021 collaboration with Sifuentes, anchored in the multipart exhibition Talking Back to Power: Projects by Aram Han Sifuentes. Visit skirball.org for more information about this collaboration in the coming months.
FREE
ONLINE EXHIBITION
The exhibition Talking Back to Power: Projects by Aram Han Sifuentes and its related educational programs are made possible through generous support from the following donor:
COMING IN 2021 Let’s stay safe! In support of public health, the Skirball galleries will remain closed to the public through 2020. Thank you for your understanding. Look out for announcements about when the following exhibitions and spaces will open in 2021: Noah’s Ark at the Skirball™—Until the Ark reopens for boarding, stay tuned for news on Noah’s Ark–inspired outdoor programming later this year! Family Art Studio, Archaeology Dig, Discovery Center Visions and Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America “I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli—Organized by the Skirball Cultural Center Star Trek™: Exploring New Worlds—Organized by the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle
SEP/OCT 2020
13
FAMILY PROGRAMS SKIRBALL STUDIO VISITS New virtual series! Beginning in October, kids and grown-ups alike are invited to participate in monthly art workshops. Led by dynamic contemporary artists, streaming live from their studios, each workshop features a specially designed art kit filled with everything you need to get the most out of these unique opportunities to make, play, and learn.
Ages 6 and up
KINETIC CREATURES
Art Making with Noah’s Ark Artist Chris Green
Workshop 1: Sunday, October 11, 11:00 am–12:00 pm (PT) Workshop 2: Sunday, October 18, 11:00 am–12:00 pm (PT)
Ever wonder who made the fanciful, found-object animals aboard Noah’s Ark? In this workshop you will meet Chris Green, the creative mind behind many of the Ark’s moving sculptures and puppets—including the spindle-footed fox, the cowboy-boot rooster, and the zebras made from spinning wind turbines and electric keyboards. Go on a virtual tour of Green’s Brooklyn-based studio, see early prototypes of a few of your favorite Noah’s Ark inhabitants, and learn how to create your own kinetic animal sculpture using materials from a custom Skirball art kit. 1 session. Art kits are limited. Purchase required to register.
Per art kit: $50 General | $40 Members
ONLINE CLASS
Noah’s Ark artist Chris Green in his Red Hook, Brooklyn studio.
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Educators, check out our programs for distance learning! Visit skirball.org/education for information about these and more Roslyn and Abner Goldstine School Programs.
ONLINE PROGRAMS
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
Tuesday, October 6, 4:00 pm (PT)
Make the Skirball Cultural Center a part of your classroom community! This fall, the Skirball welcomes educators from across Los Angeles and beyond to share the inspiring themes and unparalleled artistry of Noah’s Ark with your students. Join us for a webinar and Q&A to learn about the many online educational resources we have available for the new school year.
FREE | Reservations required
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Registration opens Thursday, October 8, 12:00 pm (PT)
Bring the art of storytelling into your digital learning environment! Book the Skirball’s talented artist-educators for up to an hour of guided instruction featuring live storytelling, puppetry, and participatory activities. Put your students at the center of timeless flood stories, invite them to craft their own narratives, and enjoy some creative quality time together. Pre-K through Grade 5 classes. Programs expected to fill quickly. Visit skirball.org/education for registration tips and information.
Per class: $50 | Fee waivers available
CLASSROOM CURRICULUM: NOAH’S ARK AT THE SKIRBALL™
Launching in October!
Inspired by ancient and culturally diverse flood stories, the Noah’s Ark classroom curriculum focuses on the ways that each of us, including the youngest members of our community, can make a difference. Organized in three parts—storms, arks, and rainbows—this suite of lively video content and interactive lesson plans engages students in storytelling and service-learning as they explore themes of adversity, hope, and resilience. Pre-K through Grade 5 classes
FREE | Download at skirball.org SEP/OCT 2020
15
IN THE COMMUNITY
Belize Wilheim, Manager of Family Programs (left), celebrates the delivery of one hundred seed planting kits to Exceptional Children’s Foundation with ECF staff George Woods, Director of School Programs (center), and Joelene Walker, Principal (right).
SHARING SEED PLANTING KITS
This summer, Skirball educators assembled and delivered five hundred seed planting kits to children across Los Angeles County. A gesture of support during the COVID-19 crisis, each seed planting kit invites young people to look forward to new beginnings and demonstrates that with time, attention, and care, we can build a better world. The kits were shared with a few of our long-standing community partners: Exceptional Children’s Foundation—Providing services for children and adults with developmental, learning, and emotional disabilities. LA’s BEST—Providing high-quality afterschool enrichment programs for elementary school students. San Fernando Valley Refugee Children Center—Providing basic needs and emotional support for unaccompanied minors who have journeyed from Central America to seek refuge in California. Upward Bound House—Providing housing and supportive services to unhoused families with children.
16
s ki r ba l l . o r g
MEMBERSHIP A NOTE OF THANKS “From big art museums to small artist-run organizations, membership is one crucial way to help stabilize operating budgets. Membership also strengthens community.”—Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2020 On her first day as our new President and CEO, Jessie Kornberg wrote by email to you, our Members, “With [founder Uri D. Herscher’s] guidance and your support, I hope to build upon what he created and what you helped bring to life: a place of human connection and meaningful action, where everyone feels at home.” Creating and sustaining that place of community—that is an outcome of your Skirball Membership! We are heartened by your ongoing support: you are renewing your memberships, making additional donations, participating in online classes and virtual programs, and sharing your insights with us. Please accept our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation. We look forward to welcoming you—online and, eventually, in person—to a vibrant Skirball Cultural Center.
PROGRAM MEMBERS-ONLY TALK—THE JEWISH DELI
Sunday, September 13, 2:00 pm (PT)
Laura Mart, Cate Thurston, and Lara Rabinovitch Neuman—co-curators of the 2021 exhibition “I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli—are cooking up a lively discussion, to be presented online and exclusively to Members. How did delis grow to become mainstays in American food culture? The curators will fill you in!
FREE and open to Members only | Reservations required
VIRTUAL TALK
Second-generation owner Abe Shapiro in front of canned goods, Shapiro’s Delicatessen, Indianapolis, c. 1932. Courtesy of Shapiro’s Delicatessen, one family full of rich history, since 1905.
The exhibition “I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli and its related educational programs are made possible through generous support from the following donors:
Maurice Amado Foundation Barbara Timmer and Catherine Benkaim Terri and David Bloomgarden Stephanie and Harold Bronson
The Keston Family in Memory of Michael Keston Gloria and Richard Pink Skirball Cultural Center Volunteer Service Council in Honor of Frances Fisher
Media sponsor:
SEP/OCT 2020
17
GET INVOLVED
PLAN AN EVENT
The Skirball will be your venue of choice for reconnecting and celebrating anew. Plan ahead to when we can gather in joy and safety again. The Skirball’s Hospitality and Private Events team has developed a reopening strategy to meet public health requirements while continuing to offer creative event planning and personalized care. As always, the well-being of you and your guests is our highest priority. Email private-events@skirball.org to inquire about gatherings for up to fifty guests. We look forward to welcoming you back when it is safe to do so.
GIVE
Sustain our mission! Your donations help ensure we can continue offering vital education programs, exhibitions, and public programs that we can enjoy as a community. The Skirball welcomes donations of cash, securities, and gift annuities. To give online or for more information about supporting the Skirball, visit skirball.org/donate or call (310) 440-4579.
CONNECT
As we prepare for a responsible return to campus, we hope you’ll stay in touch with us online! Sign up for Skirball e-news and find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to learn about our many online offerings and for updates on our reopening.
Credits: COVER: Lily pond by Elon Schoenholz 2–3 Arroyo by Mercie Ghimire; Jessie Kornberg by Ramona Trent 4–5 Skirball Stages by Larry Sandez; Aditya Prakash Ensemble by Larry Sandez; Rini by Anne Whitman 6–7 Dustbowl Revival with guest Lashon Halley by Larry Sandez; Mames Babegenush by Dennis Lehmann; Gavin Turek by Larry Sandez; Ak Dan Gwang Chil by Jongsam Lee; Xênia França by Filipa Aurelia 8–9 Margaret Atwood, courtesy of Doubleday; Laila Lalami by Jesse Dittmar; Kiese Laymon, courtesy of the author; Vote 2020 Buttons © Shutterstock.com/Prostock-studio 10–11 Postcard of young Jewish girls in Debdou, Morocco, c. 1915. Photograph by E.D. Millet; Protest Against Child Labor in a Labor Parade. New York, 1909. [May 1] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/97519062/ 12–13 Voting for All, Let Us Vote!, and Voted Despite the System, courtesy of Aram Han Sifuentes and Ishita Dharap 14–15 Chris Green, courtesy of the artist; Noah’s Ark by Grant Mudford 18–19 Get involved by D. Park Photography; Hedgehog by Grant Mudford BACK COVER: Margaret Atwood, courtesy of Doubleday © 2020 Skirball Cultural Center
18
s ki r ba l l . o r g
TICKETING METHODS ONLINE—RSVP to Skirball Stages concerts, register for online classes, and/or reserve for virtual talks at skirball.org. No service charges apply! Member tip—When you are ready to register/reserve online, click on the sign-in link at the top of the page and enter the email address and password associated with your membership account. If you do not recall your password, click on the “Forgot your password?” link to create a new one. If you are a new Member without an online account, create one now by clicking the “Create an Account” link and following the prompts. To confirm which email address is associated with your membership, contact membership@skirball.org and a Skirball representative will get back to you. In order to apply Member discounts, don’t forget to sign in before placing your order! PHONE—Register/reserve by phone by calling (877) SCC-4TIX or (310) 440-4500 and press 2. Kindly leave a message and your call will be returned. Service charges may apply. ON SITE—Due to the Skirball’s temporary closure to the public, registration/reservation support is not available on site. Thank you for your patience.
POLICIES Adult education class fees must be paid prior to the first session and are fully refundable if you cancel your registration at least twenty-four hours prior to the first session. Adult education classes may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. Email adulteducation@skirball.org for updates. Member discounted rates for adult education classes are limited to two Members per membership. For all other paid programs: All sales are final • No refunds or exchanges
TAKE CARE, FRIENDS! Be like our Noah’s Ark hedgehog: safe, socially distanced, and looking fantastic in a face mask. It’s the kind thing to do!
SEP/OCT 2020
19
skirball.org
STAY CONNECTED
2701 N SEPULVEDA BLVD LOS ANGELES CA 90049-6833
Writers Bloc and the Skirball present famed author Margaret Atwood! See p. 8 for details.