You See LA: Fall 2018
Five things to see and do in Los Angeles handpicked by Distinguished Professor Peter Sellars
UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance Distinguished Professor Peter Sellars is an opera, festival, and theater director who has gained renown worldwide for his groundbreaking and transformative interpretations of artistic masterpieces and collaborative projects with an extraordinary range of creative artists across three decades. Known for exploring challenging moral issues such as race, war, poverty, and the international refugee crisis through his work, he is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the MacArthur Fellowship, the Erasmus Prize for contributions to European culture, the Gish Prize, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. On October 30, Sellars will join neuroscientest Kelsey Hunt and sociologist Darnell Hunt in conversation for 10 Questions: What is Memory? Below, Sellars handpicked five things to see and do in Los Angeles this fall.
It’s astounding what Los Angeles really represents with its multitudes of cultures, languages, food, spirituality, and, of course, artists. These are five of my favorite places.
Skid Row History Museum & Archive
The Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD) is my favorite theater in America. Their storefront, the Skid Row History Museum, is an indispensable space for its interdisciplinary work of public conversations, film screenings, exhibitions, and concerts. Its performances are raw, disturbing, and speak hilariously and devastatingly with the wisdom of experience. LAPD speaks directly and with first-hand experience about public safety, mental health, policing, and poverty, opening up a more nuanced and humane conversation about where we are and where we should be headed.
Skid Row History Museum & Archive
250 S. Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90012
Qin West / Saffron & Rose Ice Cream
I’m working on a multi-year project inspired by the Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, China, which are located along an oasis on the Silk Road. Hand-pulled noodles are a specialty in this part of Western China and hard to find in Los Angeles. One of the few places you can find this cuisine is a short walk from UCLA on Westwood Boulevard. I like to continue the Silk Road theme and journey two blocks up to have Persian ice cream for dessert.
Qin West
1767 Westwood blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Saffron & Rose
1387 Westwood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Lodge Bread
Evan Kleiman introduced me to this restaurant when it first opened, and I’m now a regular. It’s run by a wonderful group of people who make everything they serve with care. Where we break bread is where we become equal. Food is not fuel, it’s not an object, it is mind. It is a moral world of integrity, love, and meaning. I like the mushroom pizza.
11918 West Washington Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA, 90066
California Cactus Center / The Huntington Desert Garden
The Desert Garden. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
I have a cactus and succulent garden on my roof, and it’s where I start my day. I’ve gathered a beautiful array of plants from around the world, mostly from the California Cactus Center. The owners call me when something special arrives. I get my inspiration from the Huntington’s Desert Garden.
California Cactus Center
216 South Rosemead Blvd
Pasadena, CA, 91107
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road,
San Marino, CA 91108
The Underground Museum
Installation view of William Kentridge: Journey to the Moon at The Underground Museum, 2015, photo by Brian Forrest.
I prefer to avoid the freeways so that I can see more of the city’s neighborhoods. This is how I discovered the Underground Museum, located mid-city, and saw its extraordinary William Kentridge exhibition. This museum, started by two young artists, is the perfect example of art as social action. It’s an important model for the future of museums, and holds an essential place in Los Angeles’ art world.
The Underground Museum
3508 W. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90018
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