Angelica Lorenzo
Crimson Chronicle Editor
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month makes for a great time to discover and learn about the vast complex cultures. Many local museums have platformed Asian artists or history for people to explore and these are a few.
Hayao Miyazaki Exhibition
- Location: Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036)
- Prices: Free for visitors aged 17 and below or CA EBT cardholders, $25 for adults
- Dates: Open until June 5
- Times: Opens at 10 a.m. and closed at 6 p.m. every day except Friday and Saturday when it ends at 8 p.m.
- Tickets: https://www.academymuseum.org/en/tickets
To celebrate Japanese Oscar-winning filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki, known for works such as “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” the Academy Museum paired up with Studio Ghibli (which he co-founded) to showcase 300 objects of his work. The exhibition is split into seven sections.
First, visitors will enter through the “Tree Tunnel Gallery” which is a reference to “My Neighbor Totoro,” and the protagonist’s curiosity in the film. Then, in “Creating Characters” visitors will be introduced to Miyazaki’s many protagonists. In the “Making Of” section, visitors see Miyazaki’s early career, the founding of Studio Ghibli and the process of producing an animated feature film.
If you’ve seen any Studio Ghibli film you’ll agree the scenery is beautiful and the “Creating Worlds” section attempts to take you into their world, featuring an immersive Sky View installation. After, visitors will go to the “Transformations” section where they’ll explore the changes in the characters and settings of his work. The “Magical Forest gallery,” and the Mother Tree installation (another reference to “My Neighbor Totoro”), try to connect humans, nature and the spiritual worlds. Afterward, a “Spirited Away-inspired portal” snaps visitors back to reality as they move from Miyazaki’s world to the real one again.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Film Screenings
- Location: David Geffen Theater (6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036)
- Prices: $5 for students 17 and below and college students, $10 for adults
- Tickets: https://www.academymuseum.org/en/tickets
The Academy Museum is also showing Miyazaki’s most known works throughout the weeks of May. “Spirited Away” is being shown on May 6, starting at 7:30 p.m. Then, “Howl’s Moving Castle” is being showcased on May 13 at 7:30 p.m. Lastly, the screening of “Ponyo” is being done on May 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Flower-Headed Children
- Location: Craft Contemporary (5814 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036)
- Prices: Sundays are pay what you can, $7 for visitors 17 and below, teachers and seniors over 65, $9 for general admission
- Dates: Open until May 8 (only Wednesdays to Sundays open)
- Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tickets: https://www.craftcontemporary.org/contact/
Jaishri Abichandani, artist, curator and founder of the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective, displays her work in her first comprehensive museum exhibition. Over her 25-year career, she’s used folk and vernacular aesthetics and craft-based materials to create intricate sculptures and portraits. Her work involves feminist art history and references aesthetics from South Asia.
Angkor Exhibition
- Location: California Science Center (700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037)
- Prices: Free for visitors aged 17 and below or CA EBT cardholders, $25 for adults
- Dates: Open until September 5
- Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tickets: https://californiasciencecenter.org/visit/get-reservations-tickets
Angkor was once known for being a large and extensive metropolis but now only houses 100 temples, overrun by the dense Cambodian forests. The exhibition will feature 120 artifacts, half of which will be on display for the first time, in order to discover the collapse of the Angkor empire. Featuring many interactive activities, visitors can learn about decoding inscriptions, the components of their buildings and how they were built, their food and how they cooked it, and how climate impacted the fall of the empire. There are many more activities and art along with an IMAX movie, “Angkor 3D,” you could watch before the exhibit.