Explore Los Angeles' Art Scene: September's Must-See Exhibitions

Los Angeles is set to host a vibrant array of art exhibitions this September, reflecting the city's dynamic cultural landscape. From explorations of Indigenous futures to retrospectives of iconic artists, the city's galleries and museums offer a diverse selection for art enthusiasts.

At Oxy Arts, "Flesh of the Forest" features nine contemporary African diaspora artists engaging with themes of forest ecologies and colonial legacies. This exhibition provides a platform for artists to explore the intersection of environmental and historical narratives.

The Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale presents "In Bloom," a show that reflects on the floral motif across various media. This exhibition offers a fresh perspective on botanical themes in art.

Gagosian Beverly Hills hosts "Nights of Cabiria," where Carol Bove presents sculptures blending industrial elements with surf-inspired aesthetics. Bove's work transforms reclaimed structural scaffolding into playful sculptural forms, engaging with Los Angeles' industrial heritage.

Perrotin Los Angeles showcases two notable exhibitions: "Firstborn" by Danielle Orchard, offering introspective portrayals of motherhood, and "Bosch Beasts" by Roberto Benavidez, featuring works inspired by Hieronymus Bosch's creatures. These exhibitions highlight the gallery's commitment to diverse artistic expressions.

Christie's Los Angeles presents "Lightness & Tension," an exhibition exploring the evolution of Brazilian design through a curated conversation between modernist pioneer Joaquim Tenreiro and contemporary artist Lucas Simões. Curated by Ulysses de Santi, the show juxtaposes Tenreiro’s midcentury furniture with Simões’ debut furniture pieces, highlighting their conceptual depth and material exploration.

The Getty Center offers "Going Places: Travel in the Middle Ages," an exhibition that explores medieval travel through colorful and detailed illustrations from old manuscripts. This show provides insights into the motivations and methods of travel during the Middle Ages.

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, presents "Diary of Flowers: Artists and their Worlds," bringing together over 80 artworks demonstrating how artists create their own worlds through their art. The exhibition features work in all media across different geographies, cultures, and periods.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) hosts "Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art from the Fondation INK Collection," an examination of innovations in calligraphic art, highlighting experimental works of modern and contemporary calligraphic art. This exhibition showcases the evolution of the pictograph and the abstraction of the written word.

The Autry Museum presents "Indigenous Futures," exploring the rise of Futurism in contemporary Indigenous art as a means of enduring colonial trauma and creating alternative futures. The exhibition features over fifty artworks, some interspersed throughout the museum, creating unexpected dialogues between contemporary Indigenous creations and historic Autry works.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County celebrates the 100th anniversary of its diorama halls with "Reframing Dioramas: The Art of Preserving Wilderness." This exhibition features immersive new installations that call attention to dioramas as a unique combination of art and science, exploring themes of biodiversity, ecology, and conservation.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures showcases "Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema," an exhibition featuring costumes, props, and art from genre classics. The exhibition includes works from films such as "Blade Runner" and "The Matrix," highlighting the genre's exploration of dystopian futures.

The Broad presents "Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me," featuring over 30 pieces by Jeffrey Gibson that explore Indigenous identity and queer history. Gibson's work fuses pop music lyrics and foundational American documents into statements on belonging and history.

Roberts Projects features "Betye Saar: Mojotech," showcasing Betye Saar’s monumental altar assemblage created in 1987 during the artist’s residency at MIT. This installation-based work is a testament to the fusion of contemporary technology and ancient spirituality.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA hosts "Olafur Eliasson: OPEN," a site-specific installation by Olafur Eliasson that playfully engages with the material and immaterial qualities of the museum’s architecture. The installation comprises objects and devices that employ light, optics, and geometry to transform the museum’s space.

La Brea Tar Pits presents "Mark Dion: Excavations," combining murals, dioramas, and models from the La Brea Tar Pits collection with new artworks by Mark Dion. The centerpiece is Dion’s monumental sculpture of a pack rat skeleton fossil, accompanied by drawings of mammal skeletons labeled with significant Angeleno names and places.

The Barker Hangar hosts "The Other Art Fair," a four-day event showcasing a curated selection of over 140 independent artists, featuring live DJ sets, activations, installations, and a cash bar. This event provides a platform for emerging artists to present their work to a broader audience.

Various locations across the city participate in "LA Design Weekend," an event focusing on the city's creative side with dozens of micro events at more than 100 studios, galleries, and cultural spaces. Visitors have the chance to interact with the local design community up close.

These exhibitions collectively highlight Los Angeles's vibrant and multifaceted cultural landscape, offering art enthusiasts a rich tapestry of experiences throughout the month. The diverse range of exhibitions underscores the city's commitment to inclusivity and representation in the arts, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of different perspectives.