The LA art world flirts with the esoteric this week with contemporary witchcraft lessons from a real-world witch, the dark-side of emoticons and an audition to join what could be a cult.
1. E.S.P. TV live taping at Human Resources, LA. E.S.P. TV is an artist collaborative that utilizes a mobile television studio installed within a van to explore the medium of performative live broadcast. They are joined by a colorful crew of video and performance artists for your viewing pleasure this Tuesday and will be streaming the whole experience from Human Resources in Chinatown. (Tuesday 8-10pm)
2. Janne Larsen Original Seed + Dining Collective, Inner Dinner at Elephant. In Janne Larsen’s twisted world of watercolors, Monsanto employees are ironically portrayed as crusaders to end world hunger. Her silicone sculptures incorporate actual language used in the Bowman vs. Monsanto lawsuit to illuminate our ignorance of the food industry’s powers that be. Coinciding with the exhibition of works, there will be a dinner performance by Dining Collective, Inner Dinner (Chris Niemi, Andrew Choate and Janne Larsen). (Friday 7-10pm)
3. An evening with Amanda Yates Garcia, The Oracle of Los Angeles at ESMoA. Ever seen a real-world witch? No? Well, this Saturday at ESMoA you have your chance to see Amanda Yates Garcia—a multimedia artist, writer, oracle and witch—give a lecture on contemporary witchcraft and conduct a Manifestation ritual all in one night. The event is part of ESMoA’s current art experience, SPARK, an exhibition inspired by a collection of illustrated stories by children’s author Cornelia Funke. (Saturday 6:30-9pm)
4. Gyung Jin Shin Smiley Suicide at Night Gallery. Gyung Jin Shin’s performance video Smiley Suicide is a grim satire on the proliferation of emoticons in our everyday interactions. For her video, Gyung Jin appears as a generic yellow “smiley” mime who shoots herself with a toy gun loaded with laughing gas, creating a hallucinatory and humorous spectacle consonant with a modern day identity crisis. (Saturday 6-8pm)
5. Occult Acting Group recruitment casting presented by some times. If you’ve ever contemplated joining a cult, pursuing an acting career or possibly a combination of the two, this may be your life’s calling. Occult Acting Group (OAG), a newly formed research group and experimental acting school, is seeking new members and hosts its first open casting call this Sunday. Drinks will be served while you wait your turn to shine. Be sure to come camera-ready! (Sunday 5:30-10pm)