Los Angeles, with its communities from around the world, is a melting pot of flavors, views, and practices. During this period of Safer at Home, the Fowler is pleased to bring World Arts and Cultures to you. All programs are free. RSVP to receive the link to join.

Fowler Films
Join the Fowler for screenings that offer diverse perspectives on the lived experiences of people in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and the Americas. Our curated film series is designed to spark curiosity and enjoyment of cultures across the globe.

Friday, September 11, 5–6 pm | RSVP
Special Screening: Soy Cubana

Mix yourself a mojito and join us for a special screening of Soy Cubana. This award-winning short documentary features the Vocal Vidas, a female Cuban a cappella quartet whose infectious spirit and precise vocal harmonies embody the sounds of Santiago de Cuba—the cradle of Afro-Cuban music. A post-screening program will include a conversation between Producer Robin Miller Ungar and Afro-Cuban pianist, composer, and arranger Dayramir Gonzales, followed by an appearance by the Vocal Vidas.

This program is co-presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Robin Miller Ungar, a speech-language pathologist, found the subject for her first film when she encountered the Vocal Vidas in a small chapel in Santiago de Cuba. Soy Cubana (2015) screened at 60 film festivals in 2016-17, winning audience awards and jury prizes around the world. Ungar’s second short, As We Are (2020), documents a concert in which autistic musicians collaborate with music students and professionals in their Maryland community.

Dayramir Gonzalez began his professional career as a pianist and composer with the Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Diákara at the age of 16. Since winning 1st place in the performance and composition categories at Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005 respectively, Dayramir has won three Cubadisco awards—for Best Jazz Album, Best Debut Album, and Best Recording. He was selected as Berklee College of Music’s first Cuban national “Presidential Scholarship” recipient; and has headlined at Carnegie Hall, representing the young generation of Afro-Cuban jazz.

Program Recording: “Soy Cubana,” September 11, 2020.
This program has been modified from the original recording

World Movement: We’ve joined forces with UCLA’s Visual and Performing Arts Education Program (VAPAE), inviting their talented Teaching Artists to share with us their knowledge of movement and dance practices from around the world.

Saturday, September 12, 11 am–12 pm | RSVP
Bharatanatyam Abhinaya: Emotion through Gesture with Arushi Singh

Bharatanatyam is a dance form originally practiced by hereditary performers and ritual officiants in Bahujan communities in pre-colonial Southern India. Globally recognized as one of the eight “classical” Indian dances, Bharatanatyam was reconstructed in the early and mid-20th century as part of India’s nationalist movement against colonial rule. In this class, you will have a chance to explore two elements of Bharatanatyam abhinaya (art of expression): hastas (hand gestures) and bhava (the emotional state embodied by the performer). No experience is necessary.

Arushi Singh is a Ph.D. Candidate and Teaching Fellow in Culture and Performance at UCLA Department of World Arts & Cultures/Dance. Her research interests lie at the intersection of South Asian performance histories and political economies of cultural production. Arushi is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, with a performance career spanning more than a decade. She has also collaborated on multiple interdisciplinary and intercultural art projects in India and Los Angeles. Arushi is currently a guest editor for a special issue of Race & Yoga, the first peer-reviewed journal in the field of critical yoga studies, entitled “South Asian Perspectives on Yoga.”

Program Recording: “Bharatanatyam Abhinaya: Emotion through Gesture with Arushi Singh,” September 12, 2020.

Share the Mic: The Fowler believes in the civic duty of museums to give forum to different points of view and is committed to amplifying the voices and concerns of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized people. This series offers a platform to thought leaders—artists, activists, and allies—who are guiding us along the arc of justice.

Thursday, September 17, 5–6 pm | RSVP
Intersections: Gender Equity and Anti-Racism at the Ballot Box

Facing the triple threats of a global pandemic, economic recession, and racism, womxn have taken to the frontlines, advocating for change. In this historic election year, the Fowler Museum has partnered with TIME’S UP to bring together leaders in the fight for gender equity and ending racism. Panelists will discuss crucial issues at the intersection of racial and gender identity that impact womxn daily, including equitable pay, caregiving, and protection for vulnerable families.

Join us for a conversation with Jess Morales Rocketto, Civic Engagement Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Care in Action; Marya Bangee, Executive Director at Harness, an organization that works within Hollywood to center the narratives of marginalized communities in popular culture; visual artist Ashley Lukashevsky; Sarah Eagle Heart, social justice storyteller and CEO of Return to the Heart Foundation, an Indigenous women-led grantmaking organization; and Aditi Fruitwala, staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California for the LGBTQ, Gender, and Reproductive Justice Project. The conversation will be moderated Angie Jean-Marie, Director of Public Engagement at TIME’S UP.

Program Recording: “Intersections: Gender Equity and Anti-Racism at the Ballot Box,” September 17, 2020.

A Global Destination for Art: Artists from all over the world flock to work in Los Angeles, drawn by the energy of ingenuity and the space for experimental expression. Join us on Zoom as we visit the work spaces of international artists creating in our City of Angels.

Saturday, September 19, 12–1 pm | RSVP
CRYPTIK

CRYPTIK’s signature calligraphy appears in massive public artworks across the globe, creating everyday sacred spaces intended to reconnect us with the sacred within ourselves. CRYPTIK coined the term “mantradala”—an exploration of how art can be used as a tool for meditation, introspection, and trance induction—to help us understand our connection to one another, the planet, and the universe. Join the Fowler for a rare peek into the extremely private artist’s studio and garden, and learn about the diverse philosophies and ancient wisdom traditions that inspire him.

CRYPTIK, a Korean-born artist based in Los Angeles, creates works of art that explore the realm of spirituality, consciousness, and our connection to the divine. He is best known for his signature style of calligraphy, which employs his own stylized version of English. It reflects a time when writing itself was considered sacred and draws inspiration from some of the world’s oldest writing systems. His is a language of universality, a singular human script.

Program Recording: “A Global Destination for Art: CRYPTIK,” September 19, 2020.

DISRUPT the Fowler: DISRUPT is a UCLA student design organization that aims to establish inclusive spaces and create opportunities for students of all backgrounds to engage in creative collaborations. The Fowler is honored to partner with DISRUPT to offer programs that break down barriers in the art world, and promote innovative ideation through inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

Thursday, September 24, 5–6 pm | RSVP
DISRUPT the Fowler: Lauren Lee McCarthy

Lauren Lee McCarthy is a DISRUPTOR in tech and academia. An artist and computer programmer, she creates work that invites deep examination of the intimate relationship between technology and human behavior. Lauren actively creates opportunities for WOC, mixed-race, and under-represented groups to present their work in new media fine art spaces, increasing accessibility and visibility for these artists within the art industry. Her development of P5.JS, an open source platform for learning creative expression through code, is a testament to her continuous effort to disrupt the patriarchal systems within the realms of technology.

Lauren Lee McCarthy (she/they) is Associate Professor at UCLA Design Media Arts. An LA-based artist, she examines social relationships in the midst of surveillance, automation, and algorithmic living through a variety of media and techniques, including performance, artificial intelligence, and programmed computer-based interaction. She has received numerous honors, including a Creative Capital Award, Ars Electronica Golden Nica, Sundance Fellowship, Eyebeam Fellowship, and grants from the Knight Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Rhizome.

Program Recording: “DISRUPT the Fowler: Lauren Lee McCarthy,” September 24, 2020.

Global Cuisine Cooking Lessons: Variety is the spice of life. Learn how LA’s favorite international restaurants cook up their most famous, easy-to-make dishes in live cooking classes led by their chefs on Zoom. When food is your love language, some secrets are too good not to share.

Friday, September 25, 5-6 pm | RSVP

Ma’am Sir

Recognized by MICHELIN as one of LA’s best restaurants, Ma’am Sir was a labor of love of Filipino chef Charles Olalia. Ma’am Sir dishes embody the energy of a “Filipino party in urban Manila,” in which the party, the vibe, the family, and the congregation of people are exemplified by food prepared from the heart. Join the Fowler and Chef Charles to say “paalam” (goodbye) to the celebrated restaurant which just announced it is closing its doors. Learn how to prepare Ma’am Sir’s famous Lumpia (Filipino spring rolls) and Vegetable Pancit (a traditional Filipino dish made with rice noodles). Ingredients list will be sent upon RSVP. Come with supplies prepared and ready to cook!

Program Recording: “Global Cuisine Cooking Lessons: Ma’am Sir,” September 25, 2020.

Click here for the ingredients and preparation instructions to participate in Ma’am Sir’s Cooking Lesson!

RESCHEDULED: Lunch & Learn: The Fowler’s Lunch & Learn series offers easily digestible curatorial explorations of charismatic objects from around the world in our permanent collection. Join us to chew on some sustenance and feed your mind during your lunch break.

Tuesday, September 29, 12:00–12:30 pm | RSVP
Joli: A Masquerade of Hope

This spectacular headdress was created by young artists who emigrated from the countryside of Sierra Leone to the capital of Freetown after the country gained independence from the British in 1961. Charitable organizations in the city, such as the Joli Society, offered food, shelter, a variety of guided activities, and, most of all—hope, to help migrants adjust to urban life. Join the Fowler’s Curatorial and Research Associate Gassia Armenian to learn about Joli headdresses from the outside in, and discover what they can tell us about the blending of cultural influences and peoples in Freetown.

Gassia Armenian is the Curatorial and Research Associate and Editorial Assistant at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, where she conducts collections research to facilitate curatorial and scholarly endeavors. She also liaises with domestic and international institutional and private collectors and lenders to the Fowler, and manages various aspects of planning and organizing museum exhibitions. Ms. Armenian has helped to mount many exhibitions at the Fowler over the past 20 years. Prior to that, she served as a Consultant/Project Coordinator at the U.S. Agency for International Development for Junior Achievement of Armenia, where she developed and implemented civics-education training programs and teaching methodologies.

Program Recording: “Lunch & Learn: Joli: A Masquerade of Hope,” September 29, 2020.