MOCA  present the first comprehensive museum retrospective of works by the internationally acclaimed Swiss-born artist Urs Fischer. Fischer is one of today’s most important contemporary artists, who is known for using a range of media to express the transience of art and, concomitantly, the human condition. Jessica Morgan, renowned curator from the Tate Modern in London, is curating the exhibition, which will occupy a total of 65,000 square feet at both MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA from April 21, 2013 to August 19, 2013. Now residing primarily in New York, Fischer is also familiar with Los Angeles where he has a home and studio. Presenting his work of the last decade the show will bring together for the first time his many iconic works from leading international collections as well as new productions. A new landscape within the two unique museum spaces will encompass Fischer’s singular sense of the banal and the fantastical. 

(ALSO MAY 25) For its 23rd annual production, the acclaimed CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP)/Plaza de la Raza Theater program transposes Fuente Ovejuna, a 17th Century play by Félix Arturo Lope de Vega, to a fictional High School in East Los Angeles. To create this contemporary adaptation titled Fuente Ovejuna: The Legend of Lauren Lopez, playwright Francisco Garcia worked with CAP students to bring their voices and experiences to Lope de Vega’s story of a village’s collective action in the face of injustice. Original music and dance propel the story of heroine Lauren Lopez and her quest to save the arts at Cordoba High School. A cast of 40 students collaborated with composer Cody Henderson to create lyrics for original songs that bring a contemporary pop gloss to songs inspired by classic works of protest music.  Students collaborated on all aspects of the production—participating in the decision making processes of the director, and set and costume designers.

CAP/Plaza de la Raza Theater Program provides high school and middle school students with instruction in all areas of theater arts—and every year, for the last 23 years, a guest playwright has worked with the students to create an original work of theater. Students work with CalArts’ theater students, director B.J. Dodge, and choreographer and CalArts School of Theater faculty member Marvin Tunney to realize an original production.