‘Summer Happenings at The Broad’ Returns Starting on June 24

Summer Happenings at The Broad returns with four expertly curated, boundary-pushing late-night events — happenings, salons, or concerts — that shine a spotlight on contemporary art with the aid of music and performance. Taking place at The Broad museum in Downtown Los Angeles, this Saturday-night series begins on June 24 and concludes on September 23.

The series begins on June 24 with a musical program, Warhol Icon. Inspired by Nico, the ravishing German who served as Velvet Underground chanteuse, model, actress, and muse to Warhol, who anointed her one of his “superstars,” the evening will include experimental musical performances from Jenny Hval, Kembra Pfahler, Rose McDowall, Tiny Vipers and Geneva Jacuzzi; a performance by Vaginal Davis that includes a rare screening of Philippe Garrel’s collaborative film The Inner Scar, starring Nico and Pierre Clementi; and a video installation by Nao Bustamante.

Takashi Murakami, known as “the Warhol of Japan,” is the influence for the second happening, on July 24. Strange Forest focuses on artists who work in traditional Japanese and American influence in real-time. You’ll experience Sho player Tokiko Ihara, anarchic Japanese drum-and-guitar garage duo band Afrirampo, and the “drifting folklore music” of Oorutaichi. The evening will also feature Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto, Devendra Banhart, and former Ponytail member Dustin Wong with  Takako Minekawa.

Oracle, on August 26, in inspired by some timely themes: globalization, surveillance and the contemporary world’s underlying systems and forces. Co-curated by controversial performance artist Ron Athey and Afropunk Festival c0-founder and co-curator James Spooner, Oracle will challenge stereotypes, with music from experimentalist band Xiu Xiu and from New York City-based noise-rock band A Place to Bury Strangers, playing “what could be a soundtrack for the apocalypse,” healings and blessings from performance artist Linda Mary Montano, Keijaun Thomas performing his  “Distance is not Separation,” and a Xenolalia room (Xenolalia is the Christian missionary spirit ability to speak in an unlearned language) with poets Raquel Gutiérrez, Elliot Reed and Lisa Teasley, along with music from Gabie Strong, Pauline Gloss and David Harrow.

Jean-Michel Basquiat is the title of the final happening. This September 23 evening will focus on the late, great neo-expressionist’s influences: punk meets hip hop, gay meets straight, black meets white, and downtown party meets uptown art world. DJ Rashida and Michael Stockturn will transform The Oculus into a downtown dance party. Listen to punk rock from Downtown Boys and hip hop from Zebra Katz. Witness “choreographed interventions” and “dance-bombs” from Mecca V A and The MOVEMENT movement and Jay Carlon. Hair artist Shani Crowe, who has worked with Solange and been featured in The New York Times and Refinery 29, will present a performance focused on cultural coiffure and beauty rituals related to the African diaspora, while Damon Locks will share a sound piece based on themes from Basquiat’s paintings.

Tickets are currently available on The Broad website. Tickets for each happening are $25 in advance or $30 at the door, or you can buy a series pass online for $75.