Dance in unconventional locations, a truly mashugana Larry David tribute show, a snapshot survey of painting in L.A., poets responding to sculpture, Japanese magical cats, creative portraiture, and so very, very many Jack O'Lanterns.

Thursday, October 21

Art Talk: Dress and Power with Kennedi Carter and Taylor Renee Aldridge at Fowler & CAAM (Virtual). As a complement to the Fowler's current exhibition, Photo Cameroon: Studio Portraiture 1970-1990s, photographer Kennedi Carter and curator Taylor Renee Aldridge will explore Carter's recent series, Flexing/New Realm, which features portraits of friends in historically-inspired costumes and poses to communicate ideas of Blackness and its relationship to wealth, power, respect, and belonging; and the practice of Black artists who subvert power dynamics of traditional art historical portraits by placing Black sitters in traditionally white contexts. Thursday, October 21, 4pm; free; fowler.ucla.edu.

Friday, October 22

Dance: Jacob Jonas at ROW DTLA (Outdoor). Jacob Jonas The Company counts among the most exciting of the contemporary dance in unconventional spaces genres, and this weekend they deploy their site-specific strategies against the stunning views from the rooftop deck of downtown's ROW enclave. Dress warmly, and think about ordering some al fresco to go from one of the many intriguing eateries at the location. 777 S. Alameda, downtown; Friday, October 22 - Sunday, October 24; 7:30pm; $35; rowdtla.com.The Big Bald Art Show at Bruce Lurie Gallery. As the world anxiously prepares for the return of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm this weekend, Bruce Lurie Gallery and Butts In the Seats Productions are teaming to celebrate all things Larry David with a fine art tribute and exhibition. The Big Bald Art Show features original works from a global collection of artists in the US, Canada, Australia, England, Costa Rica, Norway, Argentina, Ukraine, Belarus, Puerto Rico and Israel. Dirty Sue and Mulholland Distilling are serving special themed cocktails opening night, along with some pretty pretty pretty good surprises. 873 Via De La Paz, Pacific Palisades; Opening reception: Friday, October 22, 7-10pm; on view through October 31; free; luriegallery.com/events.

Saturday, October 23

Funhouse: A Celebration of L.A. Painting at Rory Devine Fine Art. Featuring the work of 43 Los Angeles painters, the exhibition celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of painters working in Los Angeles in 2021. Many works in the exhibition were made during the global pandemic we are currently still living through, adding an immediacy to the show. The artists included span generations, ideas, and stylistic nuances that perhaps reflect the current state of painting, an act that seems more and more rebellious in the face of artificial intelligence and computer animation. The artist labors alone in his or her studio, confronting historical precedent that challenges the intellect as well as aesthetics. 3209 W. Washington Blvd., West Adams; Opening reception: Saturday, October 23, 2-5pm; on view through November 20; free; rorydevinefineart.com.Joey Feldman: Incomprehensible Remoralization Pop-Up. Artist Joey Feldman, known for prolific body of work exploring chaos, accident, and abstract expressionism, will showcase Incomprehensible Remoralization, a collection of new work in his signature style, adored by fans for its use of the unexpected, dark and humorous abstraction, and stylish references to sketch drawing and comic illustration. The opening of the pop-up art show will include a print and merchandise salon in the morning, followed by a gallery exhibition of original artworks later in the afternoon. 8439 Steller Dr., Culver City; Opening day: Saturday, October 23, 10am-1pm; Opening night: 4-7pm; free; joeyfeldman.com.Miguel Angel Payano, Jr.: Elusive Nature, at Make Room Los Angeles. Payano's work pursues an interest in cultural literacy, in particular the paths and power structures that constitute cultural indoctrination. Genealogies are present both thematically and physically. The works in this show provide a nearly comprehensive survey of the evolution of Payano's practice, with painted works featuring mothers, children, and family units, as well as Payano's classic heavy collages? ? wall pieces of human figures that combine painting and sculpture, consisting of a buildup of different surfaces and materials. 5119 Melrose Ave., East Hollywood; Opening reception: Saturday, October 23, 6-8pm; on view through November 13; free; makeroom.la.Readings: Contemporary poets respond to the art of Moffat Takadiwa at Craft Contemporary (Virtual). Three acclaimed SoCal poets ? Sara Borjas, F. Douglas Brown, and inaugural Poet Laureate for Orange County, Natalie Graham ? have been composing new poetry based on the themes of Takadiwa's powerful and innovative mixed media sculptures and installation. This ekphrastic collaboration now culminates in a live virtual performance as all three poets debut this new work. The evening will be hosted by poet and series curator Brendan Constantine. Saturday, October 23, 6pm; free; craftcontemporary.org.

Sunday, October 24

The Creative Portrait at Los Angeles Center of Photography. The sixth edition of LACP's beloved annual exhibition was juried by artist and publisher Aline Smithson, who writes, With the ubiquitous-ness of photography today, creative approaches to all genres of photography shift the norm and reinvigorate the medium, as evidenced by all the submissions to this exhibition. The photographs selected for the exhibition are like small novellas, captured somewhere between the beginning, middle, or ending of a personal narrative or way of seeing. Creative Portraiture is different than traditional portraiture?it allows the photographer to intervene with the experience, adding an imaginative reconsideration of the person in front of the camera. 5566 W. Washington Blvd., West Adams; Opening day, Sunday, October 24, timed entry, 10am-5pm; on view through November 17; free; lacphoto.org.

Tuesday, October 26

Lecture: KAIBYO: The Supernatural Cats of Japan, from Nekomata to Nekomusume, at Japan Foundation (Virtual). All cats are magical, but the cats of Japan have secrets of their own. If they live long enough, their tails split, they stand on their hind legs, and they start to dance. Bakeneko, nekomata, kasha, nekomusume, and even the ubiquitous lucky cat? called the maneki neko ? come learn some of the secrets of Japan's magic cats from Zack Davisson, yokai scholar and author of Kaibyo: The Supernatural Cats of Japan. Tuesday, October 26, 7pm; free w/ registration; jflalc.org.

Wednesday, October 27

ArtTable Talk: Marcela Guerrero and Daisy Nam at Ballroom Marfa (Virtual). Join Marcela Guerrero, Jennifer Rubio Assistant Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Daisy Nam, Curator at Ballroom Marfa, in conversation on the work of Donna Huanca in this virtual talk. The two will discuss Donna Huanca: ESPEJO QUEMADA, as well as Guerrero's work on influential recent exhibitions of contemporary art from Latin America, including the exhibitions Pacha, Llaqta, Wasichay: Indigenous Space, Modern Architecture, New Art at the Whitney Museum of American Art and Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960-1985 at the Hammer. Wednesday, October 27, 9am PT; $10; ballroommarfa.org.

Ongoing

Carved at Descanso Gardens (Outdoor). It's Night of 1000 Pumpkins ? okay, hundreds but still it's a truly epic amount of pumpkins ? as the grounds of Descanso Gardens are festooned in Jack O'Lanterns, light boxes, water sculptures, Dia de los Muertos altars, light shows, hay mazes, live giant-gourd carving, mixed media topiaries and photo opportunities across a 1-mile after-dark walk through the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. As well as offering several impressive feats of unconventional artistry ? such as intricate celebrity portraiture in Jack O'Lantern form and seemingly floating altars ? it's kid friendly in the extreme, so the adult beverage (spike that hot cider on a chilly evening) contingent may want to skew their timed-entry tickets toward the later side. 1418 Descanso Dr., La Ca?ada Flintridge; On view through October 31, 6:30-10pm; $25-35; descansogardens.org.