Saturday, April 18, 2026 Art Parties & Events bring us a wonderful mixed bag of entertainment. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books kicks off today and runs till tomorrow. Moreover opening receptions, art talks, as well as two exhibitions featuring the iconic artist Charles Ray at both Matthew Marks and Deitch. Plus we have some great theatre for you as well. Stay tuned I will be posting a bit more, but Mama’s been busy….Have you seen my Instagram??
April 18, 2026: Art Parties & Events
The L.A. Times Festival of Books is back for another year with some incredible guest authors. The annual event attracts hundreds of attendees each year. It will be held once again at the University of Southern California.
While all outdoor events are free, tickets will be sold for many indoor interviews, and talks. Confirm all prices on the website. In addition to panels, book signings, and conversations with authors, there will be exhibitor booths, food and cooking demos. Literature categories include: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, as well as children’s books, and lots more. Be sure to visit the websites for more info, and to purchase tickets. Event: 10-6pm; University of Southern California, 3551 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089; https://www.latimes.com/events/festival-of-books
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Downtown
Band of Vices and Residency Art Gallery co-present a new exhibition titled HYMNAL. The group show features four artists working across fiber, abstraction, figuration, and ceramics. Also opening is Oyè Diran: Seeing In Blue. Across nine photographs, Diran constructs a visual world shaped by intimacy, stillness, and the spiritual charge of color. Both shows run through May 16, 2026; Art Party: 2-5pm; Band of Vices, 1700 S Santa Fe Ave Ste 371, LA 90021; https://www.bandofvices.com
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Mid City
CMAY Gallery brings us Dark Shadows, a group exhibition exploring the darker, more surreal dimensions of narrative painting. It takes its name from the legendary television series Dark Shadows (1966–1971). and its later reinterpretation in Tim Burton’s stylized film Dark Shadows.
The exhibition features a diverse group of artists whose works navigate themes of mythology, memory, transformation, as well as the uncanny. Runs through May 30, 2026; Art Party: 3-6pm; CMay Gallery, 5828 Wilshire Blvd., LA, 90036; https://cmaygallery.com
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Also in Mid City…DMST Atelier hosts another community feed today. While you are there enjoy the exhibition Shapes of Imposition as well as a companion video group show titled Load Bearing. Today is the final day of this show. Art Party: 3-6pm; DMST Atelier, 4614 W Washington Blvd, LA, 90016; https://www.dmstatelier.com
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M I N D B E N D E R S: Layered in Unexpected Truths by Shar Coulson opens at Nüart Gallery. The event will begin with a walkthrough and discussion, then an artist reception to follow. This is the third solo show for the artist. Coulson has stated that she allows an artwork to reveal what it intends to be. It focuses on both abstraction and familiarity. The exhibition runs through May 9, 2026; Art Talk: 3pm; Art Party continues through 5pm; Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue #B4, Santa Monica, CA 90404; https://www.nuartgallery.com
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West Hollywood
Matthew Marks and Jeffrey Deitch present two exhibitions featuring Charles Ray in each of their perspective galleries. Needless to say both galleries will host opening events. Let’s start with the earlier one taking place at Mathew Marks Gallery. Fallen Horse (2026) by Ray is a sculpture that has been in the works for nearly ten years. It portrays a life-size horse lying on a base. It was carved from a single large block of granite.
Enjoy the work of Charles Ray at both Matthew Marks and Deitch Gallery
Moreover The Animation of Pandora (2026) is a sculpture of three larger than life-size figures in painted white bronze. This work is inspired by the ancient Greek myth about the first woman created by the gods. Be sure to visit Deitch Gallery (see below) to view more. This exhibition runs through June 19, 2026; Art Party: 3-5pm; Matthew Marks, 1062 North Orange Grove Avenue, LA, 90046; https://matthewmarks.com
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Also in West Hollywood…Deitch Gallery exhibits works by Charles Ray. These include two of the artist’s iconic yet rarely exhibited earlier sculptures. Firetruck (1993) is on loan from The Broad, and is based on a child’s toy enlarged to life-size proportions. Also on view is Pepto-Bismol in a Marble Box (1988). This is a key work from the 1980s, is a white marble box filled with bright pink Pepto-Bismol. Remember there are also more Charles Ray works at Mathew Marks Gallery (see above). The solo show will run through June 6, 2026; Art Party: 4-6pm; Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Drive, LA, 90038; https://deitch.com/
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Mid City
Anat Ebgi unveils three exhibitions Marc Dennis: Love Letter, Simon Haas: Happy Trails, and also Olive Diamond: Rehearsals For Living. All exhibitions will remain on view through May 23, 2026; Art Party: 6-8pm; Anat Ebgi Wilshire, 6150 Wilshire Blvd #5, Los Angeles, CA 90048; https://anatebgi.com/
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Also in Mid City…de boer Gallery hosts an opening art party for a new exhibition titled A Bead at a Time by Chelsea Bighorn. The solo show runs through May 30, 2026; Art Party: 6-9pm; de boer Gallery, 3311 E Pico Blvd, LA, 90023; https://deboergallery.com/
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West Hollywood
Karma Gallery celebrates two new exhibitions with an opening art party. These include: Shota Nakamura: Apple as well as Richard Mayhew: Understory. The latter solo s how is curated by Mia Matthias. Both exhibitions runs through May 30, 2026; Art Party: 6-8pm; Karma Gallery, 7351 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046; https://karmakarma.org
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Beverly Hills
The Wallis presents the Pulitzer Prize winning play English by Sanaz Toossi and directed by Knud Adams. This acclaimed Atlantic Theater Company & Roundabout Theatre Company production runs for a limited engagement of 24 performances at the Wallis’ Bram Goldsmith Theater on April 4 to 26, 2026. Moreover, the play spotlights four Iranian adults preparing for an English language exam in a storefront school near Tehran. Due to family separations and travel restrictions they are now prompted to learn a new language that may alter their identities.
Needless to say, the plot of English is ironically pertinent in 2026 and tells a touching story of young people caught in the crossfire of political assimilation. Runs through April 26, 2026; Performance: 7:30pm; Admission begins at $53.90; Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, 90210; https://thewallis.org/
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Also in Beverly Hills…You have another chance to catch the Unexpected Guest at Theatre Forty. See above listing for more info. Performance: 7:30pm; Theatre Forty, 241 S. Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills 90212; https://theatre40.org
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For additional art exhibitions, and performances as well as culinary events, see LAArtParty’s Upcoming Events Page.
Read more about Arts and Entertainment throughout the world on our sister site EatTravelGo.com, an art inspired travel site.
Or enjoy artist / gallerist interviews on our Art Talk Page.
