BAMPFA: Fine Art and Film Under One Roof
Berkeley’s claims to fame include highly regarded exhibits and performances as well as scholarship in the arts. Here are some of the possibilities; highlights of their events calendars will be added as the April timeframe of IDSM01 draws near.
The Berkeley Arts Museum and its sister institution, the Pacific Film Archive, are going into the third year of their new home on the west side of the campus.
Pacific Film Archive will be in the midst of its series Documentary Voices.
Three art exhibits will be featured in the timeframe of the conference. Boundless shows how internationally renowned contemporary Tibetan artists adopt and adapt elements of Tibetan Buddhist art and philosophy to construct works laden with layered meanings.
A feature on Masako Miki, who creates creates larger-than-life-size, felt-covered forms drawn from the Japanese folk belief in yokai (shape-shifters) who can disguise themselves in any number of different forms.
Hans Hofmann: The Nature of Abstraction brings together nearly seventy works spanning the entirety of the artist’s career for a fresh and eye-opening examination of Hans Hofmann’s prolific and innovative artistic practice.
Live Theatre Takes Center Stage at the Berkeley Rep
The Berkeley Repertory Theatre will present Geoff Sobelle’s Home March 22 through April 21. They promise that “Obie Award-winning physical theatre artist Geoff Sobelle and his ensemble of actors, dancers, and designers treat you to an enchanting visual and immersive spectacle” in which “Right before your eyes, a two-story house is conjured from the shadows. Residents past, present, and future rollick through its rooms in an impromptu dance that defies time and space, magically transforming our mundane everyday tasks into a glorious, intimate, and profound celebration.” To get Home, go to 2025 Addison Street in Berkeley’s downtown / arts district.
“The Freight”: Espresso and Folk Music, A Famous Couple Now On Their Third House Together
Across the street from the Berkeley Rep is the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, in its new home at 2020 Addison Street. Since the 60s, it’s been a destination for artists who are world-famous (or hope to be), and who work in, or are influenced by, folk/roots traditions.
Featured artists scheduled for the timeframe of IDSM01 include singer-songwriter Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom, the top-selling female Hawaiian vocalist of all time (April 24); the jazz- and classical-rooted Proteus Trio of Lewis Patzner, Evan Price, and Jonathan Alford (April 25); and the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers (April 26).
Ashkenaz: An All-Ages Destination for World Music and Dance
Another legendary Berkeley venue is Ashkenaz Music and Dance Club. At 1317 San Pablo Avenue it is more taxi than walking distance from Clark Kerr Campus. April is a bit off their calendar as yet, but you can count on an eclectic selection of performers, as well as classes, some of which welcome drop-in participation and/or beginners.
A Perennial Favorite: The UC Botanical Garden
The University’s Botanical Garden is a pleasant walk from LBNL.
At once a research and teaching facility and a favorite beauty spot open to the public, the 34-acre (18-hectare) garden has something to see in every season. After a rainy “El Niño” winter, many of their more than 12,000 kinds of plants ought to be putting on quite a show by late April.
Touring Our “City of Learning”
A walking tour of the campus is another classic. The widely varied architectural styles, along with the layout and horticulture, represent a living history of their disciplines, from Frederick Law Olmstead’s original vision through John Galen Howard and Thomas Church, a history still being written.
You can sign up individually for a guided walking tour (registration required) or take a self-guided tour at your convenience.
Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue
One of Berkeley’s entertainment and shopping districts is just across the street from the south side of the main campus, along Bancroft Way. Coffee shops and restaurants are abundant on Bancroft Way, and the shops and scene of ever-colorful Telegraph Avenue extend to the south. Just to the north, lively Sproul Plaza is a signature gateway to the campus.