The multi-faceted and multi-talented James Franco has further validated his suaveness by adding ‘art curator’ to his already extensive list of accomplishments. The actor-turned student-turned author-turned professor-turned an actor playing an artist (named Franco) on “General Hospital”- turned documentary filmmaker is continuing to wow Hollywood with his newly conceived MOCA exhibit “Rebel”, paying homage to the 1955 James Dean movie “Rebel Without a Cause”.

The exhibit is now open to the public through June 23rd at JF Chen, the Hollywood space of furniture dealer Joel Chen. The venue, along with the pieces on display, further add to the innovative, and widely misunderstood, projects Franco undertakes; as the venue has been slammed as a conflict of interest due to the commercial space and the pieces on display make bold statements through the meshing of pop culture and fine art.

Bringing together other pieces of work including paintings, sculpture, drawing, video installation and multimedia in conjunction with Terry Richardson, Ed Ruscha, Douglas Gordon, Aaron Young, Paul and Damon McCarthy and Harmony Korine, “Rebel” includes stunt-like artwork and multiple films using Franco as the star subject. As the 1955 film explored many taboo topics of the time you can expect to see some thought-provoking work including violent videos, sexual sculptures and subliminal nods to drug use all framed by iconic, Hollywood structures.

Franco has been fascinated and intertwined with the image of James Dean for years and was also captivated by the film this exhibit celebrates as a teenager. His 2001 portrayal of James Dean also earned him a Golden Globe. The 50th anniversary of Dean’s death 7 years ago inspired Franco to come up with an unconventional way to celebrate this icon, and visually portray “the first mainstream American movie that dealt with teenagers on their own terms.” It’s Franco’s idea of using Dean’s “film as a source for inspiration and building off that to create new work” that has us highly intrigued. Whether you’re a film junkie, art freak, or a fan of either James this is something you must take time out of your weekend to experience – and why not, admission is free!

When: Tuesday, May 15 through Saturday, June 23 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: J.F. Chen, 941 North Highland Avenue

Los Angeles continues to reinforce its reputation as one of the premier artistic centers in the world with a new collaboration called Pacific Standard Time. Started by The Getty Research Institute in 2002, the initiative set out to locate, archive, and acquire some of the most important works by LA artists since WWII. Ten years on, the initiative has evolved into a collaborative series of exhibitions and public art events across 30 participating LA museums, showcasing paintings, sculpture, film, photography, design, performance art, and concept work created between 1945 and 1980.

You can explore all the exhibitis of Pacific Standard Time on their website, and even create a customized calendar of all the exhibits you don’t want to miss. No matter what your art preference is, there is something for everyone, and you will want to cancel that ticket you bought to Crystal Bridges. Here’s what we’re most excited about:

Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in L.A. Painting and Sculpture, 1950–1970
J Paul Getty Museum - October 1, 2011 – February 5, 2012.

This is the flagship exhibition of the entire intiative and also the broadest, featuring “an indigenous strain of modernism evident in the hard-edge paintings, assemblage sculpture, and large-scale ceramics of the 1950s, the subsequent development of iconic Pop images of the city in the 1960s, and the conceptual and material contributions of Light and Space art and process painting that fostered the advanced art of the 1970s.” Whoa.

California Design, 1930-1965: “Living in a Modern Way”
LACMA - October 1, 2011 – March 25, 2012

A collection of more than of the most iconic midcentury modern design pieces, including furniture, home décor, fashion, graphic design, and industrial design. You may just want to move right in.

In Focus: Los Angeles, 1945-1980
J. Paul Getty Museum – December 20, 2011 – May 6, 2012

This is a smaller exhibit, featuring 25 photographs from the Getty permanent collection. We love a good black and white photo, and we also love any excuse to get up to the Getty for a bottle of wine.

Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974 – 1981
Museum of Contemporary Art – October 1, 2011 – Febuary 13, 2012

The MOCA exhibit explores a tighter period from 1974 to 1981, when the modernist movement, “characterized by a master narrative of progress and succession, reached a dead end”. The exhibit explores a variety of styles and genres that emerged after art ceased to fit into any type of master category for Art Historians.

Trouble in Paradise: Music and Los Angeles 1945-1975
The GRAMMY Museum – February 22, 2012 – April 2, 2012

The GRAMMY Museum is an underrated museum mostly overshadowed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. This exhibit is a good excuse to finally make the trek. While details are still scarce, there is a lot of potential for an exhibit featuring a “wide-range of iconic images from the period… album art, handbills, concert posters, etc.” You can probably expect music, too.