Happy new year!

Ann Magnuson does Diamond Dogs.
Art montage by Kristian Hoffman.

Thursday, January 6, 6 to 9pm: The tiny Room Gallery at UC Irvine has been a happening place lately; last fall they hosted a lovely show by 2010 Whitney Biennial artist Erika Vogt. Tonight, they open an interesting group show called Cult of the Ruin: Strategies of Accumulation. Twelve artists working in various media address the gap between past history and present experience–a gap once posited by Craig Owens as a site for allegory. Opening night performance by notch.

Thursday, January 6, 7 to 10pm: The League of Imaginary Scientists launches their Engagement Party residency at MOCA with Wormholes, which promises to utilize bilateral symmetry to transport audience members from one point to another.

Thursday, January 6, 9pm: Margo Victor’s concept band, Black Flower, gives a rare performance at LACE in advance of the artist’s exhibition there, which opens on January 13. There’s no telling what will happen at this performance, which aims to “reveal the constructed nature of both performer and observer.”

Saturday, January 8, 2pm: Institutional critique legend Andrea Fraser leads… a samba dance class??? Only at LAXART. You must RSVP to lesleymoon at laxart.org to reserve a spot.

Saturday, January 8, 6 to 8pm: Like lemmings, the entire LA gallery world opens its doors tonight to usher in another season of art. Among the many Culver City offerings is a show of noted performance artists Bob Flanagan and Sheree Rose, Kim Jones, and Johanna Went at Western Project. Strangely, no details are given about this show, which leads me to think it’s an exhibition of photographs.

Saturday, January 8, 7 to 10pm: NELA Second Saturday, my favorite LA art walk, holds its first event of the year tonight. Twenty-two galleries and art spaces are participating in this round, among them Future Studio Gallery, which will host noise performances by Jeff Boynton, Mona Jean Cedar, and Andy Ben throughout the evening.

Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9, 8pm: Andrea Fraser’s samba class notwithstanding, it’s hard to think about anything else that’s happening this weekend when the magnificent Ann Magnuson is doing not one but two David Bowie tribute shows at the Steve Allen Theatre. Hello! Ann Magnuson does David Bowie!! Hopefully you followed my advice way back in December and have purchased your tickets already, because both shows are now STANDING ROOM ONLY.