Dramatic red lights illuminate the main exhibition room as students lift their chins to witness a squad of samurai charging into battle.
“The Samurai: Japanese Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection” showcased a wide spread of authentic 14th-to-19th century armor, and inspired the theme for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) sold-out annual College Night Thursday.
Walking through the main exhibit was a like a peek into the past. Helmets, masks and armor of all shapes and sizes were on display, emanating artful utility. Many pieces utilized leather, iron and sometimes gold in their craftsmanship. Helmets were either tall or squat, often featuring organic shapes and various embellishments of yak fur or deer antlers.
Throughout the exhibit, students roamed among glass cases, some doodling on sketch pads provided by the museum. Educators wearing bright red shirts with “Ask Me,” written in capital letters were among the mix, and were prepared to answer questions about the details of the exhibits.
Fernando Cervantes, a member of the red-shirted crew in the samurai exhibit, has been working for LACMA as an educator for nearly 10 years and said that he’s been able to interact with visitors at other programs like College Night, researching multiple cultures and styles of art. Cervantes said he enjoys starting conversations with a diverse group of students that may or may not be familiar with the showcased art.
Second-year biochemistry student Michael Sekarak said he found out about College Night on LACMA’s Facebook event page. Sekarak said he has loved art his whole life and takes any chance he can get to go to museums like LACMA. His first stop of the evening was the samurai room.
“I think just getting to see all the time and effort they put into doing all these different (techniques), like the leather working, the metal working, the colors on everything,” Sekarak said. “It’s just really cool to get to see it.”
The exhibition of samurai armor encompassed the overarching theme of the evening, with a dance performance and art workshop taking place throughout the night inspired by elements of samurai culture.
Many students participated in a print-making workshop where they drew a design on a sheet of thin foam, after which they rolled paint over the design and pressed it to a piece of paper. Dozens of blue, red and black samurai prints decorated the drying line throughout the night.
The dance group that performed, Lighting Shadow, also took inspiration from the samurai theme. Without a conventional stage and with a beating drum as its only musical accompaniment, one man and one woman traversed LACMA. For about an hour, the pair showcased slow movements, embodying a journey inspired by the turmoil of war. By the end, after they had danced their way through the entrance of the museum almost to the edge of the street, the couple joined hands, and their dance ended in peace.
In addition to samurai armor, there were other art platforms available for students to immerse themselves in. Nineteenth century landscape paintings from the “Nature and American Vision: The Hudson River School” collection provided a classical element to the evening, while artist Pierre Huyghe’s contemporary collection offered an especially dynamic and interactive experience.
In one room, an aquarium tank housed a live hermit crab with a shell painted like a human face. In another room, the ceiling was decorated like a checkerboard, where the individual squares would light up in various ways. After a little fumbling with the remote controls on either side of the display, students discovered that the squares represented a game of Pong. Throughout the exhibit, a dog named Human causally roamed among the crowd. All of the elements of the exhibit functioned to emphasize the inner workings of a system, and each element’s contribution to that system.
Second-year psychology student Regina Roediger and Folsom Lake College student Lucas O’Keefe said one of their favorite portions of the evening was the Pong game on the ceiling.
Roediger said she first fell in love with LACMA after attending its Renaissance art history class, and when she heard about College Night, decided she wanted to return.
“I think it’s really easy for students to get kind of trapped in school, and just doing the grades and going through the process and then graduating and getting a job,” Roediger said. “And I think it’s really important to kind of broaden your horizons and see what else is happening, and I feel like art is a really good way to see that.”