Women, Surrealism, and the Occult in Los Angeles

Join LACMA curator emerita Ilene Susan Fort, independent curator Laura Whitcomb, and independent scholar Lisa Janssen at the USC Fisher Museum for a panel discussion on the role of surrealism and the occult in Sci-fi, Magick, Queer L.A. Renate Druks and Cameron, two prominent artists in the exhibition, will be the starting point to consider the important contributions of women to midcentury Los Angeles art and occult history more broadly. Both creative muses for queer filmmakers Kenneth Anger and Curtis Harrington, Druks, and Cameron were also highly prolific artists whose work was informed by their travels to Mexico and interests in surrealism, psychoanalysis, astrology, and tarot. Their impact on art today is more palpable than ever; for those seeking alternative visions of the world, their indelible artworks offer enchanting possibilities.

The discussion, moderated by exhibition co-curator Kelly Filreis, will offer new insights on Cameron and Druks and their wider roles in the Los Angeles occult and avant-garde art scenes. The panelists will also discuss the discoveries and unique challenges involved in researching, preserving, and curating the work of women artists and others who have been historically under-examined.

About the exhibition:

Sci-fi, Magick, Queer L.A.: Sexual Science and the Imagi-Nation, is organized by ONE Archives and on view at the USC Fisher Museum through March 15. The exhibition focuses on the overlapping science fiction, occult, and LGBT communities of Los Angeles from the late 1930s through the 1960s, including progressive organizations like the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Ordo Templi Orientis, and ONE Incorporated. The exhibition reveals how artists, writers, scientists, and occultists together created a world of their own making through films, photographs, music, illustrations, costumes, and writing.

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Friday, February 21, 2025, from 1 pm to 2 pm

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Image: Renate Druks, Self-Portrait (State of Mind), 40 x 36 in., 1967

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event please contact us at . It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 10 days before the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Host or Publisher USC Fisher Museum of Art