Keeping track of an art treasure trove; Getty Prize news; on motherhood

From England to SoCal to Paris to Getty

For Lora Chin Derrien, the Getty Research Institute’s senior registrar, a childhood love of thrift shops and antique family heirlooms led to a career managing collections of art. In this staff profile, Derrien tells us more about her path to Getty and how she keeps track of the dizzying array of works in our archival collections.

Meet Lora Chin Derrien

Featured exhibition: Camille Claudel

Celebrated for her brilliance during a time when women sculptors were rare, Camille Claudel (1864–1943) was among the most daring and visionary artists of the late 19th century. Although she is remembered today for her dramatic life story—which included a passionate relationship with artist Auguste Rodin and a 30-year internment in a psychiatric institution—her art remains little known outside of France; until now. 

Explore this major exhibition

And the Getty Prize goes to…

Artist Mark Bradford has selected the Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN) as the recipient of its $500,000 Getty Prize grant. AHJN works with community-based arts education organizations that serve system-impacted youth in LA. “With the Getty Prize, I am proud to support the important work AHJN is doing to transform young people’s lives through the power of arts education,” says Bradford.

Read the full announcement

Motherhood is hard work

In 1976 artist Mary Kelly made headlines by including controversial material in her work: dirty diapers. In the piece Post-Partum Document, Kelly recorded the first six years of caring for her son—the nursing, first words, tantrums—wanting to explore the mother-child relationship and its effect on the “feminine psychology.”

Why artist Mary Kelly documented the early years of her son’s life

Related event: Mary Kelly talk on April 6

The Moche Culture of Ancient Peru | Los Mochicas del norte del Perú

Thursday, April 11, 3:00 pm
Online only

The Moche peoples thrived on the north coast of Peru from about 100 to 850 CE, transforming the landscape with sacred spaces and creating sophisticated artifacts in clay, metal, and textiles. On the occasion of Getty’s new exhibition Picture Worlds: Greek, Maya, and Moche Pottery, archaeologist Carlos Rengifo shares insights about the Moche and how their highly developed society maintained unity through rituals and ceremonies. This talk is presented in Spanish with live English translation.

Register for this free talk

Pop Up/Stand Up: Artists Books and Social Justice

Thursday, April 11, 4:00 pm
Getty Center, Museum Lecture Hall

Remember the joy of pop-up books? Some artists have now recognized this dynamic medium as a vehicle for social activism. Join artists Colette Fu and Beth Thielen in conversation with Getty’s Rachel Rivenc as they delve into how their art practices enact social justice.

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Sounds of LA

Sara Curruchich

Sat., April 13, 6:00 pm; Sun., April 14, 3:00 pm
Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium

Sara Curruchich is the first Indigenous Guatemalan singer and songwriter to sing in Kaqchikel (her mother tongue), as well as Spanish, for an international audience. Her music conveys messages of love, awareness, and hope.

Get free tickets

An Evening with Rising Stars Fife and Drum & Dom Flemons

Sat., April 27, 6:00 pm; Sun., April 28, 3:00 pm
Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium

Sharde Thomas reimagines her family’s fife and drum music; Grammy-winner Dom Flemons finds forgotten folk songs and makes them shine again.

Get free tickets