A tribute to late artist Carlos Almaraz, the documentary Playing with Fire celebrates one of Los Angeles’s most influential painters and Chicano art activists from the 1970s. Featuring appearances by Cheech Marin, Edward James Olmos and Zack de la Rocha. Directed by his widow, artist Elsa Florez Almaraz and actor Richard J. Montoya, the film “is an eye-opening look at the artist . . . filled with energy and thickly applied paint and pastels that were complex representations of his life grounded by numerous recurring motifs like car crashes, masked people, theater spaces, and more.”
“It’s a rare example of an artist documentary done right, one that is both a great primer about Almaraz for those unfamiliar with his work and one that is insightful for those who know his oeuvre well.” – ARTnews
Image: Courtesy Netflix
Advance tickets recommended.
Museum members: $12
Non-members: $18
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