A mammoth, multi-exhibition project in southern California explores Latin American and Latino art and artists throughout the hemisphere, including the U.S., by Susan Delson

In La La Land, the second “La” can stand for Latin America.

It certainly does this season, as “Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA,” a mammoth, multi-exhibition project, unfurls across the city and region. “Los Angeles has a deep connection to Latin America,” said Deborah Marrow, director of the Getty Foundation, which initiated and largely funded development of the project. The city was “born in the 18th century as part of New Spain,” she added, noting that today, “approximately half of our population identifies as Latino or Latin American.”

Exploring Latin American and Latino art and artists throughout the hemisphere, including the U.S., “PST: LA/LA” encompasses more than 70 venues throughout Southern California, from San Diego to Santa Barbara and east to Palm Springs. Participating museums range from modest institutions like the Pasadena Museum of California Art to heavyweights like the Getty Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or Lacma.

“PST: LA/LA” marks the third “Pacific Standard Time” organized under the Getty’s aegis. The first, presented in 2011–12, explored art in Los Angeles from 1945 to 1980, while the second, in 2013, focused on modern architecture in Los Angeles. This year’s version features work from more than 50 countries and 1,000 artists, from colorful Cuban movie posters to tough-minded protest art from Colombia to 18th-century Mexican paintings.

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