Christopher Isherwood And Don Bachardy To Be Focus Of November Weekend Celebration In West Hollywood

Christopher Isherwood And Don Bachardy To Be Focus Of November Weekend Celebration In West Hollywood

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Christopher Isherwood Foundation and the City of West Hollywood today announced a pair of events dedicated to the late writer Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986) and the artist Don Bachardy and the role they played in defining Southern California as a center of artistic expression and personal freedom.

Isherwood's masterpiece, A Single Man, set in Southern California and published 50 years ago, is among the first and most influential literary novels about a gay man. Written for both gay and straight readers, the novel was brilliantly adapted as a film in 2007 by director Tom Ford.

Don Bachardy (born 1934) has spent nearly 60 years drawing and painting portraits of major creative, cultural and political figures--including California Governor Jerry Brown--as well as friends and neighbors. Hollywood, a selection of Don's portraits of film legends, including stars, screenwriters and directors, has received international recognition.

On Friday evening, November 13 at 7:30pm the Isherwood Foundation and the City of West Hollywood will present a special free screening of the acclaimed documentary "Chris and Don: A Love Story," followed by a Q & A with filmmakers Guido Santi and Tina Mascara in the West Hollywood City Council Chambers, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood. The screening is open to the public and seats can be reserved at www.weho.org/arts.

On Saturday evening, November 14, the Isherwood Foundation, Howarth & Smith, and Paul Lester and The Agency will present "An Evening With Chris and Don." The program for this evening includes a reception and dinner; a special presentation by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara, featuring unreleased video footage; readings from The Animals: Love Letters Between Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy, edited by Katherine Bucknell; and a special announcement. Proceeds from the event will fund activities of the Huntington Library that build upon the personal and artistic legacies of these two men, including grants to scholars Tickets for the event are available at www.IsherwoodFoundation.org.

"Chris and Don were key parts of a community of writers and artists who shaped Southern California, and whose reach extended far beyond the region," said Joe Rodota, a director of the Isherwood Foundation. "Each element of our weekend program celebrates their legacy as well as their unique partnership."

The screening and dinner coincide with two events at the Huntington Library: a lecture by writer Armistead Maupin (November 12) and an academic conference (November 13-14) on the life and writings of Christopher Isherwood. Additional information regarding these events can be found at www.huntington.org.

About the Christopher Isherwood Foundation: The Christopher Isherwood Foundation aims to preserve the creative legacy of the Anglo-American writer Christopher Isherwood and the American painter Don Bachardy by keeping their work available to the public in published and unpublished form and by promoting through any appropriate means the enjoyment and study of their work and the unique way of life which allowed them to produce it. Learn more at www.IsherwoodFoundation.org

About the City of West Hollywood: The City of West Hollywood has a strong commitment to supporting public arts programming through efforts such as its One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, its WeHo Reads author series, its outdoor and indoor art exhibitions, and its robust arts grant program. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programming, please visit www.weho.org/arts.



SOURCE Christopher Isherwood Foundation

Christopher Isherwood Foundation

CONTACT: Joe Rodota, Christopher Isherwood Foundation, (916) 444-0088; Michael Che, City of West Hollywood, (323) 848-6377

Web Site: http://www.isherwoodfoundation.org


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