By OGNSC Staff
LOS ANGELES — The Hollywood Bowl looked a lot like South Central on Sept. 29, when visual artist Lauren Halsey took over the entire amphitheater for emajendat, a one-night event she described as a “funk opera.”
Halsey, a native Angeleno whose large-scale sculptures and installations have been shown at museums around the world, remade the Bowl from the entrance to the stage. Grounds opened at 6 p.m. with carnival-style games, a basketball booth, a Double Dutch area and installations built from her signature collage of hand-painted signs and neighborhood imagery. The headline concert followed at 8 p.m.
Erykah Badu and producer The Alchemist topped the bill, performing ahead of their upcoming collaborative album. Anderson .Paak spun as his alter ego DJ Pee .Wee, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea sat in, and the Charles Gaines Collective joined L.A. jazz group Black Nile and saxophonist Devin Daniels. Actress Yvonne Orji of “Insecure” hosted. The night closed with fireworks.
The title, pronounced “imagine that,” comes from Halsey’s 2024 exhibition at London’s Serpentine galleries. She has said the Bowl project grew out of her relationship with Badu, whom she invited to DJ the Hammer Museum’s 2025 gala, where Halsey was honored alongside Jane Fonda.
Halsey told LAist she wanted to bring her work to what she calls “the people’s venue” and reach audiences who may never set foot in a gallery. She also hopes the sold-out evening serves as proof of concept for more artist-led takeovers of major stages.
Tickets had ranged from $44 to $209. The LA Phil, which runs the Bowl, announced the event in April as a late addition to its 2026 season.