Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world

Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript – the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity – is of supreme importance for the history of the book.

The name ‘Codex Sinaiticus’ literally means ‘the Sinai Book’.

It reflects two important aspects of the manuscript: its form and a very special place in its history.

‘Codex’ means ‘book’. By the time Codex Sinaiticus was written, works of literature were increasingly written on sheets that were folded and bound together in a format that we still use to this day. This book format was steadily replacing the roll format which was more widespread just a century before when texts were written on one side of a series of sheets glued together to make a roll. These rolls were made of animal skin (like most of the Dead Sea Scrolls) or the papyrus plant (commonly used for Greek and Latin literature).

Using the papyrus codex was a distinctive feature of early Christian culture. The pages of Codex Sinaiticus however are of prepared animal skin called parchment. This marks it out as standing at an important transition in book history. Before it we see many examples of Greek and Latin texts on papyrus roll or papyrus codex, but almost no traces of parchment codices. After it, the parchment codex becomes normative.

During its history – particularly its modern history – parts of Codex Sinaiticus were also known by other names. The 43 leaves which are now at Leipzig University Library were published in 1846 as ‘Codex Frederico-Augustanus’ in honour of Frederick Augustus II, King of Saxony, who was the patron of the German Biblical scholar and editor of Codex Sinaiticus, Constantine Tischendorf. The 347 leaves now in The British Library were previously known as ‘Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus’, as they were kept in St Petersburg between 1863 and 1933.

source:http://www.codexsinaiticus.org/en/

THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Show&Tell
Zimmer Children’s Museum, 6–9pm
Presenting “the art of language,” artwork that has been made from the idea and inspiration of the language of humor, body language and sign language. All sales will benefit the Zimmer Museum and youTHink (arts education programs in public schools). Please RSVP to zoe@zimmermuseum.org

FRIDAY, MAY 1
Evaluating Exchange
Crisp London Los Angeles, 7–10pm
View the current installation by Melanie McLain and Jennifer Gradecki. This exhibition is the first in the One Night Only series at Crisp London Los Angeles

Ballet Preljocaj
UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 8pm
Presenting the modern dance troop of the internationally known French-Albanian Angelin Preljocaj where he takes the classic Vivaldi “The Four Season” and turns it into an eccentrically beautiful and surreal performance. May 1 and 2, tickets $54, $42, $28

SATURDAY, MAY 2
When Myths Collide: The Golden Age
Norton Simon Museum, 10:30am–12pm
In conjunction with the current exhibition on Matisse, Laurie Monahan, Associate Professor of History of Art and Architecture at the University of California, Santa Barbara, speaks on her contrarian view of Henri Matisse. Tickets $15, includes entrance fee to the galleries

FRESH! Silent Auction Preview
Geffen Contemporary, 11am–4pm
The first day of the public preview of the benefit auction for MOCA that continue through the auction on May 9. Click here for the online catalogue

Made to Measure
Barney’s New York, Beverly Hills location, 4th Floor, 12–2pm
Band of Outsider’s Scott Sternberg consults on summer suiting

Kim McCarty
Kim Light/Lightbox, 3–6pm
Join artist Kim McCarty and Hunter Drohojowska-Philp at 4:30 for an afternoon walkthrough and cocktails

Mike Kelley / Mustafa Hulusi
Patrick Painter, East Gallery, 6–8pm
The opening reception for Mike Kelley’s photo editions in Painter’s East Gallery and Mustafa Hulusi’s “Obliteration and Memory” in Painter’s West Gallery, both opening at 6pm

My Barbarian / Maria Nepomuceno
Steve Turner Contemporary, 6–9pm
Opening reception for My Barbarian “Suspension of Beliefs” and Maria Nepomuceno’s “Drifting”. My Barbarian (Malik Gaines, Jade Gordon and Alexandro Segade) and LA Fog will perform at 8pm

Kiss Me
Fifth Floor, 6–9pm
The opening reception for the installation of L.A.-based artist Jurati’s painted silks and fabrics. On view until May 30

LA 2019: Cults, Collectives, and Cocooning
18th Street Arts Center, 6–10pm
Curated by Ciara Ennis and featuring Cathy Akers, Heather Cantrell, Fallen Fruit, Olga Koumoundouros, Jason Middlebrook, Bede Murphy, Machine Projects (with Jim Fetterly), William Ransom, Stephanie Smith and Joel Tauber create images of the future of L.A.

INCOGNITO
SMMoA, 7pm
Annual exhibition and benefit art sale returns for a fifth year and encourages first-time and long-time collectors alike to purchase works from established and undiscovered artists – all works are $300. This year features over 480 local and international artists. Tickets start at $100 and available until May 1 at 12pm, and at the door on May 2

Gary Baseman: La Noche de la Fusion
Corey Helford Gallery, 7–9pm
The opening reception for Gary Baseman exhibition La Noche de la Fusion – A Celebration! which transforms gallery into a Carnivalesque festival and features paintings by the artist. On view until May 23

SUNDAY, MAY 3
WHP Big Sunday
Watts, 9am–6pm
Volunteers needed this weekend for the Watts House Project. From 11am to 1pm there will be a children’s workshop and, after sunset, an outdoor film festival. To sign up please email sue@wattshouseproject.org. Simultaneously, the Watts Village Theater is presenting the “Ochre & Onyx: The Langston Hughes Project,” at the LA Design Center, May 1 through 3 offering free tickets to WHP volunteers

Art + Design Open Market
One Colorado, 10am–5pm
Over 100 artists set up in the central courtyard and pedestrian alleys of One Colorado, to provide this special opportunity for the people to meet and ask questions of emerging and established artists from Pasadena

Santa Monica + Venice Home Tour
AIA LA, 11am–4pm
Contemporary homes on the west side of Los Angeles, featuring John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (King Residence), Michael Lee Architects (Herron Residence), Jennifer Wen Architecture (Painted Light Studio), Office of Mobile Design (Venice Prefab). Tickets $75 / $65

Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples
LACMA, 11am–8pm
Opening day of the special exhibition. Tickets required

Big Family Day
MOCA Grand, 1–4pm
MOCA welcomes its biggest family art celebration of the year, inviting families to explore Dan Graham: Beyond and A Changing Ratio: Painting and Sculpture from the Collection. Participate in behind-the-scenes tours, gallery discussions and join in to create your own art work

Richard Neutra, Architect: Sketches and Drawings
Central Library’s Getty Gallery, 1–5pm
Opening day of architect Richard Neutra’s drawings, an exhibition of works by “one of the modernism’s most important architects”

e-waste to e-fun!
Machine Project, 3pm
Jason Torchinsky gives a presentation on how to build your own stand-up arcade game out of semi-recycled parts

Dion Johnson: Shadows and Vistas
Project_210, 4–7pm
Presenting two bodies of new paintings by Dion Johnson, The Shadow Series and The Vista Series. On view until May 30

MONDAY, MAY 4
Verlyn Klinkenborg
Hammer Museum, 7pm
Author of Making Hay (1986), The Last Fine Time (1991), The Rural Life (2003) and Timothy; or the Notes of an Abject Reptile (2006) is featured in the New American Writing reading series at the Hammer

TUESDAY, MAY 5
Museum of Jurassic Technology’s David Wilson
Hammer Museum, 7pm
Wilson is the founding director of Culver City’s Museum of Jurassic Technology which opened in 1988 and is speaking about his unusually wonderful museum and experience in independent film

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
Make it, Install it, Perform it: Listen
SASSAS, 7–10pm
New artist led workshops at The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock. Learn about the visual arts and experimental sound with Rick Potts’ Found Sounds: Transforming Everyday Objects into Instruments – bring household objects to play. Tuition $35 non-members, $30 members. Please register in advance here

Candice Lin at Chung King Project

THURSDAY, APRIL 23
Fowler OutSpoken Conversation with Doug Aitken and Lauri Firstenberg
Fowler Museum @ UCLA, 7pm
Fowler OutSpoken with artist Doug Aitken and LA><ART director and curator Lauri Firstenberg in conjunction with the exhibition Continental Rifts: Contemporary Time-Based Works of Africa and curator Polly Roberts. Continental Rifts is on view until June 14

Jeanne Batalova and Josh Kun in conversation
Clockshop, 7:30pm
Join the Table Talk between Josh Kun and Jeanne for a conversation on the immigration and the politics and culture of the border. Please make reservations prior to the date, here

Slide Show with Mike Mills
Family, 7:30pm
Intimate slide show and discussion with Mike Mills in conjunction with the launch of his new book Graphics Films

FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Undergraduate Thesis Final Review
SCI-Arc, 11am–7pm
The undergraduate Thesis Final Review takes place in the W. M. Keck Lecture Hall from 11am–7pm. Following the review, there will be an opening reception for the All School Exhibition (including graduate and undergraduate work) from 7–9pm. This work will be on view throughout the school until May 17

SATURDAY, APRIL 25
3–Way Sample Sale
New High (M)art, 12–6pm
Happening through Saturday and Sunday, New High (M)art is holding a parking lot/sidewalk sale of Alex & Chloe, Grey Ant and the Costume Depart. Plus 10 to 50% off inside the store through entire weekend!

Publishing 3.0: The Next Generation
LA Times Festival of Books at UCLA, Humanities A51, 1:30pm
Panel discussion moderated by David L. Ulin with Otis Chandler, Sara Nelson, Patrick Brown and Richard Nash. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Festival of Books continues through Sunday

Mathew Timmons and Robert Summers on Relational Aesthetics and Continental Philosophy
Sea and Space Exploration, 1–4pm
Presented by The After School Arts Program (ASAP) and hosted by Sea and Space, join for the first of a series of conversations asking “What’s wrong with Relational Aesthetics?”

Hungarian Critic and Curator, Zsuzsa László
Outpost for Contemporary Art, 4pm
The evening begins with a reception from 3 to 4, followed by Zsuzsa’s presentation at 4pm and screening at 7:30pm which compliments this Hungarian-based curator and critic’s presentation of underground, artist-run initiatives in Hungry of over the last 40 years. Please visit the website for details

Alexis Smith: Imitation of Life
Margo Leavin Gallery, 4–6pm
Smith uses found imagery to expose the way in which we choose to present ourselves. In isolating and manipulating these images, Smith inspects the validity through a humorous lens. On view until May 23

Chinatown Art Night
Chinatown, 6–9pm
On view during Chinatown’s quarterly art walk: “The Sexual Life of Savages” at Chung King Project, Opening “Jeff Jamieson – Sculpture” at David Patton Los Angeles, Presenting “Humanity Uniting,” a fundraising exhibit and event at Fifth Floor, Featured work at The Happy Lion, “Structural, Uncontrolled Hollywood, Political, Auteur, Cosmic, Happy, Sad, and Ordinary,” by Brian O’Connell at Redling Fine Art, Opening “Postwar Landscapes” by Mattew Picton and “Chanting Water” by Jean-Pierre Hébert at Solway Jones, Opening “Screwball Asses” at The Company, “Alexis Smith: Play it as it Lays” at Cottage Home, and “Luminous Networks” at Automat, among various additional venues and openings

Opera
Five Thirty Three, 7–10pm
Curated by Mark Foxx’s Lia Trinka-Browner including Lesley Moon, Jill Spector, Brendan Threadgill, Calvin Trezise and Dawson Weber. Accompanying the exhibition will be a zine with writing by Lia Trinka-Browner and Itza Vilaboy and an illustration by Matt Wycoff

SUNDAY, APRIL 26
LACMA Art + Architecture Tour
10am–4pm
The Art Museum Council’s 51st annual Art + Architecture tour for museum members features five extraordinary estates and their private art collections. A Special Projects boutique of unique artworks, created specially for this tour, will be on sale. For further information please call 323.857.6287. Tickets start at $150

98th Annual Gold Metal Juried Exhibition
Pasadena Museum of California Art, 12–5pm
Presented by the California Art Club, this is the annual exhibition of contemporary-traditional fine arts featuring nearly 300 paintings and sculptures on view to the public until May 17. The ticketed Gala Opening Night Reception takes place on Saturday, April 25. Click here for tickets and information

The Last Book: This Ain’t your Grandson’s Kindle
MAK Center, 4–7pm
haudenschildGARAGE and Spare Parts perform The Last Book: This Ain’t Your Grandson’s Kindle by Steve Fagin present the idea of resurrecting the medieval illuminated manuscript through alchemy, new technology to make past into the present. Reservations suggested in advance

TUESDAY, APRIL 28
Conversations on Urban China: Jeffrey Kipnis and Thom Mayne
Hammer Museum, 7pm
As a part of the Hammer lecture series, Sylvia Lavin from UCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design interviews Jeffrey Kipnis, professor at Knowlton School of Architecture and curator at the Wexner Center and Thom Mayne principal of Morphosis and discuss whether or not art and architecture are converging to form an integrated type of cultural consumption

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
Conversations on Urban China: Catherine Opie and Doug Aitken
Hammer Museum, 7pm
Contemporary artists Catherine Opie and Doug Aitken join Sylvia Lavin (UCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design) for a conversation on the conceptualization of city planning and the concept of the masterpiece being destroyed by global production

THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Deborah Butterfield
LA Louver, 6–8pm
Opening reception for Deborah Butterfield’s solo exhibition. A fully illustrated catalogue will be published in conjunction with the show. On view until May 9

Bike Night at the Hammer
Hammer Museum, 7pm
Ride your bike to the Hammer for a night of fun featuring free admission, a screening of Breaking Away, performance by Telematique, food and free bike valet brought to you by the LA County Bike Coalition. Screening begins at 8:30pm

FRIDAY, APRIL 17
Elastic Plastic Sponge at Coachella
A temporary architectural installation for the music festival built by SCI-Arc students with direction from Ball-Nogues Studio. On view through Sunday, April 19
More info: SCI-Arc and www.coachella.com

Brian O’Connell
Redling Fine Art, 6–9pm
Opening reception of O’Connell’s 16mm projection entitled Uncontrolled, Hollywood, Political, Auteur, Cosmic, Happy, Sad, and Ordinary

The Seafarer
Geffen Playhouse, 6:30pm
Enjoy the Tony-nominated darkly humorous tale starring John Mahoney. This special performance organized by the LA Stage Alliance includes a catered pre-show reception with the Board of the LA Stage Alliance. Tickets $125. The Seafarer plays at the Geffen until May 24

WHOAchellaNOchella
g727, 9pm
In conjunction with the exhibition Photocartographies: Tattered Fragments of the Map entwining photography and cartography, g727 hosts a benefit concert and dance party with Lucky Dragons, Cooperation and Dan Plaza

SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Brian O’Connell Concrete Boat Project
Marina Del Rey Boat Launch, 2–3pm
13477 Fiji Way (Basin H), Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Hosted by Redling Fine Art, a christening and launch of the 13-foot boat O’Connell built during his residency at a Malibu beach

Brewery Art Walk
Brewery Studios, 11am–6pm
With over 100 residents, the world’s largest art colony hosts the first of two art walks in 2009. Open to guests April 18 and 19

Shelf Life: A Big Day for Small Press
USC Roski School of Fine Arts, 12–4pm
A bazaar followed by a discussion about independent press. As part of the lecture series “Visions & Voices,” this event features a bazaar of artists, publishers and indie stores in the Harris Hall with DJ Wendy Yao, artist, owner of Ooga Booga and MAP FYA contributor. Panel follows from from 1–2:30pm in Gin D. Wong Auditorium with V. Vale, Search & Destroy; Bruce Caen, artist; Brian Kennon, 2nd Cannons Publications; Joe Carducci, A&R of SST Records; Aaron Rose, ANP Quarterly; and Emily Roysdon, LTTR

Dave Hickey Booksigning and Reception
MOCA PDC, 3pm
Highly regarded by artists, The Invisible Dragon: Essays on Beauty by Dave Hickey has long been out of print and hard to find. Join Art Catalogues as they celebrate the newly reissued and expanded edition out now. RSVP requested 310.289.5223 or artcatalogues@moca.org

Young Literati Private Tour of the Getty Research Library
Getty Center, 4pm
Young Literati members are invited to take a private, behind the scenes tour through the book vaults and conservation areas of the Getty Research Institute which features one of the finest collections on the history of art, architecture and archaeology from prehistory to the contemporary period. A wine and cheese reception follows

Love for Sale: Jean Lowe
Rosamund Felsen Gallery, 5–7pm
Presenting the new paintings of Jean Lowe, on view until May 16

Artist Talk: Eamon Ore-Giron
Steve Turner Contemporary, 5:30pm
Walk-through led by artist Eamon Ore-Giron of his current exhibition Into A Long Punk. Space is limited, RSVP steve@steveturnercontemporary.com

First Show
Cherry and Martin, 6–8pm
Inaugural opening of Cherry and Martin’s new space located on La Cienega Boulevard in Culver City, featuring works by Brian Bress, Holly Coulis, Daniel Dove, Nathan Mabry and Amanda Ross-Ho

SUNDAY, APRIL 19
AIA/L.A. Spring Home Tour
Hancock Park, 11am–4pm
Featuring four traditional and modernized homes in the Hancock Park neighborhood; the South McCadden House (Newman & Wolen Design), Plymouth Residence (Gluck and Wentworth), June Street House (Rogerio Carvalheiro, Assoc. AIA) and North McCadden Residence (William Hefner, AIA). Click here to RSVP

Closing Reception for Marcucci/Sironi/Dallal
Offramp Gallery, 2–5pm
Closing reception for exhibitions by Carlo Marcucci, Susan Sironi and Joce Dallal

Field Trip: The Iraq Conversation in the U.S.
Hammer Museum, 3pm
In conjunction with the exhibition It Is What It Is: Conversations About Iraq, curators, artist and individuals speak of their experiences in Iraq. Participants include Jeremy Deller (artist), Jonathan Hervey (U.S./Iraqi soldier), Laura Hoptman and Amy Mackie (co-curators at the New Museum), Esam Pasha (Iraqi painter and writer) and Nato Thompson (chief curator at Creative Time)

Symposium at Kinkead Contemporary
Kinkead Contemporary, 5pm
Symposium addressing issues of sincerity and authenticity in contemporary art with Ed Schad, Curatorial Associate at the Broad Foundation) and artists Heather Brown, Kelly McLane, Steve Roden and Kirsten Stoltmann. Seating is limited, please contact whitney@kinkeadcontemporary.com to reserve a space

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22
Cool Globes
Exposition Park, Rose Garden, 11am
On Earth Day, come view Los Angeles’ newest public project of over 50 Cool Globes designed by various local and international artists

The Los Angeles Antique Show
Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Art Center, 7–10pm
Opening night preview party to benefit for P.S. ARTS. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. For tickets and information