# Event Details - **Event Name**: HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! - **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm – Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 at 10:00 pm (-07:00) - **Event Description**: Opening night of THE COSMIC COLLAGE OF HARRY SMITH series, feat. an immersive presentation + live performance by Devendra Banhart & Friends!About this EventThis event is part of the series THE COSMIC COLLAGE OF HARRY SMITH (April 25-May 31), co-presented by The Philosophical Research and Harry Smith Archives. See below for series description!4/25 — HARRY SMITH & THE ALCHEMY OF ABSTRACTION(feat. Live Performance by Devendra Banhart & Friends)co-presented by 7th House and Los Angeles FilmforumJoin us for the opening night of The Philosophical Research Society and the Harry Smith Archive’s long-awaited series, HARRY SMITH’S COSMIC COLLAGE, with HARRY SMITH & THE ALCHEMY OF ABSTRACTION—a one-night event offering an immersive, in-depth journey into the work of one of the most singular figures of the American avant-garde, culminating in a live performance by the acclaimed, genre-defying musician and visual artist Devendra Banhart and friends.This one-night event, Rani Singh—renowned Smith scholar and Director of the Harry Smith Archive—serves as our guide through the life, work, and cosmology of Harry Everett Smith: artist, filmmaker, folklorist, collector, proto-psychedelic progenitor, and self-described alchemist of culture. In a presentation blending film, audio, and live narration, Singh leads us through a constellation of materials that illuminate Smith’s expansive creative universe and the many threads that run through it, including his deep engagement with esoteric practice and belief.Co-presented by PRS's 7th House Screenings and Los Angeles Filmforum —LA's longest-running organization dedicated experimental film, the night culminates in a program of Smith’s films, including his landmark EARLY ABSTRACTIONS (1946–1957) presented in full, alongside rarely seen works such as the UNTITLED SEMINOLE PATCHWORK FILM and archival footage offering a rare glimpse of Smith himself—presented with live musical accompaniment by Devendra Banhart and friends Dory Bavarsky, Griffin Kisner, Dave Longstreth, and John Moods who will perform an original score in dialogue with Smith’s work.Part screening, part performance, part tour-guided exploration, this opening event offers an unforgettable opportunity to encounter Harry Smith’s work as a vibrant, eternally reverberant constellation of images, sounds, and ideas.TICKETS: $25 (In Person Only)Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events3/banners/77fe0140-3471-11f1-97fe-0520c8f1a874-rimg-w1053-h740-dcd9d9d9-gmir.jpg Harry Smith (ca. 1965), photo by John Palmer https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/783abc20-3471-11f1-99a0-e133baf342d3-rimg-w964-h740-dc040406-gmir.jpg Film No. 3: INTERWOVEN (c. 1947-1949)All images courtesy of Harry Smith Archives. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/7877ec30-3471-11f1-99a0-e133baf342d3-rimg-w494-h740-dc151817-gmir.jpg THE COSMIC COLLAGE OF HARRY SMITH – April 25 – May 31 – co-presented by The Philosophical Research Institute and Harry Smith ArchivesIn celebration of what would have been his 103rd solar return, The Philosophical Research Society is proud to present HARRY SMITH’S COSMIC COLLAGE, a series dedicated to the boundless, unruly imagination of Harry Everett Smith—artist, filmmaker, folklorist, collector, and self-described alchemist of culture—co-presented and co-curated by the Harry Smith Archive, and presented in collaboration with 7th House, Los Angeles Filmforum, The American Museum of Paramusicology, The Getty Research Institute, Zebulon, and 2220 Arts + Archives.A singular figure of the American avant-garde, Smith moved fluidly between disciplines and identities, assembling a body of work that resists containment. From his hand-painted and cut-out animation films—whose vivid abstractions and visionary logic would prove foundational to the development of psychedelic art—to his groundbreaking Anthology of American Folk Music—a meticulously curated, deeply idiosyncratic collection of early American recordings that would go on to inspire the folk revival of the 1960s and shape generations of musicians beyond—from ethnographic recordings to vast personal archives of string figures, paper airplanes, and occult diagrams, Smith approached the world as something to be gathered, transformed, and re-enchanted. His practice was not simply interdisciplinary—it was cosmological.Deeply engaged with esoteric traditions, mysticism, and systems of hidden knowledge, Smith understood art-making as a form of spiritual inquiry. Alchemical thought, Kabbalah, and ritual practice were not peripheral interests but central frameworks through which he interpreted sound, image, and pattern. Across his work, correspondences emerge: between music and geometry, folklore and magic, the everyday and the divine.Bringing together film screenings, an art exhibit, live musical performances, panel discussions, artist presentations, an online class, and a special visit to the Getty Research Institute’s Harry Smith collection, this series traces Smith’s expansive creative universe, reflecting both the breadth of his output and the coherence of his vision. Join us as we investigate and celebrate Smith’s remarkable life and works, where disciplines dissolve, curation becomes creation, and art serves as a bridge between the material and the unseen.PROGRAM:4/25 — Harry Smith’s Alchemical Abstractions + live performance by Devendra Banhart (Opening Night) – featuring EARLY ABSTRACTIONS (1939–56) screening — co-presented by 7th House & Los Angeles Filmforum (Exhibition Opening) in The Philosophical Research Society's Hansell Gallery – Panel Discussion w/ David Orr, William Kiesel, Jessica Hundley and Chuck Stein5/21 — Adam Green Explains Harry Smith + HEAVEN & EARTH MAGIC (1957) screening — Adam Green in person! — co-presented by 7th House & Los Angeles Filmforum5/24 — Harry Smith’s Anthology as a Magical Instrument presented by Matt Marble of The American Museum of Paramusicology (Online Presentation) at the Getty Research Institute5/29 — Celebration of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music at Zebulon5/31 — MAHAGONNY (1980) screening at 2220 Arts + Archives — co-presented by 7th House, Los Angeles Filmforum, and 2220 Arts https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events4/banners/78aedab0-3471-11f1-99a0-e133baf342d3-rimg-w963-h740-dc000001-gmir.jpg EARLY ABSTRACTIONS (L-R): Film #1: STRANGE DREAM, Film #1: STRANGE DREAM, Film #2: MESSAGE FROM THE SUN (ca. 1946-1948) https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/78f07790-3471-11f1-97fe-0520c8f1a874-rimg-w586-h740-dca7a493-gmir.jpg Rani Singh is Director of the Harry Smith Archives. She met Harry Smith at Naropa Institute and was his assistant until his passing in 1991 when she initiated the Harry Smith Archives dedicated to the location, preservation and presentation of the work of Harry Smith. Invited as scholar in residence at the Getty Research Institute based on her work on Smith, she held long tenure at the Getty Research Institute, where she led research driven initiatives including Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945–1980.Singh was responsible for the placement of the Harry Smith Papers at the Getty Research Institute and the acquisition by the Bob Dylan Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma of Smith’s books and records. She also co-curated “Fragments of a Faith Forgotten: The Art of Harry Smith” presented by the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2023 – 2024.Based in Santa Monica, Singh is an art consultant and appraiser specializing in strategic planning and legacy management for artist’s estates and foundations. She is currently curating an exhibition on Harry Smith for the Bob Dylan Center, opening summer 2027.harrysmitharchives.com/Devendra Banhart (b. 1980, Houston, Texas) lives and works in Los Angeles. He was born Devendra Obi Banhart in Houston, Texas, but spent his childhood in Caracas, Venezuela; as a teenager, his family returned to the States, relocating in Southern California.An internationally renowned musician, songwriter, and visual artist considered a pioneer of the “freak folk” and “New Weird America” movements, Banhart has toured, performed, and collaborated with Vashti Bunyan, Yoko Ono, Os Mutantes, the Swans, ANOHNI, Caetano Veloso, and Beck, amongst many others. His musical work has always existed symbiotically alongside his pursuits in the other fine arts. He has released 12 full length albums, been nominated for a Grammy, has released one book of poetry with Featherproof Press.His visual art has been presented across some of the most respected museums and galleries around the world. Exhibitions include Offering Cloud of Scattered Genitalia, Serralves Museum, Porto, PT; The Grief I Have Caused You, Nicodim Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca (2022); Other Flowers, Hauser and Wirth, Los Angeles, Ca (2019); Voglio proprio vedere, Mazzoli, Modena, Italy (2017); Sphinx Interiors & Other Works, Mazzoli, Modena, Italy (2014, solo); Abstract Rhythms: Paul Klee and Devendra Banhart, SFMoMA, San Francisco (2007–2008); Music is a Better Noise, MoMA PS1, Queens, New York (2007); and Devendra Banhart, Mazzoli, Modena, Italy (2006, solo).His monograph of drawings and paintings I Left My Noodle on Ramen Street (2015, Prestel) features essays by Jeffrey Deitch and Beck.ABOUT LOS ANGELES FILMFORUMLos Angeles Filmforum is the city’s longest-running organization dedicated to weekly screenings of experimental film, documentaries, video art, and experimental animation. 2024 is our 49th year. www.lafilmforum.orgADVISORY DISCLAIMERWith some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email events@prs.org.CONTENT DISCLAIMERThe views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.ACCESSIBILITYPRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to events@prs.org before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.REFUND POLICIESAll sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events , except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. Ticket exchanges may be granted on a case by case basis, pending circumstances.In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.PARKINGWe encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking. Nearby street parking is available, as well as limited parking onsite at PRS in the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east).PRS EVENT POLICIESWe reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/los-angeles/harry-smiths-alchemical-abstractions-feat-devendra-banhart-live/100001987101480018 - **Event Categories**: art, entertainment, music, exhibitions, business, live-music, fine-arts, concerts, performances, workshops, health-wellness, literary-art, nonprofit, virtual - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 28.52, max: 28.52, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Los Angeles - **state**: CA - **country**: United States - **location**: Philosophical Research Society - **lat**: 34.1131212 - **long**: -118.27764890000003 - **full address**: Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/8991a9a37063494304e602a652be1a53a91dce70a06ea56c1ca38db698712b3a-rimg-w1200-h600-dc1a1e27-gmir.jpg?v=1775779750 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! being held? - **A:** HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! takes place on Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm to Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 at 10:00 pm at Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States. - **Q**: How much do tickets cost for HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live!? - **A:** Tickets for HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! are priced at USD 29 per person. This is a high-demand event - early booking is strongly recommended. Here's a full breakdown of available ticket types:Ticket TypePriceAvailabilityGeneral AdmissionUSD 29 + USD 4 feeAvailable - **Q**: Who is organizing HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live!? - **A:** HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! is organized by The Philosophical Research Society. - **Q**: What has been the experience of attendees at The Philosophical Research Society's events? - **A:** Attendees have given The Philosophical Research Society a rating of 5/5 based on reviews from early attendees on AllEvents. The Philosophical Research Society has a verified profile on AllEvents where you can read reviews and explore their upcoming events. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! is ideal for live music fans, concert-goers, and anyone who enjoys unforgettable performances from their favorite artists in an electric live atmosphere. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Los Angeles, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. DEVENDRA BANHART Live! sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "HARRY SMITH'S ALCHEMICAL ABSTRACTIONS feat. 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