Mystic Vision: A Surrealist Ball Fundraiser

The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles is a nonprofit cultural and educational organization which presents concerts, film screenings, lectures, performance art and theatre events, gallery exhibits and more on the intersection between the creative arts and mythology, mysticism and metaphysics.

The Philosophical Research Society

The Philosophical Research Society Surrealist Ball Fundraiser is back! This year we'll be honoring Betye Saar and her visionary practice.

Philosophical Research Society

Mystic Vision: A Surrealist Ball honoring Betye SaarSaturday, August 22 7:30pm-11:30pm (Doors at 7:00pm)PRS Member Ticket $40/$60 non-members In celebration of the two-year anniversary of our Membership program, we're throwing a one-of-a-kind surrealist ball: Mystic Vision: A Surrealist Ball . This is not merely a benefit—it is an invitation to awaken the dreamer within.

Mystic Vision is an altar to memory, to intuition, and to the unseen world that shapes our lives. This year’s Surrealist Ball, at the Philosophical Research Society, honors the centennial birthday of artist <a href="https://www.robertsprojectsla.com/artists/betye-saar" title="https://www.robertsprojectsla.com/artists/betye-saar" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Betye Saar</a>, celebrating a century of her visionary practice and enduring influence in Los Angeles and beyond. Inspired by Saar’s assemblage language and spiritual cosmology, the evening transforms our campus into an altar where the personal and the ancestral converge. Guests are not merely attendees, but participants in a collective ritual: adorned as talismans, dressed as relics, embodiments of protection, vision, and resistance.Drawing from Saar’s use of found objects, iconography, and the charged symbolism of the eye, the evening centers on the act of seeing: seeing beyond illusion, beyond surface, into layered histories and future possibilities. The space becomes an immersive assemblage: Mirrors, eyes, and reflective surfaces recur as portals of perception, invoking Saar’s enduring engagement with sight as both protection and revelation.A central ceremonial moment: the Opening of the Eye: calls the room into communion. A collective invocation honors lineage, protection, and the radical act of imagination, offered in tribute to Saar’s hundred years of world-building and cultural alchemy. Guests are invited to dress as extensions of the exhibition and assemblages in motion. Think: protective charms, spirit vessels, cosmic eyes, relics of past and future selves.At its heart, Mystic Vision is about gathering and about creating a shared psychic space where art, ritual, and community intertwine. It is a night to be seen and to see differently. To honor the power of art, stories, and bodies as carriers of meaning.All proceeds support the continuing work and vision of The Philosophical Research Society. THE EVENT'S PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE:<ul><li>A live performance by <a href="https://www.genevajacuzzi.com" title="https://www.genevajacuzzi.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Geneva Jacuzzi</a>!</li><li>A DJ set from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theroamer/?hl=en" title="https://www.instagram.com/theroamer/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Jocelyn Romo</a></li><li>A musical installation and performance by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paulinelay/?hl=en" title="https://www.instagram.com/paulinelay/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Pauline Lay</a></li><li>Workshops with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/solita.aaaa/" title="https://www.instagram.com/solita.aaaa/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sóla Saar</a> and <a href="https://www.cindyrehm.com/" title="https://www.cindyrehm.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Cindy Rehm</a> of <a href="https://www.cindyrehm.com/hexentexte" title="https://www.cindyrehm.com/hexentexte" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">HEXENTEXTE</a> in the bookstore</li></ul> ART EXHIBITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS FEATURING WORKS BY:<ul><li><a href="http://www.betyesaar.net/gal/gallery.html" title="http://www.betyesaar.net/gal/gallery.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Betye Saar</a></li><li><a href="https://www.reginaherod.com/" title="https://www.reginaherod.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Regina Herod</a></li><li><a href="https://mimihaddon.com/" title="https://mimihaddon.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Mimi Haddon</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cameronmichel/?hl=en" title="https://www.instagram.com/cameronmichel/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Cameron Michel</a></li></ul> Tarot readings with <a href="https://www.sanyuestelle.com/" title="https://www.sanyuestelle.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sanyu Estelle</a> (multihyphenate-multitalented soothsayer) <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stripmalldreams/?hl=en" title="https://www.instagram.com/stripmalldreams/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Liz Vazquez</a> (astrologer &amp; artist), <a href="https://www.iammadre.com/about-1" title="https://www.iammadre.com/about-1" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Madre Jaguar</a>, and tarot scholar <a href="https://www.jamesjudetarot.com/" title="https://www.jamesjudetarot.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">James Jude</a> throughout the night! Artist <a href="https://www.meganwhitmarsh.com/" title="https://www.meganwhitmarsh.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Megan Whitmarsh</a> will offer dedicated dream readings.*readings are scheduled with the reader and offered for an additional price based on the type of reading Wine, beer and a variety of other drinks will be served, including NA beer by <a href="https://headlightbrewing.com" title="https://headlightbrewing.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Headlight Brewing Co.</a> and drinks by <a href="https://optimistdrinks.com/collections/shop?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=13760875344&amp;gbraid=0AAAAABqFtYI0jJBodchZQwmgbZcFQ7SM-&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwhZDUBhBGEiwAbi5bjl-467nC-i_FkinWsE_7MYvPsqsegaMI8Qrf9XBYRNwBtnY_IY6kShoCtgsQAvD_BwE" title="https://optimistdrinks.com/collections/shop?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=13760875344&amp;gbraid=0AAAAABqFtYI0jJBodchZQwmgbZcFQ7SM-&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwhZDUBhBGEiwAbi5bjl-467nC-i_FkinWsE_7MYvPsqsegaMI8Qrf9XBYRNwBtnY_IY6kShoCtgsQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">OPTIMIST</a>. Cookies from <a href="https://www.gu-grocery.us/" title="https://www.gu-grocery.us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Gu Grocery</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stella_canis_coffee/" title="https://www.instagram.com/stella_canis_coffee/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Stella Canis</a>.This event is curated by the<a href="https://www.instagram.com/surrealist_study_group/" title="https://www.instagram.com/surrealist_study_group/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Surrealist Study Group </a>and secretfiresla.Sponsored by <a href="https://www.dublab.com" title="https://www.dublab.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">dublab</a>Special thanks to the Saar Family and <a href="https://www.robertsprojectsla.com/" title="https://www.robertsprojectsla.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Roberts Projects</a>.Main Image: Betye Saar, "Eye", 1972, acryllic paint on leather. Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer PRS Member Ticket $40/$60 non-membersBecome a Member Today and receive $20 off this ticket! Sign up<a href="https://www.prs.org/membership.html" title="https://www.prs.org/membership.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> here</a>! PRS stands as a rare sanctuary for reflection, inquiry, and soul. Founded by Manly P. Hall in 1934, PRS is one of the few remaining institutions dedicated to bridging ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary thought—offering a space not only for philosophical study but also for spiritual nourishment, artistic expression, and cultural dialogue.At a time when critical thinking is under threat, PRS provides a vital alternative: a place where people can engage with esoteric teachings, holistic knowledge, and timeless questions about meaning, purpose, and the nature of reality. It cultivates intellectual curiosity and spiritual exploration in a city known more for spectacle than for introspection. In keeping PRS alive, we ensure that future generations inherit not only information, but a deeper invitation to wonder.Note: PRS Membership is not required to attend this event! Becoming a member does get you a discounted ticket (plus many other discounts and benefits year-round). Join today!<a href="https://www.prs.org/membership.html" title="https://www.prs.org/membership.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">BECOME A MEMBER!</a>

Betye Saar Eyes of the Beholder, 1994 Paint on metal and wood serving tray, with painted metal baking pan and metal ornaments Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California. © Betye Saar. photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

GENEVA JACUZZI Few artists embody the contradictions and possibilities of Los Angeles like Geneva Jacuzzi (née Garvin). A pioneer of lo-fi pop, her work spans art, music, performance, and theater, simultaneously championed by underground DIY venues and galleries as well as prestigious institutions like MOCA, The Broad, and The Getty. Across two decades of activity, Jacuzzi has toured her surrealist strain of theatrical synth-pop and staged dada exploratory installations around the world.Geneva’s recorded output starts with the cult pop phenomenon of 2010’s Lamaze, itself a full-length pressing of analog 4-track and 8-track recordings spanning 2004 up to 2009. Lamaze proved to be a coveted collection of Geneva's early explorations with electronic pop; one that messed with formats, and included instrumentals plus various vocal interludes (later to be reissued by Mexican Summer in 2021). Lamaze was followed by 2016’s sleek retro-futurist odyssey Technophelia, before Jacuzzi signed with bi-coastal powerhouse Dais Records for her third full-length, 2024’s Triple Fire. A 12-track hit parade of wildcard electronic pop and clever post-apocalyptic camp, the album crystallizes her mastery of new wave melody and disco aerobics, alternately freaky, glamorous, nihilistic, and romantic. A woman of a thousand masks, and the Queen of the Underground, Geneva Jacuzzi stands poised to continue shape-shifting her kaleidoscopic spectacle far into the 21st century.

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. PARKINGLimited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking. PRS EVENT POLICIES<ul><li>We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.</li><li>Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.</li><li>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.</li><li>Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.</li><li>No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.</li><li>There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.</li><li>We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.</li><li>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.</li><li>Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.</li><li>Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.</li></ul>

Mystic Vision: A Surrealist Ball Fundraiser

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Mystic Vision: A Surrealist Ball Fundraiser

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