LACMA: Lyndon J. Barrois Sr.’s ode to soccer

LACMA is presenting Lyndon J. Barrois Sr.’s “Fútbol Is Life: Animated Sportraits by Lyndon J. Barrois, Sr.” in Los Angeles through July 12, 2026, according to the museum and Time Out. The exhibition is tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s arrival in Los Angeles this summer, LACMA said. (lacma.org) Time Out included the show in its coverage of what to do in Los Angeles this weekend, as the city heads toward a tournament that will bring eight matches to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (lacma.org) ### What exactly is LACMA showing? “Fútbol Is Life” centers on Barrois’s miniature “sportraits,” a body of work that recreates iconic moments from women’s and men’s soccer, according to LACMA. (timeout.com) The museum said the artist uses chewing gum wrappers, glue, paint and other materials to build the figures, and described many of the works in the exhibition as never previously shown in public. Lyndon J. Barrois Sr. is identified by LACMA as an award-winning animator and visual-effects artist. The museum said his one-inch-high sculptures materialize memorable moments from the sport’s history and connect his long-running interest in modeling figures with soccer’s global culture. (lacma.org) ### Why is soccer the focus now? Los Angeles is preparing to host World Cup matches in summer 2026, and LACMA said the exhibition was organized in celebration of the tournament’s arrival. Time Out framed the show the same way, calling it an ode to “the world’s most beloved sport” as the city gets ready for the event. (lacma.org) Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including the U.S. men’s national team’s opening match on June 12, 2026, according to Time Out’s published match list. The local schedule also includes group-stage games on June 15, June 18, June 21 and June 25, followed by knockout matches on June 28 and July 2 and a quarterfinal on July 10. (lacma.org) ### What does the work look like in practice? LACMA says the pieces are built at miniature scale and draw on Barrois’s background in animation and visual effects. The museum describes the exhibition as highlighting storytelling through sculpture and animation rather than presenting soccer only as a sports subject. (lacma.org) Time Out said the show includes playful sculptures and stop-motion animation alongside the hand-made recreations of classic soccer moments. That description gives visitors a clearer sense of the format: small, crafted figures arranged to evoke motion, memory and specific scenes from the game. (timeout.com) ### When can people go, and what does it cost? Time Out lists the exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., on the Miracle Mile, running from April 16 through July 12, 2026. The listing says general admission is $25 to $30. (lacma.org) LACMA’s schedule on the Time Out listing shows museum hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Time Out also says L.A. County residents get free admission on weekdays after 3 p.m. (timeout.com) ### Is there anything visitors should know before planning around this weekend? Tuesday, May 12, 2026, was an exception in the run: LACMA’s exhibition page says the show closed at 2 p.m. that day because the museum was temporarily closed for a private event. The exhibition otherwise remains listed through July 12. (timeout.com) May 15 to May 17, 2026, is the weekend window highlighted in the Time Out roundup referenced in the card brief, and the museum listing points visitors to ticketing and event details through LACMA. The next major dates tied to the same soccer theme are the World Cup matches beginning June 12 at SoFi Stadium and the exhibition’s closing date of July 12 at LACMA. (timeout.com) (lacma.org)