On February 12, 2025, approximately 100 guests attended an open house to celebrate the newly redesigned planning center at Forest Lawn in Cypress, California. In partnership with Batesville Casket Company, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries (Glendale) worked with B&N Industries to design the planning center, which is 2,035 square feet. This is the first planning center redesign. Forest Lawn’s Covina, Hollywood and Glendale locations will follow.
The planning center’s reimagined presentation of traditional and cremation products has an open floor plan, hospitality center, digital enhancements, and contemporary furnishings and decor to create a bright, uplifting space and guest-friendly experience. Using B&N Industries’ “1224 System,” the display incorporates SEG fabric prints that create the effect of window-filtered sunlight. The redesign also included digital screens, touch screens and price tickets.
In other news, “Persona: Exploring Self-Portraiture” premiered at the Forest Lawn Museum on April 26, and runs through August 10, 2025. Featuring the work of more than 20 contemporary artists, as well as a number of historical artists, the exhibition’s pieces span more than 125 years and examine the concept of visual representation of the self. “Persona” features paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, fused glass, digital art, textile art, illustrations and more.
The phenomenon of “selfies” is ubiquitous today, but the practice dates back more than 150 years. Nearly two dozen works from the Sedlik Collection of early self-portrait photography provide a glimpse into the human condition during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Captured by professional and amateur photographers around the world, these remarkable images offer insights into artistic exploration, self-memorialization and early technology.
Self-portraiture was an important element of 20th-century avant-garde art. “Persona” includes work by Man Ray (1890-1976), an influential figure in both the Dada and surrealist movements, and Andy Warhol (1928-1987), one of the most prolific and iconic artists of the Pop Art movement.
The exhibition also features the work of Christen Austin, Alison Blickle, Brad Donenfeld, Shivy Galtere, Andy Gersh, Patrick Hruby, Bryan Ida, Janna Ireland, Maren H. Jensen, Jordan Kay, Ruthy Kim, Michelle Kingdom, Huntz Liu, Eric Merrell, Elizabeth Pollnow, Narcissus Quagliata, Ramona Rosales, Semra Sevin, Christopher Slatoff, Jawsh Smyth, Tom Wilson and Mika Yokota.
Finally, Forest Lawn Museum’s front gallery features a new exhibition, drawn from the museum’s permanent collection. “Meet the Master: Michelangelo at Forest Lawn” includes paintings, archival photographs, mosaics and sculpture. It examines how re-creations of Michelangelo’s work have shaped Forest Lawn for more than a century. “Meet the Master” is open now and also runs through August 10, 2025. forestlawn.com