Visual Arts
Weekend What's What: The pre-holiday spirit
As we delve into November, we bid adieu to any possibilities of running around sans jacket—and we've come to terms with that (the first real snowfall, however, is another matter entirely). And what better to turn our focus to than the holidays? Thanksgiving is right around the corner, followed directly by the gifty season, and the Twin Cities artsy types seem to be easing us slowly but surely into the spirit of, um, buying their cool stuff. This weekend, hit up the Northrup King Building to peruse and purchase local art and related wares during Art Attack; check out The Affair at the Convention Center for festive tastings of chocolate, wine and the like; or stop into local boutiques such as Drama and Cliche to catch deals on fancy frocks for all the swanky parties that approach.MORE »
VISUAL ARTS | CVA casts a "Minnesota Eye" on contemporary photography
Why are numerous Twin Cities galleries showing photographs this month? Because the esteemed Society for Photographic Education (SPE) held its annual three-day Midwest conference here last week (October 29-31) to great success. Titled Freeze/Thaw: Cycles in the American Heartland, the regional Midwest conference drew photographers, educators, historians, and critics from 13 states.MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 11/5/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: For most of human history, no one ever said, "Fo shizzle, my nizzle." Then Snoop Dogg said it, then everyone said it—and now, thank God, we're back to no one (except your awkward uncle) saying it. The West Coast drawler will be at Epic tonight, playing to a crowd of former frat boys, aging gangstas, and hipsters who face a tough choice between Snoop and A Fine Frenzy.
Under the radar: Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble isn't coming to Minnesota in the near future, but tonight we have the next best thing: Robaybat and Güvenç and Burk Orchestra, an all-star cast of local musicians who promise to lead "a musical journey through Greece, Turkey, into the Balkans, through Central Asia and Persia."
On the radar: This weekend's Art Attack gives you a chance to see the work of Northrup King artists without having to fight the Art-a-Whirl crowds. If you're looking for a crowd, try to squeeze in to the Paramore show at Roy Wilkins.
Under the radar: Lowertown has been pushing hard to compete with Minneapolis as an entertainment destination, and at least according to Sean McPherson, it's working. Tonight, the newly-anointed Lowertown Entertainment District hosts its first monthly First Friday open-studio event.MORE »
He comes from Iowa with a banjo on his knee
The banjo has a place of honor in Dan Mackerman's art. Not that the award-winning Lauderdale-based painter and sculptor features banjos in his canvasses. Music rarely figures as a subject of his art. But without the banjo, Mackerman probably wouldn't be the artist he is today.MORE »
VISUAL ARTS | Saving time in a pinhole: League of Midwest Pinholers convenes at MPC
On November 1, the Bill Erickson Chapter of the League of Upper Midwest Pinholers met at the Minneapolis Photo Center (MPC) for a fascinating exploration of the art of pinhole photography. About 20 pinhole enthusiasts listened to guest speakers talk about the art form in MPC's beautiful gallery tucked in a warehouse in North Minneapolis. MORE »
VISUAL ARTS | Beholding the eye of Dan Graham at the Walker
At a media preview Thursday morning, Walker Art Center curator of visual arts Peter Eleey introduced Bennett Simpson and Chrissie Iles, the curators who assembled the career retrospective Dan Graham: Beyond, opening at the Walker on Saturday. Simpson and Iles, Eleey explained, would be leading a tour of the exhibit. "And of course," Eleey added, gesturing to the artist himself, "Dan will contribute to the discussion if he wishes." Indeed, he wished.MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 10/29/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: Unbelievably, there are still Miley Cyrus tickets available for tonight. This is going to leave her with no choice but to follow the Britney route and start getting skanky. Speaking of skanky, those man-whores Jim James, Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and M. Ward have all put their steady bands on hiatus to jump into a wild foursome at the Orpheum as Monsters of Folk.
Under the radar: Artist Lucia Hwang, writes the curator of her show opening today at Augsburg, "brings up the conflict that occurs when people cannot entirely accept or reject the world around them." Specifically, she does this with 365 rolls of toilet paper. They're right...I can neither entirely accept nor entirely reject that.
On the radar: Tiësto, the world's #1 DJ (more or less), is at Epic tonight with several celebrity collaborators "joining" him on video.
Under the radar: Alarmel Valli, one of the greatest living practitioners of classical Indian dance, performs at the O'Shaughnessy tonight. If you go, expect to rub elbows with the Twin Cities' most passionate dance connoisseurs.MORE »
Weekend What's What: Oh, the horror!
Halloween Weekend is officially here! Some of us are still trying to figure out what to wear, while others have their blood-soaked Lady Gaga suits primed and ready to go. The most whimsically terrifying day of the year is upon us and we simply can't wait to take it all in! Whatever you do this Halloween, be fearless and feel free to go completely overboard—that's what it's all about!MORE »
Weekend What's What: L'awesome
We can't think of a much more specific theme to the weekend aside from just plain AWESOME. Killer parties, mucho dancing, fantastical art (including a new gallery) along with plenty of rockin', rollin', and even some crazy puppetry to go around. Next weekend is Halloween, and that's a whole 'nother story (in fact, look for a huge guide from us come Monday), but this weekend certainly holds enough tricks and/or treats to inspire multiple costume changes!MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 10/22/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: When Theatre de la Jeune Lune closed last year, company leaders Dominique Serrand and Steve Epp promised they'd be back—tonight, they keep that promise with The House Can't Stand, a one-man show starring Epp (in drag) and directed by Serrand.
Under the radar: Combined music/art/film festivals are all the rage these days, and just because it's getting a little nippy to do them outdoors doesn't mean they're going to stop happening. This weekend, OX-OP and the SooVAC bring you (take a deep breath) Non Consensual Post Dada Constructivist Cerebral Warts, "a multi-media onslaught" featuring bands playing in a room where no one else is allowed to go. (Art!) Tonight's opening event also features the short films of local hero Chris Mars.
On the radar: Ten Thousand Things brings Othello to life in a production co-directed by Michelle Hensley and the actress Sonja Parks—who brought down the house with her performance at the Ivey Awards. The casting of Ansa Akyea (Kirby) as the Moor and the often-exuberant Luverne Seifert as Iago suggest that this may be a lighter take than most; but a team this talented can probably pull off just about any kind of take they want. Meanwhile, the Weisman opens its new show To Have It About You, a collection of 1/50th of the artworks collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel have donated to U.S. museums. (Each state gets an equal share.)
Under the radar: Open Eye Figure Theatre has made its name for mysterious, beautiful, and strange work with the kind of productions epitomized by Elijah's Wake, a 2003 "visual poem" by master puppeteer Michael Sommers that is being revived for a three-week run starting tonight.MORE »
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