State of the Arts Category Archive: Art Hounds

Art Hounds: Vic Chesnutt, Dash Shaw and student art

Posted at 7:09 AM on November 19, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds

This week's art hounds sniff out a new book by a local comic book artist who will soon be animating his creations, a gut-wrenchingly honest singer-songwriter who's coming to town and some great deals on art from artists at the start of their careers.

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Katherine Werner is an amateur artist and avid arts supporter who will be at the MCAD student art sale this weekend. She loves the sale because it offers a glimpse at the great art being taught and made locally and she always finds some amazing deals. She's pictured here with a piece she purchased at the sale in the '70s and has since made several cross-country moves with her.

Tom Kaczynski is a cartoonist living and working in Minneapolis. He thinks Dash Shaw's new book The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D. represents why Shaw is one of the most innovative comic book artists working today. The book includes several short comics as well as designs for Shaw's upcoming animated series for IFC.com.

Wendy Lewis is a musician and vocalist with The Bad Plus. Vic Chesnutt is one her favorite singer-songwriters who will be appearing at the Cedar Cultural Center tonight. Wendy loves the recordings of his gut-wrenchingly honest songs, but she says he surpasses them when he plays live. He'll be playing with the musicians who joined him on his most recent album, members from the bands Fugazi, Thee Silver Mt. Zion, godspeed you! black emperor and Witchies.

Composer David Evan Thomas recommends checking out the Minnesota Orchestra's performance of "future classics," works by seven emerging composers.

Barbara Sibley suggests taking in the Brass Messengers with NOMO at the Cedar Cultural Center on Friday night.

Janis Lane-Ewart is looking forward to hearing the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Dafnis Prieto Sextet Saturday at the Walker Art Center.

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Art Hounds: Rod Massey, Arena Dances, The Blind Shake

Posted at 7:23 AM on November 12, 2009 by Marianne Combs (5 Comments)
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Corner House, 2008 by Rod Massey

The 'hounds' track down a painter who's always a brush stroke away from the streets of South Minneapolis, a choreographer who's making a rare return to the stage as a dancer and a St. Paul punk band that values precision as much as volume.

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Stuart Klipper is a Minneapolis photographer and two time Guggenheim Fellow who's deeply moved by the paintings of fellow Minneapolitan Rod Massey. Stuart says Massey's pulsing, animated oil on panel depictions of the homes, buildings, and streetscapes of South Minneapolis show us how we live. Massey has an exhibition of new work on display at the Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis through Nov. 28.


Kim Motes is Managing Director of Theatre Latte Da. Kim also used to head up the Minnesota Shubert Center for Dance. Kim says this weekend audiences will have a rare opportunity to see choreographer Mathew Janczewski return to the stage as as perfomer. Janczewski's company, "Arena Dances," is holding its November concert, "Short Fall," at the Lab Theater in Minneapolis nov. 12th through the 15th.


Sean McPherson plays bass for the St. Paul hip hop group Heiruspecs. Sean also works for the Hip Hop Diploma program at McNally Smith College of Music. Sean was recently mezmorized by the unrelenting punk rock of The Blind Shake. Your next chance to see The Blind Shake unleash its raw yet ridiculously precise musical torrent is Wednesday, Nov. 18th at the Turf Club in St. Paul.

MIZNA, a forum for Arab American art, runs a literary journal, hosts a film festival, and brings touring musicians to the Twin Cities. Art hound Katie Ka Vang says she plans to go this Sunday to MIZNA's Ten Year Anniversary Celebration at The Depot in Minneapolis.

If you're in the Winona area this weekend, art hound Deanne Mohr recommends checking out theMinnesota Marine Art Museum. There are two exhibitions in particular that Mohr recommends; "Chased by the Light," a selection of Jim Brandenburg's photographs (which is up through Sunday) and Grand Marais artist Betsy Bowen's woodcuts, on display through January 16.

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Art Hounds: La Crosse Chamber Chorale, Ruined, Bruce Tapola

Posted at 12:33 PM on November 5, 2009 by Marianne Combs (2 Comments)
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An installation by artist Bruce Tapola

This week the 'hounds' lead us to La Crosse for some homegrown choral music, a play that exposes the horror and humanity in the Congolese civil war, and a serious artist with an absurdist take on life.

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Paul Dickinson teaches writing at St. Cloud State University and National American University. He's also a former art gallery owner and hosts the Riot Act Reading Series at St. Paul's Turf Club. Dickinson is drawn to the absurdist paintings, sculpture and mixed media work of St. Paul artist Bruce Tapola. Tapola's has a show at Art of This Gallery in Minneapolis which opens Saturday, November 7th.

Harry Waters Jr. is a professor of theater and dance at Macalester College and is also a Twin Cities actor, director and dramaturg. Harry was absolutely riveted by Mixed Blood Theatre's production of "Ruined." It's set largely in a brothel during the Congolese civil war, and takes an unflinching look at the horrific violence and brutality of that conflict, especially against women. Harry says somehow the play also managed to be entertaining and uplifting at the same time. "Ruined" is on stage through Nov. 22 at Mixed Blood.

Eric Heukeshoven is a music instructor at St. Mary's University in Winona, a musician, and an ardent fan of the La Crosse Chamber Chorale in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The nearly all volunteer Chorale is performing Saturday, Nov. 7th at 7:30pm at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in La Crosse and Sunday, Nov. 8th at 3pm at English Lutheran Church, also in La Crosse. Eric says the chorale stands out, even in a region bursting at the seams with choral music.

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Art Hounds: The Mayhem Poets, The Minnesota Eye, and Jazz Implosion

Posted at 8:29 AM on October 29, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
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The Mayhem Poets

This week the 'hounds' are hunting down a showcase of the state's best photographers, some east coast slam poets who are capitivating local teen audiences, and a premier jazz event held in the basement of an iconic rock club.

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Sarah Smith is a sophomore at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a performing arts high school in the Landmark Center. Sarah fell under the spell of the Mayhem Poets when she saw them at the Childrens Theatre Company. The Mayhem Poets are a slam poetry and theater troupe from New York known for its high energy, in-your-face spoken word and audience interaction. It's on stage at the CTC through November 7.

Jay Burke is a Twin Cities realtor and amateur photographer who takes in a lot of shows. Jay strongly recommends "The Minnesota Eye: Contemporary Photography" at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul. It features 17 of Minnesota's best known photographers, who are on the cutting edge of their art form. "The Minnesota Eye" opens with a reception on Saturday, Oct. 31rst, and runs through Nov. 14 at the CVA Gallery. Check back later today when I'll have a more in-depth look at "The Minnesota Eye."

Cameron Wittig is the Walker Art Center's staff photographer. He's also a big music fan, and often makes his way to the Clown Lounge in the basement of St. Paul's Turf Club on Monday nights to listen to jazz. Cameron says the weekly "Jazz Implosion" at the Turf transports him like few other shows in town. It's curated by members of Fat Kid Wednesdays and regularly features some of the most forward thinking players in local jazz. The music starts pretty late so make sure you get your naps in.

Looking for more to do? Carin Bratlie recommends checking out Ben Folds with the Minnesota Orchestra. Maggie Passmore wouldn't pass up the chance to see the Renegade Ensemble at Inver Hills Community College.

For all of you Halloweeners out there, Kathryn Grimes recommends getting an organic scare at the ArBOOretum, while Billie Jo Konze suggests getting a whiff of the disturbing smells at The Soap Factory's Haunted Basement. Both Betsy Mowry and Heather Meyer think it's worth braving the chilly weather to check out BareBones Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza. The name of this year's show? "Devoured." Mwahahaha!

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Art Hounds: Capri Theater, Shinders: An Exhibition, and Zeitgeist

Posted at 6:49 AM on October 22, 2009 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
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The Capri Theater was built in 1927 and formerly known as "Paradise."
Image courtesy of the Capri Theater

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This week's Art Hounds have art spaces on their minds, as they lead us to a restored theater in North Minneapolis, an abandoned downtown magazine store filled with art and a new performance space in Lowertown, St. Paul.

Linda Sue Anderson is an actor from North Minneapolis who wants more people to know about the newly restored Capri Theater on Broadway Avenue. She recommends Capri Theater's "Legends" music series, which starts this weekend with "Hot Jazz! Harlem Night!." The production features singers Dennis Spears and Charmin Michelle and starts at 7:30pm Saturday, Oct. 24 and 3pm Sunday, Oct.25 at the 250-seat Capri.

Patricia Briggs is an associate professor at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design and an art critic. Patricia is impressed with how the former downtown Minneapolis "Shinders" space has become the setting for an impromptu art show. "Shinders: An Exhibition," showcases the predominantly conceptual work of more than 30 local artists. and will occupy the walls and floor of the now empty space through Oct. 31. It was organized by Minneapolis artist, writer and art impressario, Matthew Bakkom.

Scott Miller is a Twin Cities-based composer and professor of composition at St. Cloud State University. Scott has long admired the work and musical advocacy of Minnesota's premier new music ensemble, Zeitgeist. He's also hailing the grand opening of Zeitgeist's new interactive studio and performance space in Lowertown, St. Paul. The space opens to the public this weekend, 10/22/ - 10/24 with a performance curated by composer Philip Blackburn on Thursday, the 22nd, at 8pm.

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Art Hounds: Othello, The Bat, and Times New Viking

Posted at 7:12 AM on October 15, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
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James A. Williams as Othello and Stacia Rice as Desdemona in Shakespeare's classic tragedy, on stage at Park Square Theatre. Photo by Amy Anderson.

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Faye Price is co-artistic producing director at Pillsbury House Theater. Faye says local theatergoers will receive the gift of two "Othellos" less than two weeks apart from each other. Ten Thousand Things' production, starring Ansa Akyea as Othello, runs at Open Book in Minneapolis Oct. 23-25, Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, and Nov. 6-8. It will also be staged at the Minnesota Opera Center, Nov. 13-15. Park Square's "Othello," featuring James A. Williams in the starring role, is on stage Oct. 16 - Nov. 8.

Jessica Pack is executive director of ArtReach in Stillwater. Jessica hankers to get in a halloween mood by watching the silent mystery film, "The Bat," at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, Wisconsin. There will be accompaniment by master Worlitzer organist Dennis James. Film experts say the evil bat character in the movie, inspired 'Batman' the comic series. The screening and performance gets underway Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7:30pm.

Annie Sparrows is a musician who plays and sings in the bands Awesome Snakes, and the God Damn Doo Wop Band. Annie is enchanted by the home recorded songs of the Columbus, Ohio indie rock group, "Times New Viking." The lo-fi outfit will visit the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on Sunday, October 18. Doors open at 8pm, and they perform with Whitesand/Badland.

Meanwhile other art hounds have their tips to pass along. Nick Zdon recommends the Leaders of Design exhibition at the College of Visual Arts, which closes Saturday.

Jann Cather Weaver is going to take in The Bakken Trio's performance of "L'Histoire du Soldat" with dramatic reading by Stephen Epp at MacPhail Center for Music.

Betsy Mowry dares you to check out the "Intimate Apparel" exhibit at the Textile Center.

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About Art Hounds®

Posted at 2:47 PM on January 1, 2009 by Steve Mullis (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds

Each week, Minnesota Public Radio News asks people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds^®." Their job is to step outside their own work, hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts, and share it with the rest of us.

Interested in becoming an Art Hound^®? Sign up!

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Art Hounds: Julie Mehretu, Winona and Mississippi Volga III

Posted at 7:01 AM on October 8, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Entropia (review), 2004 by Julie Mehretu
Published by Highpoint Editions

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Jodie Ahern is senior editor at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Jodie was thrilled to see Highpoint Center for Printmaking's debut show in its new building called "Excavations: The Prints of Julie Mehretu." Mehretu is an internationally known painter and printmaker who's work received early notice from the Walker Art Center. "Excavations" is on view at Highpoint through November 21.

Greg Neidhart is a music professor and directs the arts administration program at Winona State University. Greg expects sparks to fly at the "Celebration of Words, Music and Image," a collaboration between area poets, folk and classical musicians and composers. They'll perform Sunday at 7:30pm, at an up and coming attraction in Winona, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

James Craven is a veteran actor at Penumbra Theater. James is very impressed with Open Eye Figure Theatre as a company and venue in South Minneapolis. His favorite artistic expressions, dance, music and light, will collide at Mississippi/Volga III, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9th and 10th at 8pm. Mississippi/Volga III will feature performers from Russia, Hungary and Germany working alongside the local avant cello duo "Jelloslave" and the Minneapolis tap and percussive group "Buckets and Tap Shoes."

Not finding what you want here? Well don't forget, the St. Paul Art Crawl is this weekend. The Decemberists perform at the State Theatre on Friday. And Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theater presents its latest work "Tales from the Book of Longing," inspired in part by the poetry of Leonard Cohen.

About Art Hounds®.

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Art Hounds: Dhvee, Marisol, and Hope Sandoval

Posted at 7:01 AM on October 1, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Image courtesy of the Walker Art Center.

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Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.

Interested in becoming an art hound? Sign up!

Sandy Agustin serves as artistic director of the Neighborhood House on St. Paul's west side and is also an arts consultant. You'll find Sandy at the Walker Art Center on Friday, Oct. 2 for "Dhvee," a sprawling production blending the Indian movement of Minneapolis-based Ragamala Dance with the music of a Balinese gamelan orchestra. "Dhvee" opens Thursday night, Oct. 1 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 4.

Heather Meyer is a Twin Cities-based actor, playwright and improvisor. Heather has nothing but praise for the Jose Rivera's absurdist play "Marisol," and the company that's performing it, Theatre Pro Rata. The play focuses on what happens to the main character, Marisol, when her guardian angel leaves to join a plot to overthrow a god who's lost his grip on the world. "Marisol" is on stage at St. Paul's Gremlin Theatre from Oct. 3 - Oct. 18.

Bill Caperton is a musician, talent buyer for the Turf Club and 501 Club, and a graduate student at the University of Minnesota. Bill's gig of the week happens this Saturday, Oct. 3, when singer songwriter Hope Sandoval and her band The Warm Inventions make a stop at the Music Box Theatre in Minneapolis. You may remember Sandoval's old band Mazzy Star and its '90s alt rock classic, "Fade Into You."

Still not seeing something you want to check out this weekend? Then you might consider attending Highpoint Center for Printmaking's grand opening celebration on Saturday, or seeing Rob Fischer's new exhibition at Franklin Art Works. Take a look at yesterday's post on Penumbra Theatre's latest production "Radio Golf." And don't forget the music and movies festival "Sound Unseen."

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Arthounds: Norwegians, poems, and early women plays

Posted at 8:54 AM on September 24, 2009 by Euan Kerr (1 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Fashion, Film, Music

So what are the Art Hounds recommending this week?

Veteran Twin Cities actor Joey Metzger gives the thumbs up to Theater Unbound's "Aphra's Attic: Plays by Early Women Playwrights."

Poet Juliet Peterson is recommending the upcoming reading by Kate Greenstreet and Norma Cole who bring their cutting edge poetry to Micawbers Books in Minneapolis on Tuesday evening. It's part of the Rain Taxi Reading series.

Composer and educator Randall Davidson says we should take to opportunity to check out the Oslo Chamber Choir, a world-renowned Norwegian vocal ensemble touring Minnesota this week..

Also worth checking out: The Pearl Fishers at the Minnesota Opera, and the special events with designer Zandra Rhodes tonight, and tomorrow.

The 1968 Project: The Minnesota Historical Society presents all 24 films made for its national competition to capture the spirit of 1968. There is a free screening from 1 to 4pm at the History Center in St Paul. Then at 5 pm the final awards ceremony will present the winners who will share $10,000 in prize money. Both events are free.

And check out The Global Roots Festival at the Cedar Cultural Center, starting tonight and running all weekend. The Cedar is bringing in world-class bands from all over the globe, as well as some local stars, for a weekend of incredible music.

Don't forget the 2009 Sound Unseen music film festival gets rolling on Tuesday with the world premiere of the new REM film "R.E.M.: This is not a show"

Oh, and we need more Art Hounds! Sign up here.

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Art Hounds: Breaking, popping, and styling

Posted at 7:27 AM on September 17, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Image courtesy of Intermedia Arts

Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.

Interested in becoming an art hound? Sign up!

Art hound Betsy Altheimer is the development program director at Springboard for the Arts in St. Paul. She's really looking forward to the B-Girl Be Block Party taking place at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Betsy thinks this afternoon of music, dance, art and film will appeal to everyone, from b-girls steeped in hip-hop culture to newbies seeking an introduction. She also loves the strong sense of sisterhood created at this gathering of female hip-hop artists from around the world.

Chris Bates is an engineer and visual artist in Sioux Falls. Chris wants to let you in on a little secret: Sioux Falls is home to some really fine jazz.

Every weekend, Touch of Europe features local and touring jazz musicians. Chris loves listening to the different styles of the artists who play there and the music helps him as he plans his own abstract visual artworks.

Laura Bidgood is a spoken word artist, storyteller, and freelance director in the Twin Cities. She was blown away by the Lyric Arts' production of Doubt, A Parable, which runs through Sept. 27.

She says she was nervous that this production wouldn't be able to live up to the big names and big budget of the recent movie, but she was amazed by the skill and talent on display on this Anoka stage.

Meanwhile, Accordo, a new Twin Cities classical music ensemble, featuring some of the finest talent from both the Minnesota Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, performs at the Southern Theater this weekend.

The Walker Art Center launches its Coen Brothers film retrospective tomorrow night with "Blood Simple."

And in "Rise!" Twin Cities actor-vocalist-educator T. Michael Rambo take its audience on a centennial journey of African American culture, literature and civil rights activism, drawing from the writing of Langston Hughes, W.E.B. DuBois and Martin Luther King Jr., and incorporating the music of Billie Holliday and Nat King Cole, among others.

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Art Hounds: We don't need no stinking tutus

Posted at 7:24 AM on September 10, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

There's enough dance out there this weekend to make even a ballerina's head spin... and yet not a single nutcracker in site.

Interested in trying out a dance concert, but haven't figured out yet which kind you prefer? Choreographers in Accord (CIA) present 8 @ 8, a smorgasbord of dance by eight different companies, including modern, ballet, belly dancing and flamenco.

Meanwhile, Ananya Dance Theatre presents the third and final concert in a trilogy exploring the effects of global warming and pollution on the planet. "Ashesh Barsha, Unending Monsoon," is a danced response to the overconsumption of electricity, energy, and natural resources. (Tip: check back here later today for a more in-depth report on this concert)

Local troupe Hijack joins forces with choreographer Scotty Heron to present SmithsonianSmith, the dancers' latest attempt at being even more "radical." In describing their work, they write:

We bounce to the bouncy music. We smash beer cans on our foreheads and bellies like frat boys. We glue-gun these cans into a Mardi Gras-worthy headdress. We are insects, drunk on nectar and having sex with plastic flowers. We are cleaning up after an oil spill on the Mississippi using absorbent pompoms and wearing cardboard boxes on our heads as sun shields.

Finally, British choreographer Wayne McGregor brings his dancers to Northrup Auditorium Friday night to perform "Entity." Based on collaborative research with psychologists, neuroscientists, and software engineers, "Entity" attempts to convey the complex relationship between the brain and the moving body.

Dance just not doing it for you? How about a music festival in downtown St. Paul? How about a festival celebrating the food and culture of Greece? Or India? Maybe pottery is more your thing? Or an art sale where nothing costs more than $99? How about spoken word?

Still not finding what you're looking for? (geez, you're picky) Check out what these art hounds are doing this weekend.

Of course we can always use a few more hounds to sniff out some great art. Join the pack!

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Art Hounds: Time for the harvest

Posted at 7:00 AM on September 3, 2009 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Many folks are enjoying trying their hand at vegetable gardening this summer as they search for ways to simplify their lives and reduce their carbon footprint. Well if you'd really like to see what simplicity looks like, pay a visit to Historic Fort Snelling this weekend as the "residents" (i.e. reenactors) put up crops and preserve foods for the winter. Salted pork, anyone?

This is the second and final weekend of the Minnesota State Fair. I'll just mention that a guy with the initals GK who's known for wearing red socks will be on the main stage Friday night.

The Cedar Cultural Center is hosting a couple of notable events this weekend. On Friday Junkyard Empire celebrates the release of its new CD, Rebellion Politik. The album is in part a reaction to last year's Republican National Convention in St. Paul. Then on Saturday, Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles celebrate the release of their aptly named cd "Special Party Time for Everybody."

Manwhile Triple Rock Social Club hosts the 5th Annual Minneapolis Punk Rock Bowling Awards Show. That's right - bowling to live punk music (played by The Dwarves). Is it just me, or does it sound like someone's going to get hurt?

Tonight, Minnesota author Norah Labiner reads from her book German for Travelers at Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis.

And Mixed Blood Theater opens its season Saturday with "The Romance of Magno Rubio" a play staged by Theater Mu. In it, Filipino farm worker Magno Rubio dreams of a romantic affair with a beautiful American woman while his friends chide his naivete.

Looking for more to do? Check out what these art hounds are up to.

While you're at it, join the art hound collective!

So what are you doing this weekend?

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Art Hounds: Corn dogs and so much more

Posted at 7:23 AM on August 27, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Yes yes yes I know - there's a certain large event opening today. The dairy barn and the fairway are likely to be on the to-do list of many this weekend. But let's look beyond the mini-donuts and buckets-o-fries and on to some other cultural goodies that await.

Today is mnartists.org Field Day at Walker Art Center. It's billed as a "daylong extravaganza for and by Minnesota artists, musicians, writers, poets, and community members." There will be dancing, readings and kick ball. Events run from 11am to 10pm.

Intermedia Arts presents Mama Said Knock You Out, a gallery exhibition in conjunction with B-Girl-Be, a celebration of Women in Hip-Hop. The exhibition showcases 28 female artists from around the world who are employing Hip Hop culture as a means of expression, education and social and political activism.

Need your art on the go? Stevens Square Center for the Arts presents Rush Hour, an exhibition of 400 works of art that use Metro Transit bus transfers as their canvas. But don't miss your stop! The show is one night only, Saturday from 7 to 10pm.

Finally if you prefer a more casual neighborhood stroll to the crowds at the fair, check out the first ever LoLA Art Crawl. LoLA stands for the League of Longfellow Artists, and the crawl features works by about forty of them.

Not seeing what you want here? Then check out what these Art Hounds are doing.

And of course, don't forget to sign up to be an Art Hound yourself.

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Art Hounds: Faeries, fanfare and photography

Posted at 7:03 AM on August 20, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

This weekend marks the opening of the annual Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Back in the old days stalls would serve a slab of bread, a thick slice of cheese and a sausage, washed down with cider. Now you have your choice of fajitas, coconut shrimp, or a chicken teriyaki croissant (?!?!). Opening weekend events include a bellydancing contest, an arabian horse show and a martial arts demonstration.

20% Theatre Company presents "After Juliet," the story of what happens after Romeo and Juliet take their lives. The play's written by Sharman MacDonald, and she supposedly wrote the play at the prompting of her daughter, actress Kiera Knightley. The show runs August 20 - 30 at Sabes Jewish Community Center in Minneapolis.

Working through the Kulture Klub Collaborative, photographer Lauri Lyons and local teenagers are creating Home Is Where You Make It, a mobile exhibition of large-scale portraits of homeless youth. You can check out the portraits, and here Lyons talk, tonight at the Walker Art Center.

And on Friday, The Cabooze hosts a tribute to late pop icon Michael Jackson, featuring performances by JD Steele, Fred Steele, Ray Covington, Brandon Commodore, O'Dell, and more....

Not seeing what you want? Check out what these art hounds are up to.

Interested in becoming an art hound? Join the team!

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Art Hounds: All That Jazz

Posted at 6:30 AM on August 13, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

It's a great weekend for music, especially if you like jazz.

Local tenor saxophonist Irv Williams celebrates his 90th birthday this weekend with performances Friday night at the Artists' Quarter in St. Paul and Monday night at the Dakota in Minneapolis. Williams first performed in Minneapolis when he was in the Navy in World War II, and still performs regularly around the Twin Cities. He's released four albums in the past six years alone, and shows no signs of slowing down.

The Ramsey Lewis Trio performs tonight at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Local vocalist Bruce Henry will make a guest appearance.

On Saturday you'll have to choose between Douglas Little and his group "Seven Steps to Havana" at the Artists' Quarter, and the Ginger Commodore Quartet at the Dakota.

If jazz is not your style, never fear, there's lots more to choose from. Tonight The Cedar hosts a screening of Bela Fleck's new documentary "Throw down your heart," in which he travels through Africa with his banjo, exploring the instruments historic roots. (You can also hear Bela Fleck discuss his documentary on Friday at 10am on Midmorning.)

Tracy Chapman is touring to promote her latest album "Our Bright Future." She lands at the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul on Saturday.

If all this music seems a little too soft and friendly, have I got just the ticket for you! Bedlam Theater is hosting a hardcore punk fest called "Distortion Days." The line-up includes the local acts "Cognitive Dissonance," "War/Plague," "Animals and Beasts," "Misery" and "Detonate." Sounds like it will be an angry, explosive, angst-ridden affair.

Finally, choreographer Cassandra Shore and her troupe Jawaahir perform a concert of arabic music and dance this weekend and next at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis.

Not seeing what you want here? Then check out what other art hounds are doing this weekend.

Also, let us know what you're doing this weekend...

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Art Hounds: Three art fairs, two takes on apartheid, and second helpings at the Fringe

Posted at 7:09 AM on August 6, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Sarah Agnew in "The Syringa Tree" at the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis

I've got the jingle for Doublemint gum stuck in my head, because this weekend good things seem to come in pairs.

"The Syringa Tree" continues its run at the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. It tells the story of two families in South Africa, one white and one black, with actress Sarah Agnew performing all the characters (Euan Kerr has a full report on the show, which you can find here).

Lunga Sinuka offers a different take on life under apartheid in his one-man show at Dreamland Arts in St. Paul. "The Cool Train" follows Sinuka in his childhood in a Xhosa village with no electricity or running water, to working as a glass cleaner at one of South Africa's best hotels, and eventually joining the African National Congress in the violent struggle for freedom.

Latin jazz group Tiempo Libre performs for two nights at the Dakota in Minneapolis, and the first of those nights it's a double-header with legendary flautist Sir James Galway. Pairing a classical flautist with a latin jazz group may seem like a stretch, but since Tiempo Libre is known for its riffs on Bach, this could be pretty fun.

It's the second and final weekend of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, the weekend where people try desperately to get in to see the shows that have emerged as this year's faves. Some of the winners? "Alice Unwrapped," "The Harty Boys in the Case of the Limping Platypus," and "Parry Hotter and the Half-Drunk Twins."

Sometimes two just isn't enough, as in the case of this weekend's art fairs. There's the Loring Park Art Festival, the Powderhorn Art Fair and the Uptown Art Fair all in Minneapolis this weekend, with a Target shuttle bus offering rides between them. It's art-loving madness!

Not seeing what you want here? Check out what other art hounds are up to this weekend.

And let us know - what are you doing this weekend?

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Art Hounds: Mixing it up

Posted at 9:17 AM on July 23, 2009 by Euan Kerr (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Culture, Events, Film, Museums, Music, Sculpture, Theater

One of the delights of the late summer is that it's time when local arts folks mix it up a little.

Take tonight at IFP Minnesota's Fresh Fete at the Varsity Theater. As the local organization devoted to independent film it will of course be showing films, but blending some chat and a lot of music too. The film comes from local writer director Emily Haddad who won IFP Mn's Fresh Film grant last year and used it to make "Egg Timer" which will premier at 6.30. There will be a conversation between Mystery Science Theater 3000's Bill Corbett and local playwright and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher. The evening will be rounded out by local icon Willie Murphy and the Angel Headed Hipsters and pianist John Sims.

If you haven't seen the Walker Art Center's examination of conceptual art "The Quick and the Dead" - or even if you have - it's worth a visit. There are some 90 pieces by 53 artists, some of which are designed to change over time, hence the value in returning. Take for example Claes von Oldenburg's "The Garden" which involved burying 100 objects and then exhuming and displaying one item per day. He didn't specify what the object should be, but the Walker staff chose lemons, and you can see the results in jars in the Center's lower lobby.

After sell out shows last week the Trylon Microcinema returns with another Buster Keaton film "The Navigator." Live accompaniment is supplied by the Dreamland Faces, complete with singing saws.

If you are considering a little road trip this weekend, there is the final weekend of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, and the always whacky Free Range Film Festival in Webster, about half an our south of Duluth. Movie shorts in a barn, how can you miss?

And for the truly dedicated sports fan the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis is presenting live coverage on the big screen of the Tour de France. You can watch the cyclists sweat while sitting in the finest art deco movie house the Twin Cities has to offer. Admission is free, although they are collecting non-perishable goods for local food shelves, or a $2 donation.

And of course there is all the great stuff ferreted out by the Art Hounds Want to be one of them? Sign up!

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Art Hounds: Saving the planet, one show at a time

Posted at 7:00 AM on July 16, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

(Image courtesy of Brave New Workshop)

This weekend has a little something for everyone. Tomorrow night Brave New Workshop opens its latest improv show "Save the Planet; Yes we can, but do we have to?" It's a send-up of post-election lassitude and all issues in the shade of green.

If you're feeling the old political protest spirit move you, I hope you already have tickets to see folk singer Arlo Guthrie perform at the Fitzgerald Theater tonight in St. Paul. I say "hope" because last I heard the box office was sold out.

Elsewhere in the world of music, Sommerfest gets underway Friday, with a wide array of free concerts on Peavey Plaza, as well as an evening of Strauss and Mozart in Orchestra Hall.

Also, local band The Melismatics perform Friday night at The Entry along with guests Sick of Sarah.

It's also a great weekend for dance. You can see new dance works by Vanessa Voskuil and Sachiko Nishiuchi as part of Momentum: New Dance Works at the Southern Theater (the series continues next weekend with works by Sally Rousse and Megan Mayer).

If that isn't enough for you, head over to the Ritz Theater to see "Reeling Over Love" by the dance group Eclectic Edge Ensemble. It runs tonight through Sunday.

Finally, Intermedia Arts presents an Art Car show and workshop Saturday at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. Note: Art bikes are also welcome.

Not seeing what you want here? Check out what these Art Hounds are doing this weekend.

Want to be an Art Hound? Of course you do!

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An Art Hound's call to action

Posted at 8:14 AM on July 14, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds

You may have noticed that "Art Hounds" has different incarnations.

In addition to my regular Thursday post, there's an audio Art Hounds, that my colleague Chris Roberts produces for the news station (it airs every Thursday on Morning Edition and All Things Considered). This consists of three different "Art Hounds" talking about what they're excited to see and/or do over the weekend.

Well recently Chris Roberts invited actor/director Zaraawar Mistry to be an art hound. Mistry responded with this call to action for all of you.

Hi! This is Zaraawar Mistry... Instead of telling you about a show or an event that I'm excited about, I'd actually like to invite you to be an art hound for yourself.

The first thing that you need to do in order to be an art hound is the sniffing. An art hound loves the familiar scents, but it's the new ones that it discovers that are the most exciting. This means that you are not going to rely on a friend, or a reviewer, or some guy with an uncommon name on NPR to tell you what's worth checking out. You're going to do the digging yourself. You're going to read the papers, surf the internet and listen to the radio until you find something that catches your attention.

The next thing you need to do in order to be an art hound is the digging. What is the event, where is it and who's involved in its creation? An art hound has some favorite digging spots, but every once in while it comes up with someplace entirely new. And that's what you need to do. Look for a show or an event in a genre that you might not typically attend, by groups and performers you've never heard of, at venues in neighborhoods that you've never been to. Be brave. Take a chance. Whatever the outcome, at least you will have tried something new and different.

Finally, an art hound always leaves its mark. You need to do this too. Don't be a silent spectator and politely leave when the event is over. Engage with the art that you witnessed and the community of artists that you experienced. Bark. Say hello. Give them feedback. Most artists love to know who their audience is and how they responded to the art. Hey, you might even make some new friends.

Of course, you can't be an art hound all of the time, but every once in a while it sure is worth a shot. Who knows? You might catch theater in a barn run on solar power, poetry on the capital city's sidewalks, or Morris dancers by the Mississipi River at sunrise.

So go on. Go for it. Take a chance. Start sniffing around and, just for once, make yourself your own art hound. Woof, woof!

Zaraawar Mistry is a theater artist and dog owner. He lives in St. Paul.

So now are you ready to take the Art Hound challenge? C'mon, give it a try!

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Art Hounds: It's hot out there

Posted at 7:04 AM on July 9, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Fire, sweat and damnation are all themes in this weekend's entertainment offerings. Get yourself a cold drink and take a look:

The Flowershop Project presents "Dawn's Inferno" - an update of Dante Alighieri's classic trip through Hell, re-invented as another kind of torture: a ten-year high school reunion in small town Minnesota.

Bedlam Theatre presents "The Burning Ones: Origin of the Flame." According to Bedlam "a mad scientist's experiment conjures a spark that ignites a whole town, changing the resident's lives forever." Think Road Warrior meets Dr Frankenstein meets The Princess Bride. The production, which takes place in the parking lot, features lots of acts involving - you guessed it - fire.

Patick's Cabaret presents "The Art of Sweat," a yearly festival to "celebrate the rhythms of our lives." This years line up includes Brazilian batucada, woodwind duets, hip hop, acoustic punk, and jazz opera.

The Walker Art Center presents Dirt on Delight: Impulses that form Clay. It's an exhibition of work by 22 artists based in clay and pottery.

Illusion Theater's Fresh Ink series gets underway this weekend with the stage adaptation of Willa Cather's book "My Antonia."

Poets Wayne Miller and Dobby Gibson read from their poetry collections at Magers and Quinn tonight.

Are you a lover of zines? Stevens Square Center for the Arts presents "Zinefest," a weekend long celebration of independent print publications. In collaboration with the Twin Cities Zinefest, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts is currently hosting a zine show called Independent Variables: Contemporary Zine Publications.

If you're looking for fun for the whole family, Steppingstone Theatre presents Hans Christian Andersen's "The Nightingale."

(Update: 8:45AM) Getting back to the "heat" theme, the Southern Theater presents a sultry weekend of Spanish guitar music and flamenco dancing featuring the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet and dancer Colette Illarde.

Not finding what you're looking for? Check out what these Art Hounds are up to.

Want to be an art hound? Step right up.

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Think art is for the weekends? Think again.

Posted at 8:49 AM on July 7, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

It's Tuesday, not even Humpday, and yet when you look at what's going on, it feels like a Friday. Take a look:

If you're free at lunch you could head over to Sundin Music Hall at Hamline University in St. Paul. Today is the final quintet round for the International Piano-e-Competition, and six pianists will each play with the Rosalyra quartet, starting at noon. And it's FREE.

Fountains of Wayne play an acoustic set at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.

At the Guthrie you can take in a performance of "When We Are Married."

Interested in cooling off? Take a walk through the Walker Art Center and stop by the lecture room for a screening of Bruce Connor's "Luke" - a behind the scenes examination of the filming of "Cool Hand Luke," starring Paul Newman. It plays on the hour, and runs 22 minutes.

Feeling sinful? Check out The Seven Deadlies at Bryant Lake Bowl tonight.

Art: it's not just for weekends.

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Art Hounds: So many ways to celebrate

Posted at 7:17 AM on July 2, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Hurray for three day weekends, national holidays, and all the cultural events that go along with them. Saturday the Walker Art Center is hosting a full day of FREE activities for the whole family, including a hula-hooping workshop, an art-bike contest, and musical performances by the Sumunar Javanese Gamelan Ensemble, Haley Bonar and M.anifest.

Taste of Minnesota is taking over Harriet Island in St. Paul tonight through Sunday, with performances by White Snake and Elvis Costello, among others. Fireworks nightly at 10pm.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention A Prairie Home Companion's 35th Anniversary party this Saturday at Lake Wobegon Park in Avon, Minnesota. It's FREE and features, according to Garrison Keillor, "a brass band, speeches, acoustic blues and rock 'n' roll, some reminiscences by old-timers, and the whole big crowd singing the national anthem, and our sound-effects man will make rockets go up in the air." (I'm guessing they might have some real ones, too)

The Minneapolis Photo Center is celebrating Independence Day with an exhibition on poverty in America titled "In Our Own Backyard." It's a touring exhibition of images by a group of photojournalists working to raise awareness about the issue.

A mild-mannered librarian ends up traveling the world in pursuit of the meaning of life and the person who returned a book 113 years overdue. "Underneath The Lintel" runs at Mixed Blood Theatre through July 25.

After so much family friendly stuff, why not something a little spicier? Friday night Lili's Burlesque Revue presents "The Underpants Show" at Bryant Lake Bowl. As the Star Tribune writes, "The singers are great, the band bumps and grinds with the beat and the dancers have just the right tongue-in-cheek attitude." Lili's motto? "We aim to tease."

Still haven't found something to tickle your fancy? Check out what these Art Hounds are up to. Want to join the Art Hound club? Come on in!

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Art Hounds: Gay Pride, improv, Cosby and more

Posted at 7:20 AM on June 25, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

It's the end of June. How can I tell? Well, because most of the theaters in town are dark for the next two months, classical music has gone on holiday, and I'm being inundated with little postcards promoting shows at this thing called the Minnesota Fringe Festival, which is still more than a month away.

However there is quite a bit to choose from this weekend when it comes to your cultural life, especially if your culture runs queer. The annual Gay Pride festival and parade are this weekend. In conjunction with Gay Pride, the Queer Takes Film Festival at the Walker Art Center winds up tonight, and Outward Spiral Theater is presenting Queertopia, a cabaret celebration of queer love. Or, you can check out Robert Mapplethorpe's portraits of women (including a self-portrait) at the Weinstein Gallery.

In the mood for a musical? Theater Mu performs "Flower Drum Song" at the Ordway Center in St. Paul. It's a musical originally by Rogers and Hammerstein, and rewritten by David Henry Hwang of "M. Butterfly" fame. Euan Kerr has more on the show.

If you really need a good laugh this weekend, the Brave New Workshop is hosting its third annual Twin Cities Improv Festival. Local acts include the folks from BNW, Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret and the improv troupe Fingergun, as well as groups from Fargo-Moorhead, Texas and Utah.

Toki Wright releases his new hip hop/soul album "A Different Mirror" Friday at The Entry.

Because it's summer, and we're in Minnesota, there are lots of outdoor film series, including Minneapolis Parks and Rec's "movies in the parks." This Friday you can see "Iron Man" for FREE at McRae Park.

If you like new music, and you're anywhere near New York Mills, Zeitgeist is on the road, and will be performing at the NYM cultural center for FREE on Friday night.

And while you wont find an orchestra at Orchestra Hall, you will find Bill Cosby there on Saturday for two performances. Remember Fat Albert? Remember "I Spy?" Sigh...

Not finding what you're looking for? Check out what these Art Hounds are doing.

Interested in becoming an art hound? Sign up.

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A few more events for your weekend: Ballet of the Dolls, White Pine Festival and Rock the Garden

Posted at 2:41 PM on June 19, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Earlier this week President Barack Obama attempted to placate impatient gay rights activists by extending partial federal benefits to same-sex partners of US government workers. Perfect timing for Choreographer and Ballet of the Dolls Artistic Director Myron Johnson to bring back his piece "Romiette and Juleo," a re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette with two men in the lead roles. Promotional materials for the show invite us to "join Ballet of the Dolls to see how things may - or may not - have changed in the past 17 years."

There's plenty of music out there this weekend for all types. For those who are mourning the loss of Jorjo Fleezanis as concert chair of the Minnesota Orchestra, they can see her tonight at the White Pines Festival. Also scheduled to perform this weekend are the Charles Lazarus Group and the Miro Quartet.

Then there's Rock The Garden tomorrow at the Walker Art Center. This year's guests include The Decemberists, Calexico, Yeasayer and Solid Gold.

And then of course there's everything I mentioned yesterday.

So what are you doing this weekend?

Image courtesy of Ballet of the Dolls

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Art Hounds: Exploring Dreamlands

Posted at 11:52 AM on June 18, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Tonight Wang Yanshu's exhibition of digital images called "Dreamland" goes on display at the Burnet Gallery, located in Chambers Hotel in Minneapolis. Yanshu, who lives and works in Beijing, writes:

"As I see it there is little pure color in our actual lives. Everything in our eyes, even in our hearts, is likely covered with a large murky gray veil. Only when closing our eyes and dreaming can we get to the one and only pure land which is doomed to pass away once we awake but leaves us a hazy memory, an engaging impression and a flash of memory. So I try my best to capture that wonderful dreamland in my photos."

The opening reception is from 6-9pm.

If your taste runs a little less colorful but more sentimental, check out the Robert Rauschenberg exhibition at the Weisman Art Museum, opening Saturday. The exhibition, titled "Au Courant," recreates an exhibition of newsprint collages that were shown in 1970 at the then Dayton's Gallery 12 in Minneapolis (this is before my time, but evidently the Minneapolis Dayton's had an international art gallery on the 12th floor in the late '60s and early '70s).

If you want to get out, Father's Day weekend marks the annual Stone Arch Festival in Minneapolis. The festival features artist booths, four performance stages, and even a few art cars on display.

"Nothing New" is going on at the Textile Center of Minnesota, and that's a good thing, at least for the environment. The Center's new exhibition, opening Friday night, features fiber art made entirely from recycled materials.

If the body moves you, TU Dance is premiering a couple of new works at the Southern Theater this weekend. Or you can enjoy Christopher Watson's Dance company in the great outdoors for FREE at Lake Harriet.

And for the science geek in all of us, there's "Robots vs Fake Robots," put on by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at the People's Center in Minneapolis. Here's their video trailer, which expresses more than I can possibly say:

Robots vs. Fake Robots - #2 from Ben Thietje on Vimeo.

If you still haven't found what you're looking for (I suddenly have a U2 song stuck in my head), check out what the Art Hounds of the air are doing this weekend.

Want to be an Art Hound? Sign up!

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Art Hounds: To the lifeboats!

Posted at 11:45 AM on June 11, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

Certainly the biggest event opening this weekend is the Science Museum of Minnesota's "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition". It includes over 200 artifacts from the fated ship, and local actors have been studying their history books in order to inhabit the roles of actual passengers and crew. They don't have any lines to memorize, per se, but will be able to tell visitors about their own lives. (i.e. don't ask the guy in the engine room "so how's the foie gras on this ship?") Oh and of course there's the movie at the Omni theater!

So far the weather forecast for this weekend looks pretty good. Which means if you're worried about catching a certain flu by hanging out with other people in closed spaces, why not try some outdoor theater? Cromulent Shakespeare Company performs "The Tempest" in four different Twin Cities' parks this weekend, starting tonight in Loring Park.

This is the last weekend for two exhibitions: "Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton" at the Walker Art Center, and an exhibition of paintings by local artist Jil Evans at the Form and Content gallery in Minneapolis. Form and Content is having a "closing reception" and poetry reading on Friday night. And as I mentioned yesterday, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is opening its new exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite paintings by William Holman Hunt.

In dance, Justin Jones presents "the SCREEN/the THING" and "RadioBrain" at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis.

Not seeing what you're looking for here? Then check out what other Art Hounds are doing this week.

Want to be an MPR Art Hound? No problem.

Image courtesy of the Science Museum of Minnesota

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Art Hounds: What's going on this weekend?

Posted at 10:53 AM on June 4, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events

If you'd like dessert with your theater, get thee to Bedlam, which is hosting a production of King Lear. The catch is that each of the five acts is performed by a different theater company, and each company serves its own dessert to the audience. (What kind of dessert best suits a tragedy? A flambe? A trifle? A deflated souffle?)

If you're looking for laughs, Tom Segura is performing at the Acme Comedy club in Minneapolis, or you can see Harmon Leon in Ironic/Not Ironic at the Bryant Lake Bowl.

In the world of classical music, the SPCO is performing Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Ordway in St. Paul, while the Minnesota Orchestra performs Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky with Steven Hough at the piano.

Looking for other ideas? Check out what these Art Hounds are up to.

And be sure to let me know - what are you doing this weekend?

Image courtesy of Bedlam Theater

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