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Issue #26.1 |
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In this Issue: Tour Through Shantytown
For this issue of a+E, we're celebrating the frigid depths of winter with a guided tour through what has quickly become a beloved Minnesota tradition, the Art Shanty Projects (now in their fifth year), currently in residence on the frozen waters of Medicine Lake.
Also: the final installment of Radio mnartists, an interview with the avant-garde cellists of Jelloslave, which will conclude our long-running series of audio artist profiles hosted by KFAI's Marya Morstad.
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POV: A Collectivist Wonderland on Ice, a conceptual tour by Andy Sturdevant |
MEDICINE LAKE IS NOT A GLAMOROUS LAKE. It’s a large lake, but it’s not a glamorous lake. By most objective criteria, it doesn’t compare favorably to its metro-area neighbors – Minnetonka to the west, the Chain of Lakes to the east. Medicine Lake does not have beautiful summer houses, and it does not have paddleboats. It does not have sexy Vikings houseboat parties. There are no picture postcard views of downtown Minneapolis twinkling in the distance, and there are few sepia-toned collective memories of frolicking lakeside Victorians in hoop dresses and straw boaters. There are no secret beaches for curfew-breaking urban teenagers to skinny dip in (that I know of, anyway), and there are no Hold Steady songs that name-check it. Prince would never invite you to purify yourself in Medicine Lake’s cleansing waters. Truth be told, it’s not even one of the better fishing lakes – there aren’t even any muskies! If one looks at the qualities which make a Minnesota lake the stuff of legend, one doesn’t find much to goose Medicine Lake into that top tier. Sure, it’s pleasant. But Wobegon it ain’t.
I asked Peter Haakon Thompson, the co-founder of the Art Shanty Projects, why he chose Medicine Lake for the site in the first place. His answer was simple and homey: Thompson grew up on the north end of the lake, and he knew the area well. It was accessible from the city, but it was far out enough to be a destination. One of the urban lakes like Calhoun or Harriet would have been too easy for jaded hipster artists to reach simply by stumbling out of their Uptown apartments, plus the city doesn’t allow overnight structures to be built on those lakes, anyway. A lake like Minnetonka was perhaps too far out, and already a known cultural quantity (see “sexy Vikings houseboats,” above). So, you return to what you know. Even putting aside such practical considerations as distance, size, and accessibility, Medicine Lake is conceptually perfect. It has a weird enough secret history to be perfectly suited for something like ASP – I would here refer you to one of my weekend history tours so you can hear the whole story. And then there’s that shape. That shape which has graced t-shirts and buttons and posters. Just look at it.
...article continues on mnartists.org.
 Click here to continue reading Andy Sturdevant's funny, enlightening conceptual tour through the offerings and personalities on the ice in this year's Art Shanty Projects community.
 About the author: Andy Sturdevant was born in 1979 in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Louisville in 2004 with a BFA in studio art, and moved to Minneapolis shortly thereafter. Andy is a contributor to Minnesota Public Radio's Electric Arc Radio Show and a guest curator for the Soap Factory's 2008 season. His writing and artwork have also appeared in The Rake, ARP! and Bejeezus magazines.
Credits: Photo (top) pictures Mina Leierwood jumping off of her Polar Bear car, one of the Art Cars on Medicine Lake. Photo by Max Haynes. Photo of Andy Sturdevant (below) appears courtesy of The Snap Shot Shanty. |
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In this lead article for the new issue of 10,000 Arts (the art quarterly co-published by mnartists.org and The Rake), critic Christy DeSmith offers an appreciation and short history of "movement theater," a burgeoning performance genre combining elements of dance, clowning, and traditional theater.
In accordance with standards for staging cosmic spectacles, (however low-budget), the cast of A Gift for Planet BX63 appeared in glittering, metallic costume...continued on mnartists.org
 Click here to read Christy DeSmith's short history of movement theater.
Pick up the brand new issue of 10,000 Arts on newsstands around the Twin Cities (packaged inside The Rake). For readers outside the TC Metro, you can find copies of 10,000 Arts in galleries and arts organizations across Minnesota, thanks to Explore Minnesota's generous support. |
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For this month's Zoom In artist profile, Sean Smuda offers an elegant analysis of the mind-bending, gorgeous paintings by Christian Nielsen.
Christian Nielsen’s paintings exist in the optic pleasure zone between literal and abstract expression. Their imperfectly repeating patterns and three-dimensional colors are familiar, yet alien...continued on mnartists.org
Click here to read Sean Smuda's thorough examination of Nielsen's paintings.
Sample more work from this artist in the related Zoom In collection on mnartists.org. |
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Maverick Winona-based performance artist Billy X. Curmano chats with Matt Konrad for 10,000 Arts about the artistic impulse that has driven a long career of daredevil feats, political chutzpah, and making art his own damn way.
Billy X. Curmano performance artist and provocateur, doesn't really care much for conventional wisdom. Take the stereotype that art is the province of dour, black-turtlenecked urbanites. Take it, and then kick it as far away from Billy as you can...continued on mnartists.org
Click here to read Matt Konrad's entertaining profile. |
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Writer and actor Marc Halsey goes behind the scenes at the Workhaus Collective, a recently formed playwright-driven theater company which is also the 2007-2008 Company In Residence at the Playwrights' Center.
When a group of playwrights came together in the spring of 2005 to form a new Twin Cities theater company called Workhaus Collective, they had a question in mind: What if playwrights controlled how plays get produced?... continued on mnartists.org
Click here to get the back-story on this innovative new performance company. |
Radio mnartists: Jelloslave
Photo courtesy Staciann Photography |
Producer Marya Morstad concludes her audio artist profile series. For this final installment of Radio mnartists, her podcast series and KFAI radio interviews with Minnesota artists, she talks with cellists Michelle Kinney and Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan, founders of Jelloslave, the avant garde cello and drum quartet.
 Click here to listen to this final Radio mnartists audio artist profile of Jelloslave
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Featured Collection: RE: Generations, Legacy and Tradition
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See a sampling of work from the nine artists whose work is featured in RE: Generations, on exhibit at Ancient Traders Gallery. This exhibition highlights contemporary statements in traditional forms: carving, quilting, beadwork, ledger drawing, and quill work and it runs through February 23.
RE: Generations, Legacy & Tradition exhibits work award-winning American Indian artists who innovate within the cultural artistic traditions of carving, hide painting, quilting, beadwork, and ledger drawing. Included in the exhibit are three recent winners of Bush Foundation fellowships. This show highlights contemporary statements within tradition and across generations in American Indian families....
Click here to browse through an online collection of some of the pieces in this show (a number of them by MN artists), and read the full curator's statement on mnartists.org.
Credit: Reservation Diabetes Dispensers by Todd Bordeaux,
glass beads, plastic, patina, 2008. |
Dancing a Bridge: New York City Comes Uptown
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Critic Lightsey Darst reflects on the dance collaboration extravaganzas, featuring work from NYC and Twin Cities performers, that graced the stages of both the Bryant Lake Bowl and the Walker Art Center late last month.
“It’s a bridge that’s been built and crumbled and built and crumbled,” says Kristin Van Loon, dancer-choreographer with the avant-garde duo Hijack and director of the Bryant-Lake Bowl theater. She’s talking about the New York-Minneapolis dance bridge, which has been especially important this past month...continued on mnartists.org
Click here to read dance critic Lightsey Darst's full essay.
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| Classes and Workshops |
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Class: CVA Figure Drawing Co-op - open drawing for individuals who wish to enhance their figure drawing skills
(College of Visual Arts Gallery, Saint Paul, February 9 - May 3)
Class: Art Weirdoes (art class for kids grades 2 and up)
(ArtiCulture, Minneapolis, February 12 - March 18)
Class: Beginning Floor Loom
(Weavers Guild of Minnesota, Minneapolis, February 18-28)
Workshop: Body Image—join photographer/filmmaker Jila Nikpay on an East-meets-West exploration of women’s body identity through art and photography
(Minnesota Center for Photography, three sessions on Wednesday nights, March 12-26)
Workshop: Working With Artists/Sharing the Healing (WASH), a three-day workshop presented by Stuart Pimsler Dance encouraging collaboration in healing between artists and caregivers/health care providers
(Barbara Barker Center for Dance, U of MN, Minneapolis, registration is open now & the workshop is scheduled for March 14-16)
Credit: Photo from Body Image workshop by Jila Nikpay
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| Dance |
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FASE: Four Movements to the Music of Steve Reich - Exclusive US Engagement
(Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, February 7-9)
Dance & Desserts - Christopher Watson Dance Company
(Ballareteatro Center for Performing Arts, Minneapolis, February 10)
The Chamber Ballet of Saint Paul's Premiere Performance - DEBUT
(The Fitzgerald Theater, Saint Paul, February 14-16)
Kinetic Kitchen dance series
(Patrick's Cabaret, Minneapolis, February 15-16)
Sean Curran Company world premiere of Force of Circumstance
(Petters Auditorium, College of Saint Benedict, Saint Joseph, February 16)
Credit: Still from The Force of Circumstance, courtesy of College of Saint Benedict |
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| Fairs and Festivals |
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Twin Cities Chekhov Festival - Sixteen talented Twin Cities artists breathe new life into the work of Anton Chekhov
(Bryant Lake Bowl Theater, Minneapolis, February 7 - March 1)
Second Saturdays at the California Bldg, Open Studios
(California Building, Minneapolis, February 9)
The Seventh Annual Political Theatre Festival - in the true tradition of Latin American Theatre
(Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, February 14 - March 15)
Gifts of Love Valentine's Day Event
(The AZ Gallery, Saint Paul, February 14)
Arts Advocacy Day: hit the capitol and talk with legislators on behalf of arts resources with an army of other artists, organizations, and arts supporters
(Minnesota History Center, Saint Paul, February 14)
Credit: Production photo from Rain of Seagulls and Our Vanya, Ourselves, two shows in the TC Chekhov Festival (photo courtesy the TC Chekhov Festival website)
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| Lectures and Readings |
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What Light: This Week's Poem competition launches its third year on mnartists.org with readings by multiple winners and a wine sampling hosted by Chris Osgood
(Magers and Quinn, Minneapolis, February 17)
Inside Altered Books: Unbinding the Book - presented by Dr. Betty Bright and Chip Schilling
(Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis, February 7)
Gallery Talk and Opening Reception for Ojibwe Inadbandamowin: Drawings by William Wilson
(The Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, February 9)
“The Artist in a Democracy”
(Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, February 10)
Night Train and Other Ojibwe Stories: a celebration of sisterhood with writers
Lise, Heid, and Louise Erdrich
(Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis, February 12)
Red Strings: Spoken Word/Cello
(Building for Women, Duluth, February 16)
Readings by Writers featuring Leslie Adrienne Miller and Sam King, hosted by Carol Connolly, S.A.S.E.
(University Club of Saint Paul, Saint Paul, February 19)
Credit: Artwork by William Wilson, courtesy of the Tweed Museum |
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| Music & Film and Video |
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Celebrate Sustainability Film Series Presents Blue Vinyl - a documentary search for the environmental truth about vinyl
(MCAD, Minneapolis, February 7)
Still Life – the film’s setting is Fengjie, a town progressively undergoing demolition and soon to be submerged by the massive Three Gorges Dam.
(Oak St. Cinema, Minneapolis, February 9)
Childish Films: DOTS AND LINES - a collection of shorts that celebrate expressive dots, lines and squiggles.
(Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis, February 16)
Music & Mischief - Audience behavior and participation are the focus of "What Makes a Good Audience?"
(Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church, Saint Paul, February 8)
Hand bell Concert with Barb Brocker and St. Olaf Ringers
(Saint Olaf College, Northfield, February 9)
The Waybacks - entertainment with a beat, a snap, a guffaw, and a sweet melody
(Elk River Area Arts Alliance, Elk River, February 9)
Turtle Island Quartet with Stefon Harris perform a tribute to Duke Ellington
(Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, Collegeville, February 10)
Michael the Hook Deutsch - multi-faceted piano wizardry and bottleneck style Dobro playing
(The Coffee Gallery, Minneapolis, February 10)
An Evening with the Bassoon
(Weber Hall, Duluth, February 11)
Art and Music - Trio Bella, Oil Paintings and Urns
(R.P Kittsteiner Art Gallery, Minneapolis, February 20)
Credits: (Top) image from Harold and the Purple Crayon, one of the films in Dots and Lines; (middle) Turtle Island Quartet
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| Sales and Benefits |
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Jewelry Trunk Show: Margaret Dittrich
(Grand Hand Gallery, Saint Paul, February 9-10)
Christa Bahr Art Studio - view recent artwork, the darkroom and photography studio
(Christa Bahr Art Studio, Prescott, WI, February 9)
Bee Tour Photography Studio Grand Opening
(Bee Tour Photography Studio, Saint Paul, February 9)
Romance Dance: A Valentine's Day You'll Never Forget! - a benefit for James Sewell Ballet
(Semple Mansion, Minneapolis, February 14)
Aesthetic Apparatus' Kindling and Litter-Box Liner Sale - slightly damaged and misprinted posters for $5!
(Grumpy's Downtown, Minneapolis, February 9) |
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| Theater |
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Renegade Comedy Theatre presents The Book of Liz by Amy and David Sedaris
(Teatro Zuccone, Duluth, February 7-23)
Life is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca - written during the "Golden Age" of Spanish drama
(Saint Olaf College, Northfield, February 8-16)
The Underpants - Steve Martin's riotous adaptation of Carl Sternheim's 1910 German farce
(The Warren, Minneapolis, February 8-23)
After Ashley - blisteringly funny and deeply affecting story
(Bedlam Theatre, Minneapolis, February 8-23)
Hey Girl! - Romeo Castellucci and Societas Raffaello Sanzio
(Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, February 14-16)
My Fatal Valentine Murder Mystery - Lakeshore Players presents a fun, interactive murder mystery.
(Garnet Masonic Lodge, White Bear Lake, February 14-15)
Credit: Still from The Book of Liz by Amy and David Sedaris, now playing at the Renegade Comedy Theatre in Duluth
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| Visual Arts |
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Three Ways to Fly: New Work by Carla Stetson
(Duluth Art Institute: Depot Site, Duluth, February 7 - April 29)
Russel Wright: Living with Good Design
(Goldstein Museum of Design, Saint Paul, February 9 - April 20)
Samuel Johnson - Ceramics
(Gorecki Gallery, Saint Joseph, February 11 - April 7)
Shut Up Spacemaker, You Talk Too Much: New Work by Angela Zammarelli:
a whimsical installation of play and discovery and the collective meanings found therein
(Art of This Gallery, Minneapolis, February 9-March 9
New Works.....by Samantha French
(Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, February 14 - March 29)
ICY: Clear Views
(Minnesota Center for Photography, Minneapolis, February 16 - April 27)
4 Ways to Break Someone's Heart
(Saint Olaf College, Northfield, through February 15)
Robyn Horn, Sculptor & Ann Ginsburgh Hofkin, Photographer
(Nina Bliese Gallery, Minneapolis, February 18 - March 28)
Credit: Art by Samantha French, courtesy Soo Visual Arts Center
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You Are Here event listings are drawn entirely from the mnartists.org calendar, so if you want to improve the odds that you'll see your happening linked here, you'd better start posting your events!
We've made it super easy to begin: here's a step-by-step guide that'll show you how to promote your own events on the new arts calendar. Browse through more up-to-the-minute events listings or post a show of your own on mnartists.org's new DIY arts events calendar. |
The mission of mnartists.org is to improve the lives of Minnesota artists and provide access to and engagement with Minnesota’s arts culture. |
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