Jewelry designer Heather Lawrenz recommends paying a visit to Flaten Art Museum on the campus of St. Olaf Collage to see an exhibition of work by Cuban-American artist Coco Fusco. “Swimming on Dry Land/Nadar en seco” features video and installations that explore what’s missing from Cuban culture: the immigrants who fled the country, artists who were suppressed along with their work, and a coherent history. Lawrenz says the show inspired her to think about how her sense of home and place has shaped her identity. The exhibition runs through Dec. 18.

Artist Danielle Pebbles thoroughly enjoyed the latest show at Rogue Buddha Gallery in Minneapolis. “Mourning Glory” is an exploration of death through the eyes of more than 40 artists. Pebbles says the show features work both sad and celebratory, and got her thinking about how our culture avoids talking about death, and how she might break the silence with loved ones. On view through Nov. 30.

MCAD’s director of gallery and exhibition programs Kerry Morgan is headed to White Page Gallery to see Sean Connaughty’s latest show dedicated to Lake Hiawatha. For the past five years Connaughty has been working with volunteers to remove trash from the lake, sort it and source it. Their findings are combined with drawings, photographs and documents that testify to the critical habitat the lake provides. “Lake Hiawatha - Anthropocenic Midden Survey - Final Report” runs one week only - Nov. 15-23.