Art Hounds

Ecologist Tom Hollenhorst, of Duluth, Minn., recommends the art exhibit “The Mirrors” by Adam Swanson, on display at the Great Lakes Aquarium and online through the month of August. He calls it a science-meets-art collection. Each of the paintings features a federally listed threatened and endangered animal of Minnesota. The colors of the paintings are bright and joyful, and the pairings of wild animals with humans or scientific equipment can be thought-provoking or humorous.

The Minnesota Fringe Virtual Festival runs through Sunday, and comedian John Gebretatose suggests tuning into the half diary-reading, half improv show, “OMG.” He says the show centers on guests reading from their actual teen diaries, after which improv actors create scenes inspired by the material. Gebretatose called the show “angsty and hilarious … and healing.” “OMG” runs Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m. as part of the Fringe Festival.

Freelance theater director Shalee Cole Mauleón is excited about the Fringe show “Instructions for a Habitat Inventory” from Playable Artworks. Through your smartphone, you choose a personal habitat to explore, such as your home or neighborhood. Actors give instructions and ask questions, making you an active member of the performance. Mauleón says Margo Gray has assembled a talented cast of actors of color. Between the pandemic and the uprisings following the killing of George Floyd, Mauleón called “Instructions for a Habitat Inventory,”a timely show that left her looking at her home in a new way.

Poet and essayist Michael Kleber-Diggs says since the killing of George Floyd, art — especially public art — has sustained him, reminding him our collective humanity and resilience. Kleber-Diggs says he was particularly moved by the new “Black Lives Matter” street painting at the corner of Penn and Plymouth avenues in Minneapolis. The Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery brought together a group of Black and mixed-race artists; each artist worked on a different letter in their own style. Kleber-Diggs says he loves both the individual letters, and how they connect to each other as a whole. He says the project demonstrates how, working together, individuals can create beautiful art and build community.

Music professor Eric Heukeshoven got a sneak preview of Loud Mouth Brass’ new album “Louder” and he thinks it’s just crazy good fun. Featuring both covers and original work, Heukeshoven says the album is filled with high energy and unexpected twists. Loud Mouth Brass celebrates with an outdoor, distanced, and masked show at 7 p.m. Friday at Little Thistle Brewing in Rochester, Minn.

Cabaret vocalist Nichole Carey plans to attend “FringeMiss,” a benefit for the Minnesota Fringe Festival. The live, in-person festival was canceled this year due to the pandemic; the Fringe is hosting a virtual festival, but on a much reduced scale. Carey says “FringeMiss” is one of several fundraisers by local theater artists who want to help the Fringe Festival come back strong next year. You can stream it Friday on Facebook or on the Adventurous Artists website.

Art car artist Sandra Elftmann is taken with Madalina Kelner’s photo exhibition “Behind the Veil.” The photographs are portraits of people’s hands, submerged underwater and shrouded in brightly colored pieces of fabric. It’s an exploration of identity and what it feels like to be marginalized by society. Elftmann says the imagery is joyful, even as it draws the viewer in to understand and empathize. The exhibition is just wrapping up at Homewood Studios in Minneapolis, but you can peruse the images at your leisure on Kelner’s website.

Actor and director Craig Johnson is looking forward to watching “The Art of the Entertainer,” a one-man show that pays tribute to vaudeville and slapstick comedy. The show was created and is performed by Commonweal Theatre company member Brandt Roberts, and is inspired by the work of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Bill Irwin, among others. The show is available to stream on the Lanesboro theater company’s website through Aug. 1.

Avid theater-goer Florence Brammer misses watching live performances since COVID-19 forced performance halls to close. And she’s worried about the future of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, which has moved to a virtual platform this summer. So she’s definitely going to “Reverend Matt’s Fringe Benefit,” an online cabaret/fundraiser for the Fringe. Brammer says she’s looking forward to seeing some of her favorite performers while also supporting an organization that does so much for the Twin Cities theater scene.

Artist Tuesdae Goldenstarr is a big fan of Yuya Negishi’s murals and other art. Negishi mainly works with a combination of stencils and freestyle; his brightly colored images often feature dragons and other creatures against dramatic backdrops. Negishi just finished a piece at Los Andes Latin Bistro; you can find several of his distinctive murals across the Twin Cities. Side note: He was also part of the team that painted the Bob Dylan mural in downtown Minneapolis.

These days, actor Jared Reise heads to the bar almost every night. But don’t worry, it’s entirely COVID-19-safe. Reise has been attending “The Cut-Out Bar,” a nightly streamed event on Facebook and Instagram. Actor Sam Landman prepares himself a white Russian, and picks out a record album for folks to listen to and critique. Reise says generally the music is pretty bad — which makes for great conversations in the chat room, where he and other barflies have bonded over the past three months. Reise says it’s part social hour, part performance piece, and just what he needs to get away from it all at the end of the day.

John Sievers of the jazz band “The D’Sievers” thinks you should check out Megan Kleven’s new album “I Am.” Sievers says the album is a musical journey, with nods to rock, folk, Celtic and more. Kleven is performing a CD release concert on Saturday at Chatfield Center for the Arts; if you can’t make it to Chatfield the concert will be available for livestream.

Two Harbors, Minn., painter and teacher Arlee Wilkes has been enjoying the work of Duluth-based artist Sam Zimmerman. Zimmerman draws on his Ojibwe heritage to create vibrant images filled with symbolism. Wilkes says his work makes her feel even closer to the North Shore.

Arts educator Katie Tuma recently watched the documentary “Stories I Didn’t Know.” The film follows Rita Davern as she traces her family’s history in Minnesota. In the process she finds out they settled on land — Pike Island — that is of particular significance to the Dakota. Tuma says it’s a richly layered story that explores culture, identity and uncomfortable family history.

Jewelry artist Liz Bucheit is loving a new hyper-local podcast called “Location Lanesboro.” It was started by three guys who were used to getting drinks each week pre-COVID-19. Now they get together via podcast and interview Lanesboro locals. Bucheit says it’s a great way for people to still feel like they’re a part of community when many of them are still socially isolating.

Theater artist Brooke Nelson was feeling art deprived, until she realized that all she needed to do was go for a walk. She recently paid a visit to Western Sculpture Park, just two blocks west of the Minnesota State Capitol building. The small slice of green hosts more than a dozen large-scale sculptures by artists from around the globe. Nelson says it’s a great spot to take a break, and several of the sculptures are appealing to kids and adults alike.

Costume designer Anna Hill recently gave a listen to Commonweal Theatre’s radio play “Root River Anthology.” The story focuses on a small town in the aftermath of a flood. Hill says after a day filled with Zoom meetings, it was calming to close her eyes and take in this charming, heartfelt story. Parts 1 and 2 are available on the Commonweal website through June 30.

Theater artist and educator Theo Langason recommends checking out the podcast “MN Play Bitch.” Hosted by two young queer women of color, the podcast offers an honest and sometimes scathing look at the state of Twin Cities theater. Langason says at a time when the future of theater is in question, and issues of race can no longer be ignored, artistic directors would do well to listen to the podcast and take its lessons to heart.

Arsonists and looters wreaked havoc on Twin Cities businesses in the days following the killing of George Floyd. While the destruction was devastating, artist and cultural organizer Tina Tavera has loved watching artists turn boarded up windows into canvases for beautiful murals. She’s particularly impressed with long-time artist-activist Seitu Jones’ new project “#bluesforgeorge.” Jones has created a stencil template that anyone can download and scale to the size they want so that they can memorialize Floyd anywhere around the world. Tavera says loves how Jones not only creates art, but empowers others to take part in the process.

Choreographer Maia Maiden, aka Rah Fyah, knew her dancing friends needed to come together after Floyd was killed. So on Sunday she hosted an impromptu “Cypher of Movement.” Dancers of all backgrounds showed up to show joy and love for Floyd and his family; it was also a space for talking about white supremacy, police brutality, anti-blackness and privilege. Maiden says being joyful in the face of oppression is a form of resistance.

Macalester College professor and artist Harry Waters Jr. has been hosting a twice-weekly event called “Outside Voices” in Powderhorn Park. Waters says in this time of crisis there’s a need for people to release their emotions and be in community, but the pandemic has made doing so difficult. So on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. people gather on the west side of the lake to tell jokes and laugh, run around, scream and fall to the ground. Waters says it’s cathartic at a time when people are feeling anxious and stifled.

Artists are both at the forefront of change and critical to the preservation of culture. Often their work involves envisioning new ways of being in the world.

As the Twin Cities wrestles with the police killing of George Floyd, structural racism and community devastation, artists will be crucial in articulating a path forward. The Twin Cities is home to numerous Black-led arts organizations; typically such groups are chronically underfunded.

Here’s a list of Black-led arts organizations in the Twin Cities that could use your support:

The mission of Alanna Morris-Van Tassel Productions is to produce solo dance works and global commissions that uplift and inspire our humanity; to produce educational programs that utilize the creative arts as a tool for self-development and to spearhead community-building initiatives that assist mid-career women creatives with resources to thrive.

The mission of Arts-US is to develop young leaders through the arts, culture and sciences of the African Diaspora. ARTS-Us provides cultural performances, art and art resources for educators, leadership opportunities for students, and consulting for community business and civic organizations through the lens of the African Diaspora.

Note: Arts-US executive director Anthony Galloway is a co-host of Counter Stories, MPR’s regular podcast on race and culture.

Blackout Improv is a mix of comedy, social justice and arts access. Blackout seeks to put more black performers on more stages, to create comedic dialogue around serious truths, and to provide improv access for Black students. Blackout is changing the face of comedy stages in Minnesota.

The Black Storytellers Alliance’s mission is to maintain the art of storytelling as a primary source for positive instruction and reinforcement of the rich beauty embodied in the telling of “the story” — as practiced by African people in the Diaspora.

The mission of Black Table Arts is to gather black communities through the arts toward better black futures. Black Table Arts offers professional development for institutions centered in education and the arts, and works with artists all over the state of Minnesota to collaborate on speaking engagements, performances, writing workshops and panel discussions.

Black Women Speak centers Black women’s lives by cultivating a community with Black women, giving voice to their experiences as a way to heal, find joy and move towards liberation on their own terms. 

BLAQ is a dance company dedicated to using art to liberate, feed, and love the Black community.

Grounded in African diasporic perspectives, Brownbody’s mission is to build artistic experiences that disrupt biased narratives and prompt audiences to engage as active participants in the journey. Brownbody accomplishes this through a blend of modern dance, theater, social justice and figure skating.

Described by The New York Times as “one of America’s more significant Playwrights,” Carlyle Brown has a long and rich history of creating plays that dramatize historical events in a way that makes them accessible to present-day audiences. Carlyle Brown & Company was formed in 2002 around a constellation of culturally and ethnically diverse artists dedicated to the development and performance of his work in an atmosphere of collaborative co-creation. 

Catalyst Arts is a small arts incubator interested in the intersection of art, activism and artists who define themselves as change-makers.

The Cedar’s mission is to promote intercultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar is committed to artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists and community outreach.

CLIMB Theatre creates customized plays, classes and workshops that build accountability, resiliency, empathy, advocacy and self-control. CLIMB inspires people to make the world a better place.

Recognized as a leader in Brazilian contemporary dance, Contempo performs work that challenges human physicality while invigorating audiences and translate our mission into groundbreaking new movement approaches, innovative choreographic design, and stunning performances.

Dark Muse Performing Arts is a Black woman-owned arts organization established in 2020. We are dedicated to creating and sharing bold stories, unapologetically.

Duniya Drum and Dance believes West African rhythm and dance is for everyone. It lives out that mission by both offering classes and by presenting community concerts.

Free Black Dirt is an artistic partnership formed by Minneapolis-based collaborators Junauda Petrus and Erin Sharkey. Committed to creating original theater and performance, hosting innovative events, organizing local artists, and promoting and supporting the emerging artists’ community in the Twin Cities, Free Black Dirt seeks to spark and engage in critical conversations.

The Givens Foundation is dedicated to enriching cultural understanding and learning through programs that advance and celebrate African American literature and writers. Its resources include the Archie Givens, Sr. Collection of African American Literature, housed at the University of Minnesota, as well as Black Market Reads, a podcast featuring conversations with today's most exciting black literary voices. 

Heart and Soul Drum Academy builds bridges across communities by connecting youth with the art of drumming. The academy uses drumming to cultivate personal development, discipline, leadership and teamwork with respect for self and others that transfers into the classroom, community and the world.

In Black Ink (IBI) seeks to create spaces where the intergenerational stories about Minnesotans of African heritage can be shared, documented, and archived. In Black Ink provides publishing arts initiatives and opportunities to communities that have been disenfranchised historically, and continue to be presently. IBI’s cultural literacy programming mitigates the damage of economic, educational, and cultural inequities that are the result of past and current prejudice and discrimination.

Juxtaposition Arts is a teen-staffed art and design center, gallery, retail shop and artists’ studio space in north Minneapolis. Juxtaposition Arts develops community by engaging and employing young urban artists in hands-on education initiatives that create pathways to self-sufficiency while actualizing creative power.

The mission of Maia Maiden Productions is to provide an equitable and engaging platform for Hip Hop, people of color, women, and youth through performing arts. Maia Maiden Productions is the force behind “Rooted: Hip Hop Choreographers’ evening” and “Sistah Solo | Being Brothas.”

Million Artist Movement is a global vision and movement that believes in the role of art in the campaign to dismantle oppressive racist systems against Black, brown, Indigenous and disenfranchised peoples.

The mission of the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery is to preserve, record, and celebrate the history of African Americans in Minnesota.

More Than a Single Story is a series of panel discussions and public conversations where indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) writers and arts activists discuss issues of importance to them in their own words and in their own voices. The goal of More Than A Single Story is to empower voices that have long been marginalized by creating a public discourse, which in turn provides a forum for cross-cultural understanding.

Mosaic on a Stick is a community art space created to promote mosaic art by selling quality supplies, teaching mosaic classes, and creating private and commercial commissions. Mosaic on a Stick is a values-led business that strives to be socially responsible, invested in the community and passionate about mosaics and the people that create them.

NEW DAWN Theatre draws brilliance out of shadows by illuminating and supporting cutting edge works of overlooked, underrepresented communities of its theatrical landscape through innovative, exciting and excellent theater productions.

Obsidian Arts seeks to be a new breed of Black cultural arts organizations suited for a socio-intellectual environment that maintains neither the strict barriers to nor the distinct pro-generators of what is deemed Black culture. Its focus is the use of art to invite the broader community to dialogue about issues that have been overlooked or shunned in the conversation-line of mainstream Black communities. 

Penumbra Theatre creates professional productions that are artistically excellent, thought-provoking, and relevant and illuminate the human condition through the prism of the African American experience.

Pillsbury House Theatre’s mission is to create challenging theatre that inspires enduring change towards a just society. Through the Mainstage season and other community engagement programs, Pillsbury House Theatre illuminates the differences that make each person unique and the similarities that bring people together, within an artistic environment that promotes understanding and leads to positive action.

Since 2007 RARE Productions has been creating visibility and opportunities for arts of color.  Through engaging artists of color, and centering Queer and Trans artists of color,  RARE Productions seeks to unite communities and families in healing relationships and bridge cultural gaps via the vast mediums of art.

Saint Paul Almanac is a literary-centered arts organization that shares stories across cultures and cultivates dialogue to promote understanding, relationships, and collaborative action. 

SHAPESHIFT dance collective was formed to create a fresh new innovative dance style which combines the lyricism of contemporary dance and hip-hop with other dance styles to illuminate the human experience and fuel social change. SHAPESHIFT’s powerful productions boldly tackle current issues of social justice, loss, love and human emotions.

Soomaal House of Art (Soomaal) is a Minnesota-based Somali art collective that provides studio space, studio critiques, artistic community, mentorships for younger Somali artists and annual exhibition space with educational programming.

Founded in 2011, the Somali Museum of Minnesota opened the doors of its public gallery in 2013 as North America's first and only museum devoted to Somali culture. At last update, the Somali Museum of Minnesota was the only museum of Somali culture anywhere in the world. 

The Somali Museum is the home of Somali creativity in North America, and is a global leader in advancing and elevating the work of Somali artists, traditional and contemporary.

Sounds of Blackness performs and proclaims the music, culture and history of African Americans to audiences all over the world. From jazz and blues to rock and roll, R&B, gospel, spirituals, hip-hop, reggae and soul, Sounds of Blackness provides uplifting messages of hope, unity, love and peace for all humankind. 

The mission of The Karen L. Charles Threads Dance Project is to examine, expose, and celebrate the threads that connect us. Threads seeks to be a national organization that betters humanity through dance, education and outreach. 

Truartspeaks works to cultivate literacy, leadership and social justice through the study and application of spoken word and hip-hop culture. It strives to counteract the dominant narrative surrounding youth and those most often rendered invisible in our society by providing platforms for them to be heard, fostering the personal and social change required for equity.

Tru Ruts is an artistic organization based in Minneapolis with a history of high caliber artistic work ranging from films to theater performances, a record label to workshops and residencies. Tru Ruts projects include Freestyle Theatre, Foto Libre, Speakeasy Records and others.

Founded in 2004 by Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands in St. Paul, TU Dance is a leading voice for contemporary dance. The 10-member, professional company is acclaimed for its diverse and versatile artists, performing work that draws together modern dance, classical ballet, African-based and urban vernacular movements.

Underdog Theatre creates art for the underserved, underrepresented and unheard. Kory LaQuess Pullam, the artistic director of Underdog Theatre, said the company is all about what he affectionately calls “underdogs.”

"We are specifically dedicated to lifting up new voices, voices of color, voices of the disabled, women, LGBTQ stories and communities and things like that," he said. "So, I think that by leading with that mission, that is what separates us and that is what gives us that energy that people are looking for."

Voice of Culture Drum and Dance is dedicated to the preservation of West African arts and culture.

Walker|West provides exceptional, affordable music education and enrichment rooted in the African American cultural experience, where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather, explore, and grow through music.

Yo Mama’s mission is to empower mothers by disrupting the devaluation of women’s invisible labor and showcasing their mastery of the art of mothering and the universal traditional women’s work that transforms into art making and economic security.

Painter Keith Dixon is a big fan of Rembrandt, Titian and other master painters of the late 17th century. As a result, he’s become enamored with the paintings of local artist Luke Hillestad. Dixon says Hillestad’s paintings reflect that same hyper realism, while also managing to evoke entire stories in just a single pose. Dxion says, at their core, Hillestad’s painting are a celebration of humanity.

Amateur violinist Jana Freiband is smitten with The OK Factor, a classical crossover duo made up of Olivia Diercks on cello and Karla Colahan on violin. Freiband loves the energy and creativity they bring to their improvisations, whether classical, blues or folk. Freiband particularly recommends their album “Love, The OK Factor” — she says it’s a theme we could all do well to improvise on during these rather dark days.

You might not be able to crowd into a gallery for the opening night of a show, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get out and see some art. Folk musician Emily Youngdahl Wright was driving out by Montevideo, Minn., and came across one of Audrey Arner’s “barn stars.” Similar to quilt squares that decorate barns across the Midwest, Arner’s barn stars are painted on large wood circles. Wright finds their natural imagery and bright colors spiritually uplifting.

Artist and writer Camille Gage has been following the work of artist Piotr Szyhalski, who works under the moniker “Labor Camp.” Since late March, Szyhalski has been drawing a new image every day responding to the news of COVID-19. Szyhalski, who grew up in Poland, is no stranger to propaganda, and his black and white posters employ similar graphic techniques. Gage says she’s fascinated by how Szyhalski “fights fire with fire,” using the COVID-19 Labor Camp Report series to critique the U.S. government’s handling of the pandemic.

Zorongo Flamenco’s Susana Di Palma is a fan of and occasionally collaborates with singer Tonia Hughes. Hughes performs regularly at The Dakota with the Steeles family and Larry Long; her music is a reflection of her faith and her background in gospel singing. Di Palma says Hughes’ song “Don’t Give Up” is exactly what she’s needed to stay positive and motivated during a difficult time.

Rochester Art Center’s Amy Garretson thinks it’s oddly fitting that Fires of Denmark just released a single called “Start Living Outside of Time.” Fires of Denmark is the musical project of Michael Terrill; he started writing the song last year as a commentary on how our modern lives never allow us enough time to really live. Now, Garretson says, we are all “living outside of time” as we adjust to life during a global pandemic.