BOOKS & AUTHORS Never End a Title in a Preposition
If you’ve read our July issue already, then you already know that local poet Éireann Lorsung is helping Ben Weaver light “a fire to burn things back to pure.” In fact, he liked her poetry so much the first time he read it, that he invited her to read before his show. Poetry before a rock show — now that I like. Looking for a little inspiration of your own? Perhaps you could benefit from a little bit of Lorsung lyrics. OK, poetry, poetry. She’ll be reading this evening from her recent book, Music for Landing Planes By. See? I told you it was music.
As long as I’m starting out with references to our July issue, I might as well mention a couple bike-related art shows — one closing and another opening. Oooo, it’s like a cycle, a cycle-related cycle. Make a night out of that one, baby! Start out with Wisconsin artist Gregg Rochester’sThe Art of the Bicycle at Gallery 122. It’s the last day, so don’t delay. While Rochester is best known for his Grant Woodesque landscapes that seem to be channeling Russell Chatham, this show highlights his passion for bicycling.
1 – 5 p.m., Gallery 122, Hang It, International Market Square Ste 290, Minneapolis; 612-204-9282.
Say goodbye to Rochester and welcome in Bike Art II at Altered Esthetics. More than 40 artists celebrate the bicycle with over 100 sculptures, prints, photographs, paintings, comics, and interactive art. See it tonight, or stop in tomorrow from 7 to 9 p.m. for the opening reception.
For the past two years, the B-Girl Be Summit has been celebrating women in hip-hop. If you haven’t attended over the past couple of years, be sure to do so this year at the end of the month. For a little taste of years gone by, stop into Intermedia Arts tonight for the B-Girl Be 2006 movie premiere. Watch the two-hour documentary (twice if you want), and get your own copy of the DVD for only $20. Proceeds will go to support this year’s summit.
Perhaps we’re running out of topics for films. Or maybe, just maybe, the millions of print messages with which we’re bombarded every day have some kind of cultural significance beyond the sale of the latest fashions. Helvetica is a film about a typeface. That’s right. And a damn fine typeface it is. “Since millions of people see and use Helvetica every day, I guess I just wondered, ‘Why?’” says filmmaker Gary Hustwit. “How did a typeface drawn by a little-known Swiss designer in 1957 become one of the most popular ways for us to communicate our words 50 years later? And what are the repercussions of that popularity? Has it resulted in the globalization of our visual culture? Does a storefront today look the same in Minneapolis, Melbourne, and Munich?” The result is an exploration of not just a widely used typeface, but one of those rare cinematic occasions to see and hear some of today’s most illustrious graphic designers and typographers. A discussion with the director follows the first screening, and he’ll introduce the second.
7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Walker Art Center Cinema, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; $8 ($6 Walker/AIGA members, students).
Prefer a silly flick with a few good laughs? Tonight is the second film of the 1,2,3 Movie Series at The Soap Factory — Groundhog Day. It’s no masterpiece by any means, but Bill Murray is always great, and let’s face it — we’re generally suckers for romantic fantasies. Besides, don’t forget; these movies are all screened on the back wall of the Soap Factory, in open air. (If it’s cold or raining, the movie will be shown in the gallery.)
9:15 p.m., The Soap Factory, 518 2nd Street SE, Loading Dock, Minneapolis; 612.623.9176; free.
MUSIC Summer Music and Things Less Common
We’re going to be seeing a lot of summer music series starting next week. June is just about here, and summer is really upon us. Well, at least the forecasts don’t have us dropping past 55 any time soon. Celebrate the summer with the first live, local concert of the Galleria Summer Music Sampler series. (As if we didn’t have enough ways to celebrate the summer! Oh well, we can always use another.) The series will feature different music every Thursday, at rotating Galleria restaurants.
Join Tim Mahoney this evening as kicks off the summer at Crave, Galleria’s newest restaurant.
6 p.m., Crave, Galleria, corner of 69th Street and France Ave., Edina; 952-697-6000; free.
You don’t have to go back to the Middle Ages to find some decent lute playing. How about that! Thursday at the Lute Cafe features the very best of local and regional Early Music lutenists performing in a casual, acoustically friendly environment. Tonight’s show features series co-founders Richard Griffith and Phillip Rukavina playing a selection of popular solo lute music and duets.
6:30 p.m., Hillcrest Recreation Center Village View Room, 1978 Ford Parkway, St. Paul; 612-298-5779; free but with a $10 suggested donation.
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