8x8x8 LON/MSP/NYC

We’re thankful that the Soap Factory hasn’t succumbed to the condo craze that’s underway along the riverfront–in fact, this beloved and off-beat art venue stands to take on a higher profile once it’s surrounded by posh lofts and the spiffy folks who dwell in them. Already the Factory is stepping up to the plate: Rumor has it that this will be the year that the space doesn’t have to close down entirely during the colder months. Either way, it’s opening its 2006 season with yet another sprawling and ambitious exhibition. 8x8x8 LON/MSP/NYC features twenty-four emerging artists from Minneapolis, New York City, and London; the Soap Factory is the first stop as it tours each city, with the intention of demonstrating that art of equivalent range and quality is coming from these very different places. The work in the show runs the gamut from paintings, drawings, and sculptures to sound, video, and performance pieces. Second St. S.E. & Fifth Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-623-9176; www.soapfactory.org