In the biblical story of Susannah and the Elders, a beautiful young woman gets falsely accused of being a hussy. Thinking this an apt metaphor for all the finger-pointing and paranoia he saw during the McCarthy era, American composer Carlisle Floyd transposed the fable to 1950s Tennessee. Just like in the Bible, the fetching Susannah … Read more
Stuart Pimsler was inspired by literature when constructing this feverish meditation on love; he read everything from Plato’s Symposium to contemporary fare like Nicole Krauss’ The History of Love and Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He then cast a nine-year-old dancer to act as the show’s sage narrator, much like in … Read more
Hardcover Theater’s versions of “penny dreadfuls,” or Victorian-era soap operas, have been so popular in years past that this time around it’s offering five installments, each time imagining a more fantastical mash-up. Making an appearance are historical figures such as Queen Victoria, Scotland Yard founder Sir Robert Peel, and the grave robbers William Burke and … Read more
If you think of the University of Minnesota’s Nash Gallery as a teaching space, then this ambitious exhibit is designed to show students—and the rest of us—the range of forms that political art can assume. An intriguing mix of locally-based and national artists are represented: There are paintings from Shana Kaplow and selections from photographer … Read more
Apparently years touring in a rock ‘n’ roll van can result in more than permanently rumpled clothing and an affinity for gas-station cuisine. In Dan Monick’s case, it gave him an eye for photography; his work has been included in such manuals of cool as Paper, Swindle, and Fader. Currently based in Los Angeles, the … Read more
Walker regulars are likely already familiar with Kara Walker’s work, as she is one of a few artists, including Matthew Barney and Robert Gober, with whom the museum has established an ongoing relationship. Naturally, then, the Walker offers the first full-scale survey of her work, which frequently employs the eighteenth-century art form of black-paper silhouettes … Read more
Winterthur was originally the country estate of Henry Francis du Pont (yes, those Du Ponts), a collector whose taste and connoisseurship for American antiques were so exquisite that Jackie Kennedy prevailed upon him to help re-do the White House. Having amassed a collection of 85,000-plus objects—furniture, glass and metalwork, ceramics, and textiles—the man simply had … Read more
Despite a thin frame and a tendency to shiver uncontrollably, I’ve always been one to appreciate the cold. You won’t find me on the slopes or skating across a patch of ice, however, nor will you catch me clad in some ultra-light nylon parka. I simply don’t see the point in layering, instead preferring old-style … Read more
We asked a quartet of men-about-town, each dapper in his own way, to demonstrate. We sent them off to different women’s retailers—a department store, a discount chain, a boutique, and a consignment shop—and, all in all, were surprised when they all turned up with styles that stressed comfort, grace, and even downright conservatism. Kevin Friedland … Read more
Planning to snuggle up with that special someone—or hell, just anyone—on Valentine’s Day? Nothing says lovin’ like some cozy new (to you) furniture from Craigslist! Just remember that competition is stiff, so hopeful soon-to-be former owners try to show off their wares in the most attractive light possible. Also, “BO” means best offer, not body … Read more