Blog

Everyone has that one childhood fear that’s haunted them all their
lives. Those fears are on display in *Toys in the Attic*, a new exhibit
featuring artwork inspired by the stories, toys and fantasies that are
ingrained in our minds from our earliest memories. Featuring paints,
prints and toys from several artists, the exhibit opens September 19 at
Gallery 122 at Hang It.

The exhibit runs through October 31. There will be an artist reception
held on September 19 from 7 – 10 pm. Both the exhibit and the reception
will be free and open to the public. There will also be a toy drive
hosted at the reception; a new (unused) toy can be traded for a free
show poster while supplies last. Gallery 122 at Hang It is located at
122 Eighth Street SE in Minneapolis. It is open Mondays and Fridays 9
am – 5 pm, Tuesdays-Thursdays 9 am – 7 pm and Saturdays 10 am – 4 pm.
For more information, visit www.hangitinc.com or www.squad19.com.

The Altered Esthetics gallery follows up its Animal Art show with a
return to the animal kingdom to study critical and endangered species.
Through the works presented, human impact on nature and natural habitat
will be unveiled and the damage it has caused will be brought into
reality.

The exhibit runs September 4 – 27 at the Altered Esthetics Gallery,
located at 1224 Quincy St. NE in Minneapolis. The gallery is open
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 – 7 pm and Saturdays 1 – 5 pm. For more
information, call (612) 378-8888 or visit www.alteredesthetics.org.

Over 200 pieces of art, all on sale for $99. First come, first serve.
It’s the Black Thursday of the art world when the Soap Factory
begins its fundraiser on September 19. Artists from all around the
country have donated their works for the sale, which on the 19th with a
pre-sale and party with music, food and drink. The open sale begins the
following day at 9 am sharp and runs until noon only.

Tickets for the pre-sale party are $35 and can be purchased at the sale
website. The $99 Sale on September 20 is free. Last year people rushed
through the doors to get in, so the Soap Factory is urging potential
buyers to arrive early. The Soap Factory is located at 518 Second
Street SE in Minneapolis. For more information, visit www.soap99.com.

The Minnesota Opera will salute its donors and supporters on September
20 when they throw a special gala in their honor. The black-tie affair
includes a lavish three-course dinner and silent auction at the James
J. Hill Reference Library before guests are swept away by Verdi’s
passionate and classic melodrama Il trovatore.

The evening begins with a social hour at 5 pm, followed by the dinner
at 5:45 pm. The first 100 people to arrive to the silent auction at
6:30 pm will receive a free gift. The performance begins at 8 pm at the
Ordway Center in St. Paul. Single tickets are $350 and do not include
tickets for the performance. Tickets for the cast party can be
purchased for an additional $40. For more information, visit www.mnopera.org.

Rift Magazine is celebrating the release of its 25th print edition at
the Hexagon Bar, and wants you to be there! Featuring the best of the
magazine’s online site and input from local artists, writers and
bloggers, the party will be August 23 starting at 9 pm.

A simultaneous release party and birthday bash for writer Robyn Lewis,
the event will feature an appearance from Solid Gold and DJ crew Tendercakes among many other
surprises. The Hexagon Bar is located at 2600 27th Ave S in
Minneapolis. For more information, including other features, visit www.riftmagazine.com or www.hexagonbar.com.

Local artists Low and Dosh will play together when the Turf Club throws
its benefit for Barack Obama at 9 pm on Wednesday, August 27th.
Conceived as an effort to get Minnesotans passionate about the upcoming
election and to bring light to Sen. Obama’s ongoing campaign, the event
promises appearances from more local acts and DJs as liberal-minded
Minnesotans get together to celebrate the presumptive nominee.

The Turf Club is located at 1601 University Avenue in St. Paul. For more information, call (651) 647-0486 or visit www.turfclub.net.

The world’s best in advertising will be on display in The One Show,
starting at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery on August
22nd. Featuring work handpicked by The One Club, the leading nonprofit
organization for recognition in advertising, winning works in print,
radio, television and more will show patrons what real advertising is
all about.

The One Club president Kevin Swanepoel will be present at the exhibit’s
opening reception on September 10th. He will help lead a discussion on
the world of advertising starting at 7 pm. The exhibition is open to
the public and runs until September 24th in the Concourse Gallery. For
more information, visit www.mcad.edu.

Pop singles of years past are used as a springboard to study our
culture’s complex relationship with the real world. The glitz of
celebrity living is compared to the seriousness of real living in
"Party Party in a Tweety Land b/w This Republic of Suffering," an
exhibition opening at the Form + Content Gallery on August 28th.

Part of the UnConvention projects, the exhibit is co-curated by Colleen
Sheehy and Camille J. Gage. Featuring contributions from eight other
artists, the exhibit examines the tensions between what we obsess over
and what we’ve lost. There will be an opening reception on Saturday,
September 6 from 7 – 9 pm. The Form + Content Gallery is located at 210
North 2nd Street in Minneapolis. For more information, visit www.formandcontent.org.