Art Hounds: Ojibwe deities come to life at the Duluth Art Institute

"Defend the Sacred" by Jonathan R. Thunder.
"Defend the Sacred" by Jonathan R. Thunder. The Duluth Art Institute presents an exhibition of Thunder's work, titled "Peripheral Vignettes," June 29 through Sept. 4.
Courtesy of the Duluth Art Institute

Budget Line: This week on Art Hounds: Jonathan Thunder's paintings, a murder mystery on stage, and "Everything is Flammable."

• Painter Adam Swanson is headed to the opening for Jonathan Thunder's solo show of paintings and animation. Swanson has followed Thunder's work for years, and loves how he takes Ojibwe deities and places them in contemporary life, plus his mix of dark humor and rich colors. On view at the Duluth Art Institute through Sept. 4.

• Comic book artist and teacher Kevin Huizenga recommends attending Gabrielle Bell's book reading this weekend. "Everything is Flammable" is a graphic memoir of Bell's trip to California to help her mother after her off-the-grid home burned down. Huizenga says the book deftly weaves together comedy, tragedy, and the mundane moments that make up a life with a beautiful sense of timing and deadpan. Bell reads from "Everything is Flammable" on Saturday, July 1 at 4 p.m. at Moon Palace Books in Minneapolis.

• Avid theater-goer Nika Davies is excited to take her granddaughter to see "Might as Well Be Dead: A Nero Wolfe Mystery." Davies is a big fan of Rex Stout's novels, from which this play is adapted. They star the brilliant gourmand Nero Wolf, who refuses to leave the comforts of his home but, with the help of his trusty sidekick Archie, is able to solve mysteries from his armchair. Davies saw Park Square's previous production of "The Red Box," another Nero Wolfe mystery, and loved it. Performances run through July 30 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul.

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