Art Hounds recommend photography on the struggle for racial justice

A woman holds her hands up in reverence near the George Floyd mural.
An elderly woman, who knew nothing of him until that fateful day, pays homage to a man who died under a police officer's knee. Respecting her private moment, others left her to stand in solitude at George Floyd Square.
Photo by KingDemetrius Pendleton

Civil rights attorney, activist and Racial Justice Network founder Nekima Levy Armstrong appreciates the work of independent photojournalist KingDemetrius Pendleton, who has long documented social justice demonstrations and events. Levy Armstrong said he’s known on the streets as the Black CNN, “because he’s always there, always documenting.”

His photography exhibit, The Movement Never Stops, runs Friday through Sunday at Block Portrait Studios in St. Paul. Pendleton’s exhibit will include photographs taken across the Twin Cities after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers.

“I think that people will be in for a real surprise, just to see the scope and depth of what he has been able to capture through his lens, and through his dedication and steadfast commitment to the fight for racial justice and pushing for an end to police violence,” said Levy Armstrong.

Dancer Erin Thompson of Minneapolis called the Riverside Park Sound Garden installation last spring a “delight for the senses,” and she’s looking forward to attending again this weekend.

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The family friendly outdoor event features dance and poetry along with an immersive soundscape created by J. G. Everest.

“I just found that it kind of stopped time for me,” Thompson said. “It just combines nature and art in such a beautiful way. And it's very healing.”

The Riverside Park Sound Garden runs noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the northwest corner of the park in Minneapolis. The event is free, but reservations are required.

Comedian Tane Danger wants people to know that there’s still time to catch Fearless Comedy Productions’ production of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” before it closes on Saturday.

Delayed by the pandemic, the comedy features the epic battle of wits and witticisms between Beatrice and Benedick, who are perfect for each other — if only they could stop arguing long enough to realize it. Director Duck Washington sets the play in the postwar 1940s. The production is staged at the Mounds Theatre, a renovated art deco movie theater in St. Paul.

The Mounds Theatre requires proof of full vaccination, including boosters as recommended by the CDC, as well as masks when not eating or drinking. Danger recommends checking out the themed cocktails that the theater pairs with its shows. Shows run Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.