MN Shortlist May 8-14: Pottery mania, sad clown opera, brewery fests and dance at the Walker
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Opera’s saddest clown, “Hollywood in the ceramics world,” Asian Phoenix Fest and a bank of art — find out more in this week’s MN Shortlist.
Artist reception for Krystl Louwagie at Clarkfield State Bank of Art — May 8
At the Clarkfield State Bank of Art, an art space in southwestern Minnesota, is a gallery wall full of cheeky and intimate self-portraits by Marshall-based artist Krystl Louwagie.
Seeing so many self-portraits in one space reveals the many moods and stages of an artist’s life. In several of the mixed-media pieces, Louwagie sports a pandemic-style face mask; in others, she holds a guitar or draws herself comics-style, a face fragmented in many cells.
The reception starts at 6 p.m. and will include an artist talk and an open mic. Louwagie will teach a class there on May 23. The Clarkfield State Bank of Art, housed in a century-old former bank, features a different local artist on three-month rotations. —Alex V. Cipolle
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The St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour — May 8-10
Mothers and pottery lovers rejoice! The annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour, now in its 34th year, always lands on Mother’s Day weekend and has become an unofficial celebration of the holiday.
The pottery crawl spans seven ceramic studios dotting the hills around the upper St. Croix River, and the wares are mostly on display in the great outdoors. It’s a bit of a fairy tale to peruse handmade art among tall grasses, tulips and backyard groves.
While each stop on the self-guided tour is hosted by a local artist, the work of 68 artists from across the nation will be on view. International ceramic enthusiasts also flock to the event. As one Londoner told MPR News in 2021: “This is Rome; this is Hollywood in the ceramics world.” —Alex V. Cipolle
Minnesota Opera’s ‘Pagliacci’ at the Ordway — May 8-17
Opera’s saddest clown has a moment in the Minnesota spotlight for the next few weeks. “Pagliacci” was composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo in the late 1800s and follows an Italian clown as he grapples with murderous rage after the revelation that his wife is having an affair.
“Pagliacci” in some ways is so synonymous with dramatic opera that it has been referenced dozens of times in pop culture, including in “The Simpsons,” “Seinfeld” and “Batman.” —Jacob Aloi
Asian Phoenix Festival at Arbeiter Brewing — May 9
The south Minneapolis brewery hosts its annual festival to mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. According to Arbeiter, it is one of the two percent of breweries owned by Asian Americans in the U.S.
Arbeiter says of the festival: “The Asian Phoenix represents resilience, revitalization and harmony. She is the opposing force to the dragon. The Phoenix has also become an important symbol to our South Minneapolis neighborhood as we work to renew and rebuild what was lost after the spring 2020 uprising.”
Arbeiter is just a few doors down from the Minneapolis Police Department Third Precinct building, which burned and then was decommissioned in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. The fest will include performances and art by TaikoArts, Cypher Side, JangmiArts, Lora Hlavsa, Tshab Her, The Paper Lantern Project and more. —Alex V. Cipolle
Bent Paddle Festiversary — May 9
The annual “Festiversary” of the Duluth-based brewery Bent Paddle returns with local acts, food and, of course, beer. The performance lineup includes Minneapolis rock band “Kiss the Tiger,” Duluth comedic band “Berserk Blondes!” and North Shore folk outfit “Tin Can Gin.” A petting zoo, chalk art and a gym open house are also on tap. —Jacob Aloi
“Rosy Simas: A:gajë:gwah dësa'nigöëwë:nye:'” at the Walker Art Center — May 13-16
This performance series by renowned choreographer Rosy Simas combines dance, art installation and community engagement. It is the culmination of a two-year artist residency at the Walker, and a companion to the exhibition of the same name “A:gajë:gwah dësa’nigöëwë:nye:’ (i hope it will stir your mind)” that runs through July 5. The Minnesota-based Simas, who is a member of the Heron clan of the Seneca Nation, explores notions of peacemaking and a “deep listening to the earth, stars and ancestors.”
The performance will be accompanied by the score of French composer François Richomme, which uses “sounds of Seneca lands, which bathes the audience and performers in a shared aural experience.”
Simas developed the series in part during Operation Metro Surge. She told Minnesota arts reporter Sheila Regan for Hyperallergic: “I have had serious moments of paralysis, for six to eight hours at a time, and that has been going on since January. And it’s not just because of this recent occupation, but it’s cumulative in many ways.” —Alex V. Cipolle
