July is here! Summer is halfway over and amid the ever flowing cold press, red, white and blue bug bites, and midnight bike rides there is a lot of art to see. Here are the 8 Twin Cities events Lexi says YOU should be at.
1.
Home Movie Night
Time: 7:00 pm for Home Movies, 8:30 pm for Local Artist's Films
Date: Wednesday July 13th
Location: Weisman Art Museum, 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
VIBE:
Sam Hoolihan, the curator of the evening, can turn any venue into an intimate living room movie experience. Combined with local comedian, and the event’s host, Patrick Susmilch I’m guessing it’s going to be like if Portlandia made a sketch about America’s Funniest Home Videos and then screened it in your grandparent's living room.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE:
This event is hosted in conjunction with the Weisman’s summer feature exhibition, Silence and Echoes, an exploration of the relationship between artists and the phenomenon of silence, which will be open in the galleries the night of. The event is broken into two parts: first watching people’s home videos that they brought with them and second watching films made by the experimental film crew of Minneapolis. The combination is really relevant because of lot of contemporary films evoke ideas about memory, time, perspective, and even intimacy that home videos also reach at.
2.
No More Ideas About My Ideas
Time: 7:00-10:00(ish) pm
Date: Saturday July 23rd
Location: SADIE HALIE PROJECTS, 3653 25th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406
VIBE:
It’s a garage gallery run in South by some pals from Brooklyn, you’ll have to go through an alley or someone’s backyard to get there. The last artist exhibited was an aesthetics professor in Taiwan who wore chacos and a bucket hat. Use your imagination.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE:
It feels good to flaunt your knowledge of Minneapolis to people from Brooklyn and it's good to support artists who are trying to get something started because they believe in it. Also, the art.
3.
3x5: The Soap Factory Emerging Artist Residency
Time: 6:00-10:00 pm
Date: Saturday July 23rd
Location: The Soap Factory, 514 2nd Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55414
VIBE:
The Soap Factory is a happening place to be. It’s literally an old Soap Factory with a super hip rustic interior, white walls, and squeaky floors. It is the best place to simultaneously inhale dust and the scent of fresh paint.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE:
The Soap Factory has had a rocky few months, and may or may not exist in the future, so get your kicks now. The emerging artist lineup for the month of the July is quite extensive and includes artist’s chosen by Pramila Vasudevan, one of our favorite Clouds: Temporarily Visible artists, as well as some current students and recent alums of the University’s art program.
4.
Yeah Maybe #7
Time: 7:30-10:00 pm
Date: July 16th
Location: Yeah Maybe, 2528 E 22nd St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
VIBE: Yeah Maybe is a pop-up space is Seward run by some post-grad/emerging artists. The Saturday night opening has party vibes with a DJ and music in the basement, and snacks and drinks upstairs. They have a critique that happens the next afternoon that’s potluck style with bagels and coffee. It’s pretty informal and if you stick around long enough you can get to know the hosts (and maybe have your own show).
WHY WE'LL BE THERE: Yeah Maybe is interested in creating a critical dialogue and supporting fellow emerging artists. In addition to their once a month show, they have started to host other programs like “Drawing Bored” and a monthly curated Youtube video night. They are relentlessly persistent and once you’ve met them you see them everywhere.
5.
Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program: Austin Swearengin
Time: 6:00-9:00 pm
Date: Thursday July 21st
Location: 2nd floor, Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
VIBE: The MAEP, as it’s called, is a gallery on the 2nd floor of the MIA in the Contemporary Art Section. It’s a more a traditional “gallery setting”, but the work is from up and coming Minnesota-based artists and is usually pretty interesting. The opening itself is part of a larger “Third Thursday” series that includes later hours for the museum, a bar, and music. It makes for a fun evening. Plus, this Third Thursday is BIKE NIGHT.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE: Besides the downstairs party vibe, usually the whole scene from MCAD and the University show up for the happenings. See and be seen. Or see and be scene. Or scene and be seen.
6.
Cellular Cinema
Time: 7:00 pm
Date: Sunday July 31st
Location: Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408
VIBE: If you haven’t been to the BLB theater, it’s a cozy dinner theater/bar/bowling alley in uptown. Cellular Cinema is one of few, if not the only, experimental video series in the Twin Cities. The series is hosted by Kevin Obsatz, a filmmaker, an adjunct professor at the U, and a cool Powderhorn dad.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE: Despite billions of videos being posted to online platforms it is way harder than it should be to locate interesting experimental films. Unfortunately, the Vimeo “experimental” section just doesn’t cut it. Kevin brings in both local and traveling artists to show some pretty awesome underground work. And you can top it all off with a round of bowling afterwards.
7.
9x22 Dance Lab
Time: 8:00 pm
Date: Wednesday July 27th
Location: Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408
VIBE: This one is at the Bryant Lake Bowl again, so same vibe but swap out the video community with the dance community.. expect clogs.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE: 9 x 22 has been going and going for over 10 years. The series showcases emerging and established choreographers and happens every month on a Wednesday night. Curator Laurie Van Wieren is an amazing staple of the Twin Cities dance community and never stops. Following each dance is a Q & A with the performers, giving the artists some valuble audience feedback.
8.
Future Interstates
Time: 8:00 pm
Date: Tuesday July, 12th
Location:
VIBE: HIJACK is known for pushing the boundaries of the Minneapolis dance scene, so the vibe is always new, fresh and earth-shattering. This will be the first time I’ve gone to this event so It’s hard to say, other than that the performance lineup looks pretty rad.
WHY WE'LL BE THERE: Because anything HIJACK does is reason enough.
