State of the Arts

State of the Arts: June 2, 2011 Archive

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Art Hounds: Dengue Fever, Rochester art and a teen mystery novel

Posted at 7:00 AM on June 2, 2011 by Chris Roberts
Filed under: Art Hounds, Arts around the state, Books, Events, Music

tony tassett.jpg"Why Can't We All Just Get Along?" by Tony Tasset

This week's hounds rave about an L.A. band specializing in Cambodian psychedelia, two exhibitions at the Rochester Art Center, and a young adult novel about two teenage super sleuths whose latest adventure takes them to the wilds of Kenya.

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brittaamodt.jpgArts journalist Britt Aamodt gushes about St. Paul author Susan Runholt's latest teen mystery, "The Adventure at Simba Hill." It's a whodunit featuring heroines Kari and Lucas, set at an architectural dig in Kenya. Britt says it's another engrossing story from Runholt with spectacularly evocative writing.


20090603_greg_swan__33.jpgMix one part California surf rock with two parts '60s-era Cambodian psychedelic rock and Cambodian pop music and you have one of Greg Swan's favorite bands at the moment: Dengue Fever. Dengue Fever, five white musicians fronted by a Cambodian pop star, plays the 7th St. Entry, Friday, June 3. Greg, who writes about music for Perfect Porridge, discovered the group watching the documentary "Sleepwalking Through the Mekong," about Dengue Fever's Cambodian tour.


scottstulen.jpgVisual artist and mnartists.org Project Director Scott Stulen says a rich art experience awaits anyone traveling to the Rochester Art Center this summer. Scott says a pair of exhibitions, "Tony Tasset: Life During Wartime" and "John Fleischer: ALLMOST" features the work of two aesthetically distinctive yet thematically similar artists. Tony Tasset is based in Chicago and John Fleischer is a Minneapolis native. The Tasset show runs through September 4 and the Fleischer show runs through July 31.


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Lake Superior as literary figure

Posted at 10:06 AM on June 2, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Books, Writing

Does a character need to speak to have a presence?

When it comes to something as giant and powerful as Lake Superior, no.

longshiningwaters.jpg

Danielle Sosin's book "The Long-Shining Waters" revolves around Lake Superior. And while it never speaks, it is ever-present in the lives of three different women whose stories are spread out over 400 years.

Euan Kerr interviewed Sosin about her book while standing on the shores of Lake Superior, but the force of the winds off the lake were so strong they were forced to beat a retreat to a car.

Sosin actually moved to Duluth for the purpose of writing this book, thinking it would only take a year.... but it ended up taking eight.

"The premise that I ended up working with was that, the idea that Lake Superior is holding all of its history, literally as in the stuff that is down there, which there's a lot of," Sosin said. "But more importantly in a watery subconscious way, so that everything that has happened on or around the lake is held in the waters, which effects the people who live on its shores."

You can listen to the whole story by clicking on the link below:

Simple, beautiful and so easy to make fun of

Posted at 2:52 PM on June 2, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Criticism, Painting

Every once in a while I click through Stumble Upon to see where it takes me, with a particular focus on arts-related destinations. Today, it wasn't so much the video I found, but the comments that caught my eye.

After watching the video above, I scrolled down to take a look at what other people thought of the idea. While some were quite appreciative, others had more fun with it. To wit:


landoncalling 18 hours ago
This piece really harkens back to early Chevalier de Parapluie. Really really powerful moving stuff guys.

landoncalling 18 hours ago
Oh my god, what a chilling interpretation of the plight of the American Indian. Absolutely brilliant. Every layer of color representing a hardship they've had to overcome. And at the center, a towering monolith representing their resilience whilst the war-paint drips down, leaving a trail of proverbial tears.

xlittlemermaidx 18 hours ago
@landoncalling I disagree, friend.  To me, it speaks of the Civil Rights Movement and the Anti War activities of the 60s. I have to say that the colors coming together, yet separate in nature speaks volumes of the racism and social problems we still have today. We've come together, yet we're so far apart. It's modern, yet it takes us back to a different time. Brilliant, this artist has moved us all.

DebGhi 1 day ago
I can now say that I have enjoyed the pleasure of watching paint dry.


Gotta love those art critics...

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