MN Original broadcasts Rock The Garden on TV and online

Posted at 2:56 PM on March 28, 2013 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Events, Media, Music, Television

MN Original and Twin Cities Public Television are heralding the start of spring with a program that captures one of the glories of summer.

This Sunday MN Original will broadcast selections from last year's Rock the Garden concert, a now annual rite of summer held at Walker Art Center and co-hosted by 89.3 The Current.

The program will include behind-the-scenes interviews with artists as well as their performances. Last year's line-up consisted of Howler, tUnE-yArDs, Doomtree, Trampled by Turtles and The Hold Steady.

My question: how do they plan to stuff all that goodness into one 30 minute episode?

The music special will air Sunday on tpt 2 at 6pm and again at 10pm.

For those fans who can't wait for Sunday, they can check out a special OVEE online screening tomorrow at noon by clicking here, or they can view it online starting tomorrow at MN Original's website.

Fred Armisen nails Ira Glass on 'This American Life'

Posted at 7:17 AM on January 14, 2013 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Comedy, Media, Television

Fred Armisen is known for his work on Saturday Night Live, and for his partnership with fellow rocker/writer Carrie Brownstein on the popular sketch comedy show Portlandia.

But after this past weekend, Fred Armisen will be known amongst public radio fans for his dead-on imitation of Ira Glass, host of "This American Life."

Fred Armisen and Ira Glass in the 'This American Life' studio. Photo: Adrianne Mathiowetz

The theme of Episode 484 of TAL was "Doppelgangers," and in honor of the occasion, Fred Armisen was invited to co-host the show. Armisen had once impersonated Ira Glass for an SNL skit, but the show never aired because Glass 'wasn't famous enough.'

But within the realm of public radio, Glass IS famous, and so Armisen's impersonation finally found a home.

For listeners the experience was both comic and confusing. Is that Ira talking? Or is it Fred? At one point they both laugh, and Fred's 'imitation' laughter inspires Glass to laugh even harder... an upward spiral of dizzying mimicry.

You can listen to the entire episode here.

A warning: Act 1 deals primarily with pork rectum, and the possibility of passing it off as calamari. Blech!

Nicholas David takes third place on The Voice

Posted at 11:30 PM on December 18, 2012 by Marianne Combs (6 Comments)
Filed under: Music, People, Television

Eagan native Nicholas Mrozinski will be coming home after placing third on NBC's vocal competition show "The Voice."

Mrozinski, known to audiences of "The Voice" as Nicholas David, impressed viewers with his soulful crooning reminiscent of both Marvin Gaye and Joe Cocker. His song choices consistently reflected a message of love and optimism, from "Lean on Me" to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." In tonight's finale, he sang a duet with Smokey Robinson.

But the love and harmony wasn't enough to earn him the most audience votes; the popular winner was contestant Cassadee Pope.

89.3 The Current's Andrea Swensson writes:

Pope's victory is unsurprising, from a reality TV angle. One of the driving forces behind The Voice is iTunes sales, and Pope's inoffensive mall-pop vocal stylings and ever-so-slightly-edgy appearance make her an easily accessible candidate, especially for the download-hungry tween and teen market. Mrozinski, on the other hand, appealed to older generations of music fans with his soulful take on classics by Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye.

It's unclear at this point what Mrozinski's future holds; while he won't be getting the first prize recording contract, his newfound popularity makes it unlikely he'll continue in such intimate local venues as The Happy Gnome.

Mrozinski has said he's looking forward to spending some quality time with family. He's the father of two boys; he and his partner are expecting a third baby in February.

Nicholas David fires it up for the final round of 'The Voice'

Posted at 9:57 PM on December 17, 2012 by Marianne Combs (6 Comments)
Filed under: Music, People, Television

Nicholas David - a.k.a. Nick Mrozinski - sang his heart and soul out tonight on NBC's vocal competition show "The Voice."

The Eagan native took his on-stage energy to new heights with his rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" which morphed into Jimi Hendrix's "Fire." Mrozinski performed on a flaming piano before taking to the floor with some dance moves and high kicks.

Later on in the program Mrozinski took a more relaxed tone as he sang Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" with a casually dressed choir sitting behind him. The song echoed a sentiment expressed at the opening of the show with the cast's performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" in memory of the 26 people - mostly children - killed Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

Finally Mrozinski sang a duet with his coach CeeLo Green, whose title could have been a directive from CeeLo himself: "Play that Funky Music" by Wild Cherry. Aerialists with big hair and a "mini CeeLo" showing off his dance moves rounded out the performance.

Now it's up to the audience to decide who wins 'The Voice.' Fans can vote for their favorite contestants either by phone, text message, online, or by purchasing the song they performed on iTunes.

Voting is open in the Central time zone through 9:00am Tuesday. The winner, who gets to sign a record deal, will be announced on "The Voice" tomorrow night.

Nicholas David will compete in the final round of 'The Voice'

Posted at 8:27 PM on December 11, 2012 by Marianne Combs (4 Comments)
Filed under: Music, People, Television

It's been two emotional evenings in a row for the final four contestants of NBC's "The Voice."

After a brief return home to visit their families, Nicholas David, Cassadee Pope, Terry McDermott, and Trevin Hunte all took to the stage Monday night for the penultimate round of the national singing competition.

Eagan native Nicholas David - a.k.a. Nick Mrozinski - was particularly soulful as he sang Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" to his wife and kids who were standing just off the stage.

Tonight it was announced that just one contestant would be eliminated from the competition - Trevin Hunte - leaving the remaining three to compete in the final round next week.

While David is known for his fine skill with classic R&B tunes, his competition are more solidly in the "pop" vein. He's received consistent praise from the judges, but ultimately the winner will be selected by his or her popularity with viewers.

Nicholas David advances to final four on 'The Voice'

Posted at 12:01 AM on December 5, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Music, People, Television

Fans of Nicholas David - a.k.a. Nick Mrozinski to his Twin Cities friends - were left holding their breath until the end of NBC's"The Voice." In the final minutes Mrozinski was standing with fellow contestant Amanda Brown, knowing only one of them would make the next round.

On Monday Mrozinski got the audience dancing to Earth Wind and Fire's "September" and then later crooned "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Despite the fact that judges wished Mrozinski had taken more risks with his vocal stylings - rather than relying on his back-up singers to hit the high notes for him - ultimately fans voted in great enough numbers over the next several hours to keep Mrozinski on the show.

Nicholas David advances to the next round on 'The Voice'

Posted at 5:40 PM on December 3, 2012 by Marianne Combs (2 Comments)
Filed under: Music, Television

Tonight is Twin Cities musician Nick Mrozinski's next opportunity to advance in NBC's vocal competition show "The Voice."

Mrozinski, known on the national television show as Nicholas David, is one of six remaining contestants.

A regular performer at St. Paul's Happy Gnome, Mrozinski's repertoire has kept to classic R&B tunes, most recently channeling Marvin Gaye in a performance of "What's Going On."

The performance garnered rave reviews from the judges, inspiring Adam Levine to promise "I'm just going to be a fan of yours forever." Country star Blake Shelton added "Thank you for letting 'The Voice' be the stage that introduces you to the world."

Mrozinski will or will not advance depending on audience votes via text, phone, mobile apps and iTune purchases following tonight's performance.

Who will you be voting for?

TPT to air Minnesota Opera's 'Silent Night'

Posted at 3:17 PM on November 29, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Opera, Television

Minnesota Opera's premiere of Silent Night in November of last year went on to earn the composer a Pulitzer Prize for music.

Now the show is back, this time on Twin Cities Public Television.

Troy Cook (left) as Father Palmer and John Robert Lindsey as Jonathan Dale in the Minnesota Opera production of 'Silent Night,' which won composer Kevin Puts the Pulitzer Prize for music. (Image by Michal Daniel)

Minnesota Opera's high-definition recording of Silent Night, composed by Kevin Puts and with a libretto by Mark Campbell, will air on tpt on Friday, December 21 at 8pm.

Silent Night was part of Minnesota Opera's New Works Initiative, a program designed to shepherd contemporary pieces into the operatic repertoire.

In the meantime the Puts-Campbell duo are working away at their next project for the New Works Initiative; The Manchurian Candidate will make its world premiere at the Minnesota Opera in the 2014-2015 season.

Both sides of SPCO to debate cutting wages, trimming orchestra on Almanac

Posted at 3:04 PM on September 14, 2012 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Music, Television

It's a big night for the arts on public television tonight.

On this week's edition of Almanac, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra President Dobson West and musician Carole Mason Smith will discuss cutting musicians wages and shrinking the size of the orchestra.

The show starts at 7pm on TPT2; you can also stream the show live at tpt.org.

Then at 8pm, it's the premiere of "Arts and the Mind," a new documentary on the benefits of the arts on mental and physical wellbeing.

TPT premieres 'Arts and the Mind'

Posted at 3:50 PM on September 13, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Education, Television

Tomorrow night TPT will premiere a two-part documentary on the role art plays in both developing and healing the human brain.


Dancer Maria Genne in a still from "Arts & The Mind" which airs tomorrow night at 8pm on TPT2

Hosted by actress Lisa Kudrow (known best for her role in the TV show Friends), ARTS & THE MIND looks at how music, dance, painting, poetry and theater can improve physical and mental well-being in the young and old.

Footage for the program was shot around the country, but according to Executive Producer Gerry Richman it includes three major Twin Cities components: Maria Genne's intergenerational dance project Kairos Alive and her Dancing Heart Program, which brings dance to nursing homes; art therapy programs at Mpls Children's Hospital; and a moving segment featuring veterans with PTSD viewing artwork about previous wars at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

The profiles of successful art programs is interwoven with the insights of leading American neurologists, psychologists and educators.

The underlying message of the show is that art is not a "luxury," but central to the development of the human brain in youth and keeping minds sharp as they age.

Episode One airs tomorrow night at 8pm on TPT2; Episode Two airs on Friday Sept. 21.

Heartland Chef Lenny Russo named finalist for James Beard Award

Posted at 4:00 PM on March 19, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Books, Culture, Media, Television

Perhaps the third time's the charm?

Lenny Russo, chef of Heartland Restaurant in Saint Paul, has been named a finalist for the "Best Chef of the Midwest" in this year's James Beard Awards.

Lenny Russo, chef of Heartland Restaurant

This is the third time Russo has made the list of finalists. Fortunately for Twin Cities' diners, last year the award went to Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery. The year before that it went to chef Alexander Roberts of Restaurant Alma.

This year Russo is the only Minnesota chef to make the list of finalists. Can we hope to be so lucky again?

Two other Minnesotans are up for awards in other categories. MPR's own Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift are finalists in the "General Cooking" category for their cookbook The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends.

Meanwhile television personality Andrew Zimmern is nominated in the category "TV Program, On Location" for his show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

The full list of nominees can be found here.

Good luck to all the finalists!

The art of the costume

Posted at 12:16 PM on February 14, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Design, Television, Theater

This week on MNOriginal, costume designer Matthew LeFebvre shows us how he goes about creating costumes for some of the most famous characters in theater. It's a feast for the eyes, including an extensive look at the work that goes into Guthrie Theater's "A Christmas Carol." Enjoy!

'Slavery By Another Name' documentary airs tonight

Posted at 3:32 PM on February 13, 2012 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

A new documentary produced partly in Minnesota shows how thousands of African Americans were imprisoned on trumped-up charges after the Civil War and leased to the owners of factories, farms and mines as slave laborers.

"Slavery By Another Name" airs tonight at 8pm on PBS

MPR's Cathy Wurzer discussed the documentary, "Slavery By Another Name," with author Douglas Blackmon and producer Catherine Allen. The film is based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Blackmon and was produced in conjunction with Twin Cities Public Television. It airs on PBS stations around the country tonight.

The history most students learned was that the number of African American prisoners was due to a high crime rate among former slaves who "couldn't handle" freedom, but Blackmon said it soon became clear this was nothing more than a fabrication:

There's no evidence that that ever happened. In fact, it's the opposite. The crime waves that occurred by and large were the aftermath of the war and whites coming back from fighting in the Civil War and settling scores with people and all sorts of renegade activity that didn't involve black people at all, but they were blamed for it, and that was then used as a kind of ruse for why these incredibly brutal new legal measures then began to be put in place.

You can read the entire interview here, or listen to it by clicking on the link below. "Slavery By Another Name" airs tonight at 8 p.m. on PBS.

Penumbra steps into the national TV spotlight

Posted at 5:20 PM on December 22, 2011 by Euan Kerr
Filed under: Media, Television, Theater

Penumbra Theater's Julie McGarvie says when she first got the call she had her doubts. The person on the other end of the line claimed to be a producer with NBC's new magazine show "Rock Center."
"This is really a producer?" she admits wondering at the time.

It turns out it really was. And on Monday night the country's largest African-American theater company will be profiled at length on the show.

Penumbra founder and artistic director Lou Bellamy says no-one at the company has seen the piece, but the NBC crew began gathering footage after reading about Penumbra's Kennedy Center performance of "I Wish You Love."

Bellamy says they flew to the Twin Cities a couple of times, and followed the company to other venues around the country.

"They came to Hartford and taped the show there. They taped some of "Two trains running" that we had up, and interviews with actors and me walking through the park in St Paul and up and down Marshall," he laughs. "Then they came out to my home, Hoda Kotb came out to my home and we walked around there and talked. And talked about the outdoors and that sort of stuff. It was really cool!"

Bellamy says he believes NBC's interest stems from a couple of things. First there is Penumbra's location.

"When I travel there are people who are surprised to know that there is ANY population of African-Americans in Minnesota. I mean they think we all live in igloos and so forth," he said. "So that is curious for them that a company, a black company in St Paul would have the kind of national footprint and reach that we have."

He says the producers were also intrigued by Bellamy himself.

"They seemed to be interested in the fact that I am an artist and my social activism through the art and so forth," he said. "But also that I am an outdoorsman, and that was curious to them that both those things can live in one body."

Bellamy says he doesn't know what will come of the TV exposure, but he hopes it will add momentum to an important element in US theater.

"It's another step in establishing our worth and contribution to the building of a diversified national theatrical tradition in the United States," he said. "One that includes everyone."

Bellamy also sees it as an opportunity to spread the word about the excellence of Penumbra's work to a new audience.

"I hope what it does is establish our artists and the theater as sort of the definitive source that one might look to to see how this work is done with sensitivity, and awareness and cultural nuance and history and all those sorts of things. All the things that our audiences that our audiences in the Twin Cities take for granted when they come to Penumbra."

It's been quite a month for Penumbra. On December 6th the company dropped two shows from the current season as it cut $600,000 from its budget. A new business model is in development and will be unveiled in the spring.

Bellamy describes it as a 'topsy-turvy' time. He says it's unfortunate, but the theater leadership said it was the responsible thing to do, and will help maintain a solid financial footing.

"You are always concerned about the future and placing yourself in a position where you can be nimble, take advantage of opportunity, but not step out so far that you fall through thin ice. So I always talk about it as being sort of looking, standing with your hand on top of your eyes, shielding your eyes from the sun, looking at the horizon, while your underwear is on fire."

Bellamy won't get to see the NBC piece as it airs. He'll be on a plane to Indiana for a Tuesday morning rehearsal for a new production for Cleveland Playhouse of August Wilson's "Radio Golf," at Indiana Repertory. It seems likely someone will record it though.

Three not-so-traditional ways to bring on the holiday cheer

Posted at 11:22 AM on December 15, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Music, Storytelling, Television, Video

1. Grab the kids and head over to The Cedar in Minneapolis on Sunday at noon for Trailer Trash's Trashy Little Xmas Family Matinee. Watch the kids dance to honky tonk holiday tunes and realize that yes, you are that old.

2. Tired from all the holiday shopping? Pay a visit to the Walker Art Center, where you can pay money to watch advertisements for products you can't buy in the U-S. That's right, it's the British Arrows Awards, featuring rapping dairy farmers touting the quality of their yogurt.

3. Wishing there was more snow? Rockstar Storytellers presents "Rockstar Snow Emergency," featuring the spoken word talents of Allegra Lingo, Joseph Scrimshaw and phillip andrew bennet low, among others.

If you prefer more traditional holiday fare, tune in tomorrow for a list of Nutcrackers on Twin Cities stages...

PBS Fall Arts Festival kicks off with Guthrie's H.M.S Pinafore

Posted at 11:30 AM on October 13, 2011 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Television, Theater

Starting tomorrow, PBS is presenting its Fall Arts Festival, broadcasting a performance or art-related documentary to the nation each week for nine weeks.

First up: Guthrie Theater's production of H.M.S. Pinafore.

The cast of the Guthrie Theater's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. PINAFORE
Photo by Michal Daniel

The program starts at 8pm; subsequent Fridays will feature the following:

October 21 - AMERICAN MASTERS "Pearl Jam Twenty"

October 28 - GREAT PERFORMANCES "Miami City Ballet Dances Balanchine & Tharp"

November 4 - Arts from the Blue Ridge Mountains: "GIVE ME THE BANJO"

November 11 - Arts from Chicago: AMERICAN MASTERS "Bill T. Jones: A Good Man"

November 18 - Arts from Cleveland: "WOMEN WHO ROCK"

November 25 - Arts from Los Angeles: GREAT PERFORMANCES "Il Postino from LA Opera" with Plácido Domingo

December 2 - GREAT PERFORMANCES: Andrea Bocelli

December 16 - GREAT PERFORMANCES "The Little Mermaid"

New PBS series goes "Off Book"

Posted at 2:21 PM on July 18, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Technology, Television

PBS is launching a new web series devoted to exploring experimental and non-traditional art forms.

Called "Off Book," the 13-part, bi-weekly series debuts Wednesday on PBSArts.org. The first episode focuses on a new generation of photographers who are pushing digital imagery to its limits.

The second episode, set to premiere on August 3, looks at the world of typography, interviewing graphic designers and font creators.

Future episodes will look at steampunk art, video games, fashion, aerial dance, and more.

A release from PBS describes the inspiration for the show's title this way:

Just as actors reach a point at which they're confident enough to go 'off-book' and leave their scripts behind, the visual and performing artists featured in this series are taking the next steps with their talents and training, forging new artistic paths. "Off Book" will offer interactive experiences for each of its 13 online episodes, encouraging further viewer participation and providing additional artistic inspiration.

Ida Arbeit dances again

Posted at 3:02 PM on June 17, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Dance, Television

Kairos Dance Theatre brings together people of all ages to move together.

In early March the public television series MNOriginal followed the Kairos dance company with video cameras and was able to capture some wonderful footage of 101-year-old Ida Arbeit, full of spunk, performing from her wheelchair. She was accompanied by 91-year-old saxophonist Irv Williams.

Eight days later, Ida Arbeit passed away.

Last night MNOriginal aired the segment it taped back in March. It provides a wonderful glimpse of a woman living her life to the fullest, right up to the end.

Tony Awards highlights, onstage and off

Posted at 10:16 AM on June 14, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television, Theater

If you were out and about enjoying the fabulous weather Sunday night instead of watching the Tony Awards, well, you're forgiven.

But there's nothing stopping you from taking a moment to enjoy some of the finest moments of the ceremony, featuring the amazing talents of Neil Patrick Harris, who started the evening making sure everyone knew just how welcome they were:

Throughout the evening Harris entertained the audience by wowing them at their own business, including a lovingly competitive duo with Hugh Jackman.

Meanwhile, backstage, writers were working like crazy to create a rap of all the evening's events, with Harris checking in during commercial breaks:

And here are the results of their work:

Talk about live theater!

Mrs. Smith goes to Vegas

Posted at 12:16 PM on June 9, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television, Theater

Oh my, that Mrs. Smith finds herself in some of the most unusual places... and now she's going to Las Vegas!

Mrs. Smith (a.k.a. David Hanbury), a frequent performer of satirical drag shows at Bryant Lake Bowl, wowed the judges of America's Got Talent at a recent audition in Minneapolis. And as you can see from the above clip, they LOVED her, as well as a the St. Luke's Bottle Band and the "Halls of Magic."

Congrats to the winners!

The story behind the name Penumbra

Posted at 8:35 AM on June 3, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television, Theater

Penumbra Theater is getting ready to stage its latest show "I Wish You Love" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. next week, followed by an engagement in Hartford, Connecticut in July.

Meanwhile, MNOriginal profiled the show last night.

What caught me off-guard was the realization that in all my years of covering the theater, I had never bothered to ask Artistic Director Lou Bellamy how he came up with the name. Last night, he explained it this way:

The name "Penumbra" began when we began the company in 1976. I knew that I wanted our program to be professional. We were a program of the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center; you've got to remember at this time, we weren't able to get State Arts Board funding because they said we were doing social service, not art.

Penumbra is a Latin term that means "partial shadow" - it's that place than an artist needs to go to create that world that is neither light nor dark. It also sort of symbolized the marginalization of the culture, and all that sort of stuff.

These are all afterthoughts; it was fun to say Penumbra - it's a fun word to say!

There you have it.

Exhibition reunites Gertrude Stein's art collection

Posted at 3:33 PM on June 1, 2011 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Museums, Television

Gertrude Stein was born in Oakland, California, but history will always remember her in her Paris flat, holding court with some of the finest modern artists, including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. The walls of her apartment, and those of her siblings, were covered with paintings her family purchased for a relative song.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has reunited more than 150 pieces that since the 1920s have been dispersed to private and public collections around the world.

PBS NewsHour's Spencer Michels has this look at the exhibition, and at Gertrude Stein:

David Hyde Pierce on his years at the Guthrie

Posted at 1:09 PM on May 31, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: People, Television, Theater

Actor David Hyde Pierce

If you were out enjoying the great hot and humid outdoors yesterday, chances are you missed Midday's noon hour, which would be a real shame.

It featured a recent conversation between Guthrie Theater Artistic Director Joe Dowling and former Guthrie actor David Hyde Pierce, who went on to great acclaim for his portrayal of Dr. Nile Crane on the sit-com "Frasier."

Pierce shared some great moments from back in the mid-80s when he was on the old Guthrie thrust stage in such shows as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Seagull," under the direction of the rather strong-minded Romanian Lucian Pintilie.

One of the advantages of this sort of authoritarian, Romanian directorial style is you didn't have a lot of choice about what you were going to do, and I was probably pushed or allowed to do a more experienced performance than I was actually capable of giving because I was fulfilling Lucian's vision of the play.

It was a four act play and we started with the fourth act - in the production. So when the audience came in, somewhere in the middle of the fourth act, with no explanation - that's where we started. And we went to the end of the play and then we started back at the beginning and went through again. And there were reasons for it, but that too was a really cool thing as a young actor to think "oh wow - you can take a classic play and just ruin it, if you have a good reason."

Also, I remember I loved the Guthrie audience because at one point we'd got to the end and we were doing our curtain call, and some very old man in the audience screamed out "Where's Chekhov?!" So people were very passionate about how it should and shouldn't be done.

Pierce goes on to recall a tech rehearsal for "The Seagull" that involved an oil-based fog on a steel set that sent him and the woman playing Nina flying across the stage.

You can hear more about his days at the Guthrie, as well as much about his time on "Fraser" and then in the Monty Python musical "Spamalot" by clicking on the audio link below.

Pay a visit to the House of Balls

Posted at 9:04 AM on May 27, 2011 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Sculpture, Television

On this week's MN Original, Allen Christian shows viewers around his studio "The House of Balls" - which also serves as a gallery of transformed objects. Christian used to specialize in creating sculptures out of bowling balls, but of late he's working more with frying pans and silverware.

It's always been about trying to find the essence of humanity through found objects, through inanimate objects that are cast offs to try and give these inanimate objects a new lease on life, to imbue them with emotion. It's obviously a difficult thing when you're dealing with an old fire hydrant but I think it can still be done and I'm certainly up to the challenge.

For Christian it's all about playing and having fun, and his pieces are both witty and irreverent.

For instance, there's the "Drink My Blood Jesus" drinking fountain, which he plans to hook up to a pump that would serve up sangria for a party.

Here's the segment on Christian; to watch the entire program, go here.

Egyptologist finds seventeen pyramids

Posted at 2:35 PM on May 25, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Architecture, Television

Dr Sarah Parcak uses satellites to probe beneath the sands, where she has found cities, temples and pyramids. image courtesy BBC.

File under "how cool is THAT?!"

According to the BBC, US Egyptologist Dr Sarah Parcak has led a team of researchers that analysed infra-red images from satellites orbiting above Egypt. The cameras are so powerful they can pin-point objects less than 1 meter in diameter.

What they discovered includes 1,000 tombs, 3,000 ancient settlements and 17 pyramids all buried beneath the sand and silt.

Ancient Egyptians built their houses and structures out of mud brick, which is much denser than the soil that surrounds it, so the shapes of houses, temples and tombs can be seen.

"It just shows us how easy it is to underestimate both the size and scale of past human settlements," says Dr Parcak.

And she believes there are more antiquities to be discovered:

"These are just the sites [close to] the surface. There are many thousands of additional sites that the Nile has covered over with silt. This is just the beginning of this kind of work."

My favorite quote from Dr. Parcak?

"Indiana Jones is old school, we've moved on from Indy. Sorry, Harrison Ford."

The BBC will air a documentary about the discoveries titled "Egypt's Lost Cities" on May 30.

The future of television after Oprah

Posted at 11:25 AM on May 24, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: People, Television

Over 7 million people tuned in to The Oprah Winfrey Show each week; what are they going to watch now?

Oprah Winfrey

This morning NPR reporter Elizabeth Blair paid a visit to a nail salon in the hopes of finding out:

Controlling the remote at Patsy's Nail Bar in Washington, D.C., is receptionist Crystal Jones. She says she puts on what the clients want to watch. "We go from Ellen to Oprah to the Cash Cab," Jones says. (If you've never seen it, Cash Cab is part reality show, part game show. It runs on The Discovery Channel.)

Jones says she is often riveted by some of Winfrey's interviews. Now she has to figure out how to replace her. "There is going to be a big empty space," Jones says. "We'll probably watch movies or those makeover shows on cable, like What Not to Wear."

When The Oprah Winfrey Show began a quarter-century ago, choices were limited. Today viewers will have many more places to look for something else. Discovery hopes they'll switch to Oprah's new cable network. Crystal Jones says she has tried the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), but so far it is not the best fit for a nail salon. One recent Saturday the network was running a marathon of Oprah's series on women in jail. "That's a little bit much," Jones says. "Nobody wants to see that while they're getting their pedicure."

Who do you think will replace Oprah as the next daytime television icon?

The thrill of killing a poem

Posted at 10:28 AM on May 20, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Minnesota Poets, Poetry, Storytelling, Television

This week MN Original profiles the St. Paul spoken word team, two-time champions of the National Poetry Slam. Spoken word artist Guante talks about the thrill of "killing a poem" in front of an audience.

There's no rush like that - I've played sports for a long time and there's no rush like killing a poem... A poetry slam is both an art and a sport. It's a little bit of poetry, a little bit of stand-up comedy, a little bit of rhetoric, a little bit of hip-hop possibly, all these different vocal forms, a lot of theater, too.

One of the most beautiful things about spoken word is it allows you to tell the story of either yourself or people you know when those stories don't always get told. A fundamental tenet of slam poetry is that everybody has a story.

As part of the show Guante performs an excerpt from his piece "Cartpusher" - here's the entire piece:

This week's episode also features a captivating profile of book plate artist Serik Kulmeshkenov.

Dan Wilson has issues with drummer in his one-man band

Posted at 8:54 AM on May 6, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

The latest episode of MN Original is a particularly fine one, featuring, among other things, an inside look at Dan Wilson's songwriting process.

Some of my favorite moments:

Wilson - who is a one-man band on his newest album - talks about how Dan the piano player is annoyed with Dan the drummer, who's just not that good. But he says it's okay, because having a mediocre drummer keeps things "fresh and loose."

Speaking of drumming - Duniya Drum and Dance proceed to rock the house, and the two youngest performers absolutely steal the show.

Nancy Carlson, author of Harriet's Recital and a host of other children's books, gets a hero's welcome at Northview elementary school.

And Joe Chvala's Flying Foot Forum performs an absolutely riveting and creepy "I saw Esau."

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 8:45 AM on April 29, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

The Science Museum of Minnesota preserves cultural treasures in its Ethnology Collections. Robayat performs music indigenous to Persia, Turkey and central Asia. And Duluth natives Trampled By Turtles perform at First Avenue. Plus cartoonist Lars Martinson.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 9:34 AM on April 22, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Youth Performance Company has been empowering young people through the arts since 1989. YPC tackles bullying in an original drama.

He is a two-time winner of the McKnight fellowship for Musical Performance. Noah Hoehn layers harmonica and marimba tracks on his live looping system.

He's been playing the blues since the 60s, produced Bonnie Raitt's debut album and was inducted into Minnesota's Music Hall of Fame along with Bob Dylan and Prince. Willie Murphy performs.

Plus: Video artist Scott Nedrelow and figurative artist J M Culver.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 7:51 AM on April 15, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

David Rathman's work with water color and ink features masculine subjects like sports, cars and cowboys.

Evan Baden's Illuminati series captures a generation bathed in light from laptops and smart-phones.

Jazz vocalist Charmin Michelle performs.

Plus knitter Annie Lee Larson, letterpress artist Robyn Awend and tile maker Josh Blanc.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 8:47 AM on April 8, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Painter Leon Hushcha challenges artists to create collaborative works for his Guest Art Series.

Metal artist Lisa Elias makes a public drinking fountain for Downtown Minneapolis.

Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps perform at First Avenue.

Plus: Husband and wife vaudeville team Lloyd Brant and Rosie Cole.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 9:40 AM on April 1, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

The Minnesota Historical Society's Collection of more than 6000 Minnesota paintings, prints, and drawings showcases the history of our state through its art.

Sharra Frank creates a mosaic with thousands of pieces of hand-cut colored and gold leafed glass for Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.

Together since the early 90s, their soulful rock music continues to evolve. The Honeydogs with lead singer/songwriter Adam Levy perform.

Plus: Fiber artist Randy Walker.

Dessa: Live at the Cedar

Posted at 11:47 AM on March 28, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Music, Television

Have a hard time staying up past ten on a weeknight? So do I. Thankfully, MN Original's special on local singer/rapper Dessa (which aired on TPT late last night) is available for viewing, in it's entirety, at a more reasonable hour.

A little background: the concert in question was taped on January 23 at The Cedar in Minneapolis. It was part of The Cedar's "416 Club," which commissions local artists to compose, practice, and perform new music pieces in collaboration with other local musicians.

Dessa performed her project "Laws and Appetites" in collaboration with bassist Sean McPherson (of Heiruspecs), pianist Kahlil Queen, and a flamenco percussionist quartet.

Enjoy!

MN Original celebrates the state's cultural legacy

Posted at 9:55 AM on March 25, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Funding, Television

A special edition of the show creates a collage of art and people caught on film over the program's two-year history.

(note: I'm guessing it's not a coincidence this show was aired just as we're discussing how to balance the state budget at the Capitol)

Art Hounds: The Residents, William Kentridge, and Minnesota originality

Posted at 7:00 AM on March 24, 2011 by Chris Roberts
Filed under: Art Hounds, Events, Music, Television, Theater

(Image courtesy of the Walker Art Center. Photo Credit: John Hodgkiss)

The hounds lead us to a veteran experimental music group that was multimedia before it was mainstream, a transformative piece from a pioneering South African puppeteer, and an original public television series that makes you proud to be a Minnesotan.

(Want to be an Art Hound? Sign up!)

Freelance arts journalist Christopher Jensen anxiously awaits a rare visit from the avant garde music/theater group The Residents, which is performing at the Cedar Cultural Center on Friday, March 25th. Christopher says to expect weird masks and costumes (after touring and recording for well over 40 years, band members have yet to reveal their identities) bizarre stage antics and undefinable music.

Talk about patience. Minneapolis sculptor and theater artist Irve Dell has been waiting a decade and a half to see his hero, South African puppeteer William Kentridge and the Handspring Puppet Company perform "Woyzeck on the Highveld." "Woyzeck" is an interpretation set in South Africa of a famous 19th-century German play about jealousy and murder in an indifferent society. Irve's wife, noted playwright Kira Obolenski, saw it 15 years ago and her perception of theater was forever changed.

After eight years in the state, New York transplant, musician and composer Christopher Cunningham (aka Neverwas) is starting to identify as a Minnesotan. Christopher credits the weekly Twin Cities Public Television artist profile series MN Original with moving that process along. He says he's been introduced to dozens of artists and feels closer to the local art scene thanks to the series' portrayal of the state's most creative people in startlingly vivid video and audio. By the way, Christopher will be glued to his couch this Sunday night at 10:00 for TPT 2's "Dessa: A Minnesota Original Special," a concert featuring Doomtree rapper Dessa.

For more Art Hounds' recommendations, check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

Art Hounds is powered by the Public Insight Network.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 11:45 AM on March 18, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Public Artist Craig David created murals for the new Twins stadium. His latest installation is a nine-ton sculpture at the U of M.

Pulling hair, strand by strand, is an art form for Guthrie Theater Wig Master Ivy Loughborough.

And the Hip Hop Artists of No Bird Sing perform.

Video break: Dessa's "The Man I Knew"

Posted at 2:28 PM on March 15, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Music, Television, Video

On March 27 MN Original will present a music special featuring local songstress Dessa. She performed an evening of new music in collaboration with other Minnesotans as part of the 416 Club Series at the Cedar Cultural Center, and MN Original recorded the results. This video clip is just a teaser... tune in later this month for the full show, which includes some amazing music made with Mankwe Ndosi.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 9:30 AM on March 11, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

On this edition of Minnesota Original...

Family inspires the work of visual artists Seitu Jones and his granddaughter Hunter Powell.

We catch up with Emmy-Award winning composer Steve Heitzig at his home in St. Paul to learn the secrets of his songwriting process.

There is a science to Marilyn Garber's watercolor botanical art.

And Singer/Songwriter Peter Himmelman performs songs from his newest album.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 9:21 AM on March 4, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Didn't have time to tune in to last night's edition of MN Original? Here's what you missed:

Ten Thousand Things brings compelling theater to audiences who have limited access to the arts.

Custom font maker Chank Diesel spells out what it means to be an 'Alphabetician'.

World renowned jazz trio The Bad Plus performs at the Dakota Jazz Club.

And, installation artist Sonja Peterson.

This week's Minnesota originals

Posted at 12:23 PM on February 25, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Did you miss last night's episode of MN Original? Never fear, you can easily catch up over your lunch break. This week:

Scott West creates dramatic work alongside Cloud Cult on stage and in his studio.

Plus: Brittany Foster, Lynn Speaker, and the often blogged-about alternative rockers Tapes 'n Tapes perform.

Enjoy!

MN Original episode #226

Posted at 12:10 PM on February 18, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Didn't have time to tune in to last night's edition of MN Original? Here's what you missed:

Yugoslavian-born Zoran Mojsilov makes large-scale sculptures out of stone, steel and wood.

Lisa Nankivil builds intricate layers of color and texture to create her luminous oil paintings.

Plus: Heart of the Beast artistic director Sandy Spieler and music from Machinery Hill.

MN Original #225

Posted at 2:32 PM on February 11, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

In this week's episode:

Rock stars give photographer Steve Cohen a backstage pass to capture them in concert and behind the scenes.

Paintings conservator David Marquis painstakingly restores treasured works of art from all over the world at the Midwest Art Conservation Center.

Plus: Fiber artist Nancy Mackenzie and renowned vocal chamber ensemble Cantus performs.

MN Original episode #224

Posted at 1:39 PM on February 4, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

This week on MN Original:

The theater is where Photographer Michal Daniel performs to capture his spectacular images.

Dance-maker Emily Johnson combines personal stories and powerful movement in her thought-provoking performances.

Born and raised near Memphis, Chastity Brown is inspired by country, gospel and blues. She and her band perform in TPT's Studio.

MN Original episode #223

Posted at 9:45 AM on January 28, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Did you miss last night's episode of MN Original? Well give yourself a treat and catch up over your lunch break. This week:

Award winning public artist and arts educator Kinji Akagawa shares the stories behind 3 of his sculptural constructions.

Composer Mary Ellen Childs creates visual and body percussion pieces that unite music, dance and theater.

Plus: Metalwork by Kristen Arden and music from country blues Charlie Parr.

Enjoy!

MN Original #222

Posted at 7:20 PM on January 21, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

On this special edition of Minnesota Original...A collection of stories from several of Minnesota's visual artists who combine different materials to form Mixed and Multi Media.

Brock Davis created 365 original pieces in a year-long project called "Make Something Cool Every Day".

Mary Griep spends more than a year recreating some of the world's most sacred spaces in massive collage drawings.

And Beatrix Jar releases fresh audio collages by bending circuits from discarded toys.

MN Original episode #221

Posted at 11:58 AM on January 14, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

This week's episode of MN Original:

Painter Michael Kareken finds beauty in the organic chaos of discarded paper, bottles and junked cars.

Tiny prints of invertebrates bound on tiny pages are part of "Small Orders", the latest collection of work by Book Artist Jody Williams.

Rogue Valley performs "Red River of the North" from their first in a series of 4 albums about changing seasons.

Plus: The costumes of Ethnic Dance Theater and body percussion group Crash perform.

MN Original episode #220

Posted at 9:41 AM on January 7, 2011 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Missed last night's broadcast of MN Original? Not to worry - you can catch up on your lunch break. Here's the rundown:

Painter and public artist Ta-coumba Aiken's work is inspired by African masks and dance.

Multi media artist Laura Hallen's process involves arranging marshmallows and tu-tus under plexi-glass.

World-renowned South Indian Classical musician Nirmala Rajasekar performs with her ensemble.

Plus: Glass artist Josephine Geiger and photographer Paul Nelson.

Enjoy!

MN Original episode #219

Posted at 12:31 PM on December 31, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Catch up on last night's episode of MN Original by clicking on the link above - there you'll find:

Cartoonist Zak Sally writes, illustrates and publishes his own underground comics. The MCAD professor's latest series is "Sammy the Mouse".

As the Weisman Art Museum closes to complete its expansion project, Registrar Laura Muessig ensures precious works of art remain protected.

Folk musician Peter Ostroushko performs "Maycomb Alabama" at the Cedar Cultural Center.

And, her pop songs blend funk and R&B. Korean-American musician Mayda performs.

Enjoy!

MN Original #218

Posted at 1:54 PM on December 24, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

This week on TPT's MN Original...

Deserted strip malls and other neighborhood icons are subjects in Carolyn Swiszcz's paintings and videos.

In his first memoir, fiction writer Alexs Pate anticipates reconnecting with his estranged son.

Plus: Visual artist Amy Rice, and Red House Records' Folk Singer and Songwriter John Gorka performs.

MN Original #217

Posted at 9:31 AM on December 17, 2010 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Television

Miss last night's installment of MN Original? It's worth taking a break to catch up.

On this episode of mn original:

A community activist and a Representative in the Minnesota State Legislature for 8 years, Cy Thao takes us through his epic series of 50 paintings, documenting The Hmong Migration.

Linda Christensen is a sculptor and has been carving butter busts of Princess Kay of the Milky Way at the Minnesota State Fair for over 30 years.

Jack Pavlik makes moving sound sculptures with flexible steel, handmade parts, motors and technology.

She was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in Minneapolis. Jazz singer Sophia Shorai performs.

MN Original #216

Posted at 11:43 AM on December 10, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Media, Television

Thursday evenings can be hectic, especially around the holidays, so the chances are good you missed last night's episode of MN Original. That would be a shame, since it featured the likes of poet Bao Phi and musician Jeremy Messersmith. Here's the full rundown:

Terry Gydesen is a documentary photographer whose images tell the personal stories of some of Minnesota's political figures and celebrities.

Plus: "Mural of the Americas" - a public art profile. And, Jeremy Messersmith performs "Organ Donor" at the Cedar Cultural Center

Give yourself a half-hour to get to know the Minnesota arts scene. Enjoy!

MN Original: Highpoint Center for Printmaking and Dosh

Posted at 9:24 AM on December 3, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Last night's edition of MN Original was a re-airing of an earlier episode; I'm thankful, because I missed this one the first time 'round. Here's what's included:

Highpoint Center for Printmaking
Master printer and artistic director Cole Rogers spells out the complicated process of printing visiting artist Todd Norsten's work, "Ceaseless Timeless Boundless Endless Joy," which at first glance appears to be just blue painters tape. Not so. Rogers utilizes several layers to give the work a unique texture and sheen worth a second or third look.

Martin Dosh
The song Dosh creates in this segment is called Simple Exercises, yet watching him record loops and push peddles is anything but. These elements, like legos, are the building blocks of his songs. Watch and be amazed.

Central Touring Theater
St. Paul Central High School students rehearse a piece that deals with racial stereotypes and education. Jan Mandell encourages them to find their own voice and not tip-toe around the issues they face.

Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra
Musical Director Joseph Schlefke makes sure that Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra concerts aren't stuffy events. This community orchestra is dedicated to showcasing music by women, GLBT, and minority composers in addition to the lesser known works of greats like Mozart.

Give yourself a half-hour to revel in our state's creative talent, and press 'play.'

MN Original #215

Posted at 2:05 PM on November 19, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Missed MN Original last night on TPT? Here's your chance to catch up.

This week:

Director Ali Selim talks about his award-winning debut feature film, Sweet Land, set in Minnesota.

Everyday Poems for City Sidewalks is a project created by Saint Paul's Public Artist in Residence Marcus Young and friends.

A longtime member of the Minnesota Orchestra, trumpeter and composer Charles Lazarus performs with his ensemble.

Plus: Artistic Director of Frank Theatre, Wendy Knox.

MN Original episode #214

Posted at 1:30 PM on November 12, 2010 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Television, Video

If you missed last night's episode of MN Original on TPT, give yourself 30 minutes to catch up. Here's what's on:

Photographer Alec Soth's first U.S. survey of his compelling images premieres at Walker Art Center.

Bounxou Duoheuang, originally from Laos, preserves her culture's traditional art of weaving.

In the late nineteen seventies, The Twin Cities' first punk rockers were also among the first on the on the national scene. The Suicide Commandos perform.

Plus: Plein air painter Joe Paquet.

Video break: Latino arts

Posted at 2:05 PM on November 9, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Film, Television, Video

This past weekend Twin Cities Public Television screened a new documentary on Latino artists working in Minnesota. Latino Arts: A Community Vision features twelve artists, including such local luminaries as Doug Padilla, Maria Isa and Sandra Benitez, talking about the importance of heritage, culture, education and multigenerational relationships.

If you missed it, you're forgiven, because you have another chance to see it coming up on Sunday, November 14th on TPT's Life Channel (2.3) at noon, or you can watch the entire show here.

MN Original: The Art of Craft

Posted at 1:01 PM on November 5, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Television

Last night on TPT, MN Original celebrated the art of craft by revisiting interviews with artists who have a particular focus on craft.

First up, potter Warren MacKenzie:

Then, metal sculptor Heather Doyle:

Finally, wood worker Virgil Leih:

MN Original episode #212

Posted at 12:37 PM on October 29, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Media, Television

If you missed last night's edition of MN Original on TPT, here it is:

Photographer Wing Young Huie celebrates a University Avenue neighborhood with hundreds of images in his public art installation.

Tom Nechville's custom banjos are designed to improve tone and projection using fewer parts than traditional models.

Plus, dancer Carl Flink and jazz singer Christine Rosholt performs.

Going for Miles

Posted at 1:57 PM on August 4, 2010 by Marianne Combs (4 Comments)
Filed under: People, Television

Minnesota Artist Miles Mendenhall is a strong candidate to be "the next great artist" in Bravo's reality show "Work of Art."

I have to admit - I am not a fan of reality television. To me such shows just radiate "we're not willing to pay for writers." But when I heard about this new show on Bravo called "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist" in which a University of Minnesota student was a contestent, well, I was obligated to check it out.

Next confession: I actually kind of like it.

Evidently I'm not alone. As the weeks have progressed, more and more people have gathered to cheer Mendenhall on as he competes against other artists in weird, contrived competitions (for your next act, you'll create a canvas from this trash heap!). He's creative, has lots of energy, can work with practically any material, and is a little obsessive-compulsive, which makes him fuss more than most over the details.

Chair of the U of M Art Department Alexis Kuhr is one of Mendenhall's professors, and considers him a friend. Because Mendenhall has worked campus jobs, many U of M staff think of him as not just a student, but a colleague. Kuhr notes that while Mendenhall is a visual artist, he's also studied performance, and this show is allowing him to do both at the same time.

We knew he was approaching this show as a fun opportunity. For Miles, who's really interested in how much of being an artist is a performance, it's been a playground. He's been able to explore character at the same time as he's been making really interesting artwork. It fit his art-making practice, and what it means to be an artist in this culture. If he was taking this seriously I think it would be a problem - if he actually thought that he won this that he would actually be "the next great artist," but he went into this thinking this is a game, and within this game I can explore this character.

Of course, at the same time we'd really like him to win - because we've gotten really into the game!

The U of M organized viewing parties of the show, which has ten episodes (the 9th airs tonight). It started as an event for U of M staff, but quickly grew and moved to Bedlam Theatre's rooftop. Local artist Karen Haselmann has been providing post-show commentary using shadow puppets. For the final two shows, the parties are taking place at the outdoor sculpture courtyard at the Regis Center for Art, where guest artists will install light pieces that will play on the walls of the art building. Kuhr says it's a way to take this odd televised event and bring it back into the local community.

Karen Haselmann's jetpack shadow puppetry

At this point I should mention that this show was of course filmed months ago, and Miles Mendenhall is back at school. By contract he can't reveal if he won the competition, or any other crucial details. For that reason I'm not going to bother interviewing him until the show is over.

But I was curious to hear what the Chair of the U of M's Art Department thinks about a reality TV show in which artists compete in timed trials for a wad of cash and a high profile solo exhibition.

Quoting shadow puppet commentator Karen Haselmann, Kuhr admits "we're horrified, but we can't look away."

It's really great entertainment. As a premise, every artist I've talked to has said either "this is problematic because now people are going to think this is how art is really made - quickly, with little time for thought" or "putting art in a competitive art is a problem." But this is a reality tv show - a game - and if you approach it with that in mind, then you can have some fun with it.

Kuhr says she hopes the show does give people a backstage view of how artists create, and she says one moment in the show inspired a bunch of people to stand up and cheer for abstract art, something she's never seen before.

In one episode of "Work of Art," Mendenhall created a "death mask" portrait of fellow contestant Nao.

So does Kuhr think Mendenhall will win? She says he hasn't given her any indication of whether or not he won the competition, but those attending the viewing parties have noticed some trends.

There's a device that goes on in the show. If anyone calls Miles a name in the show they are eliminated, and anyone Miles critiques in the show is eliminated. It's gotten to be pretty funny.

Since Mendenhall returned to town from the shooting, Kuhr says he's been looking for ways to turn his very surreal experience on the show into something more meaningful. To that end, the U of M has commissioned him to make a series of prints which will be sold to raise money for scholarships. And the day after the final episode (which airs August 11), the U of M's Nash Gallery will hold an opening reception for an exhibition of student work curated by Mendenhall.

Local artist wins first round of new reality show

Posted at 10:58 AM on June 10, 2010 by Marianne Combs (1 Comments)
Filed under: Media, People, Television

The contestants of "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist"
Image by Andrew Eccles, Andrew Eccles/bravo

Last night Bravo debuted its new reality show "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," which pits fourteen aspiring artists against one another to compete for both a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and $100,000.

One of those fourteen artists is Minneapolis resident Miles Mendenhall, and in the first hour of the series Miles emerged triumphant from the initial challenge - to create a portrait of one of the other contestants in less than thirteen hours. Mendenhall created a death portrait of colleague "Nao" (the contestants go by first names only) assembling a make-shift light studio in the process.

The fact that Mendenhall won the first round means that he can't be eliminated in the second round.

Want to see the show? You can find it here.

Look At Me

Posted at 11:35 AM on May 5, 2010 by Marianne Combs
Filed under: Media, Television

Television is a drug. from Beth Fulton on Vimeo.

Todd Alcott's poem "Television" inspired this video by Beth Fulton on what your flat screen is really telling you.

Poetry set to video is not an original concept, but here it's done delightfully well, and helps to underscore the message of the poem without distracting you (at least not anymore than you should be, given the subject matter).

So, are you going to watch your television tonight?