TC Art Week, Lizzo, Twin Cities Book Fest: This Week’s Best Events

Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

TUESDAY 10.11

Imarhan

Cedar Cultural Center

With our ever-vigilant immigration system having protected us from being entertained by Tinariwen, this gig hops up the list to become the most unmissable Tuareg desert blues show of the year. Heck, depending on your tastes, you might think these southern Algerians smoke Tinariwen on a good night. If you’re not one for such fine distinctions, you can just rest secure that you’re getting the good stuff. On their latest album, Aboogi, (which varies their sound by integrating Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys) they leap from whispery trance-like music into rave-ups of ululating frenzy, with dextrous guitar work in both modes. Here’s hoping their full range is on display at the Cedar. With Crystal Myslajek. All ages. $18/$23. 7:30 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. –Keith Harris

Lizzo 

Xcel Energy Center

Lizzo’s strength is her willingness to be corny. So of course she starts her latest album, Special, with a hearty “Hi motherfuckers, did you miss me?” then heaps on the clichés of self-care, self-love, self-discovery that you’d expect. And that corn extends to her beats—where Beyonce crate-digs for encyclopedic dance/music references, Lizzo knows her fans dig the perky uplift of lite disco. While her tracks will never flaunt as much bottom as she does, Max Martin and his assorted studio munchkins are among those Georgio Morodering up the synth bass, and if you listen closely you’ll discern some fun interpolations. (“About Damn Time” lifts from Malcolm McClaren; “Grrrls” jacks the Beastie Boys.) Then she goes out admitting she cries to Coldplay. Everyone deserves some corny uplift in their lives. Yes, even a very cool person like you. With Latto. $65 and up. 8 p.m. 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St Paul; find more info here. –Keith Harris

WEDNESDAY 10.12

TC Art Week

Various Locations

Art-a-Whirl? The Saint Paul Art Crawl? Yeah, Twin Cities artists know how to throw a big art fest. But what about something a little more low-key, a little less crowded? Enter TC Art Week, a sprawling, cities-wide event that offers a variety of fun over four days. Highlights include artist-led gallery walkthroughs with Angela Two Stars, Joshua McGarvey, and Tetsuya Yamada; the return of Free Ink Day at Highpoint Center for Printmaking, where you can try your hand at printmaking; and an art crawl with stops at Hair + Nails, Waiting Room, MirrorLab, and Night Club. Parties, talks, special installations, and more are also planned at Mia, Walker Art Center, Public Functionary, and SooVAC. Find the complete schedule of happenings and venues at tcartweek.org. October 12-16 –Jessica Armbruster

THURSDAY 10.13

Nick Mullen 

Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy 

It may or may not surprise you to learn that Cum Town—the often problematic, often hilarious podcast co-hosted by Nick Mullen—is one of the top-earning Patreon pods on Earth, hauling in $140,000+ per month. If you’ve ever heard an ep, you’ve got a basic primer on Mullen’s standup: bone-deep irony poisoning that yields some edgelord groaners (ironic appreciations of Alex Jones, ironic ethnic stereotypes) and plenty of genuine belly laughs. Also a gifted impressionist, the New York City comic who’s often associated with the so-called “dirt-bag left” isn't for everyone, yet he is fearless in his own dirtbag way. But is he still on Cum Town? Kinda. After co-host Stavros Halkias (whose recent YouTube special is quite good) left over the summer, the pod rebranded as The Adam Friedland Show; Mullen is apparently still deeply involved. Maybe he’ll clear things up at MOA. $26.95-$62.40. 7:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; 9:45 p.m. Fri.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Sat. 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington; find more info here. –Jay Boller

Big Fat Love: Celebrating John Prine's Birthday

The Hook & Ladder 

Ya know who rocked? John Prine rocked. Don’t believe me? Here’s Dylan on Prine: "Prine's stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs.” The country-folk singer/songwriter died from COVID-19 complications early in the pandemic. He was only 73, and he’ll obviously never be forgotten. Just look at Big Fat Love, the 13th annual bday-pegged showcase of Minnesota artists honoring the Prine catalog. Among the performers who’ll take on "In Spite of Ourselves," "Angel from Montgomery," and "Hello In There" this year: Davina Sowers Lozier of Davina & The Vagabonds, the Beavers, Mother Banjo, Art Vandalay, Ben Cook-Feltz, Trevor McSpadden, Jaspar Lepak, and Zachary Scot Johnson. Happy birthday, John! $10-$15. 6:30 p.m. 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.  –Jay Boller

FRIDAY 10.14

Gods and Monsters Art Show

Artspace at Jackson Flats

Part gallery show, part party, “Gods and Monsters” has been showcasing artists specializing in creepy vibes for years. The 2022 installment will be no exception, with over 100 creatives sharing a variety of horror-themed art. There will be aliens, monsters from the lagoon, puddles of blood, Cthulhu, and other things that belong in nightmares (or at least in a fabulous B-movie). Costumes are encouraged at the two-day opening party, which will feature alchemy (beverages), ethereal sounds (DJ tunes), tarot readings, and the Que Tal Street Eats food truck. There is a $5 suggested donation, and the event runs from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 901 18 1/2 Ave. NE, Minneapolis. Through October 30–Jessica Armbruster

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham: Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth

Northrop

A real collaboration of major talents. Kyle Abraham established his dance company A.I.M. in 2006 with the purpose of expanding the range of Black choreography available to audiences. His latest work reimagines Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor “through abstracted themes of afterlife, reincarnation, mythology, and folklore.” As for Jlin, the Gary, Indiana, electronic producer/composer made her name reworking and refining the gritty, hectic dance style out of the Chicago area known as footwork. (Check out 2017’s Black Origami if you need convincing.) Now she balances club-ready tracks with commissioned pieces, working with the likes of Royal Ballet choreographer Wayne McGregor. $32-$40. 7:30 p.m. 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis; find more info here. –Keith Harris

Jannis Kounellis in Six Acts

Walker Art Center

This large retrospective explores the Greek artist’s contribution to the Italian Arte Povera movement of the 1960-’70s via over 50 works. The most comprehensive exhibition of Kounellis’s art yet, the collection is a mix of iconic works and rarely-seen pieces. Sections include items from his Alphabet series, which featured a mix of letters, signs, and symbols on paper; sculptural pieces made from seeds, burlap, and wool; and “hybrid” works that mixed paintings with performance. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through February 26, 2023 –Jessica Armbruster

SATURDAY 10.15

Alvvays

First Avenue 

Five long years after the brilliantly named Antisocialites, these Toronto indie-pop boppers are back, and not quite the same as ever. They worked with producer Shawn Everett on their latest, Blue Rev, and Alec O’Hanley’s guitars have shifted from bright jangle to a heavier shoegaze—those Loveless comparisons you may have seen aren’t in vain. Thing is, songwriter and frontwoman Molly Rankin’s too articulate, too observant, too much herself to be anyone’s bloody valentine. Rather than get buried in the fuzz, or shouting over it, she punches right through. They’ve already released four singles in advance of the album, and the big surprise of the lot is that she’s more ambivalent about “Very Online Guy” than most reply guys deserve. Please do not take this as a signal to @ Molly, you nerds. With Slow Pulp. 18+. $25/$30. 9 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. –Keith Harris

Twin Cities Book Festival

Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Buckle up, bookworms—there’s more action at this year’s Twin Cities Book Festival than you’re gonna be able to fit into a few short hours. There’s the book fair, of course, which invites you to relive your Scholastic memories with 100+ publishers, literary organizations, authors, and more. Then there’s Rain Taxi’s used book and record sale, with thousands more lightly used pieces of media available at a steal of a deal. And then there are dozens and dozens of author talks and readings… just take a look at this list, because it’d be folly to attempt to list ‘em all here. If you don’t leave with a new favorite book tucked under your arm or in a tote bag, well, that’s on you. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. –Em Cassel

पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night 

Soo Visual Arts Center

Projects by Roshan Ganu are less about straightforward gallery shows, more about presenting a storytelling experience. If that sounds pretentious, rest assured that it’s not—it just means that you’ll probably have a good time simply walking through “पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night.” Her most recent collection is part space voyage, part romp through urban nightlife. There are starry landscapes, a rock that hangs like a disco ball, collages of Pan Indian serials, and neon signs. Language is a key player here, too. The Goa-born, Minneapolis-based Ganu speaks Marathi, English, Konkani, Hindi, Portuguese, and French. You can enter her brave new world at SooVAC’s opening reception on Saturday, October 15, from 7-10 p.m. 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through November 12 –Jessica Armbruster

Black Garnet Books Opening

Black Garnet Books

“Minnesota doesn’t have a black-owned bookstore,” Dionne Simms tweeted on June 15, 2020, in the chaotic and clarifying time that followed the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. “I think that’s my new dream.” Just over two years later, Simms’s dream will become a reality when Black Garnet Books opens on University Avenue in St. Paul this weekend. Black Garnet primarily stocks adult and young-adult lit written by BIPOC—you can get a good idea of what you’ll find on shelves via its bookshop.org storefront. “It's a soft open so stop by Ding Tea for some boba, then come hang,” the opening announcement reads. All ages. Free. Noon to 5 p.m. 1319 University Ave. W., St. Paul. –Em Cassel

SUNDAY 10.16

Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Normally, if you want to see a Botticelli in-person, you’d have to travel to New York City, or abroad to museums in Amsterdam, Berlin, or Chantilly. This fall, however, you can see some of his works by simply traveling down the street to Mia. Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, will be bringing an impressive collection of works from the era, including 12 pieces from Sandro Botticelli, aka the guy who created The Birth of Venus and Primavera. For this rare show, you’ll be able to view Pallas and the Centaur (c. 1482) as well as works by his teacher Fra Filippo Lippi, and colleagues Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Perugino. Over 45 masterworks from Uffizi’s collection–including paintings, drawings, and sculptures–will be on display, as well as pieces of note from Mia archives. $20. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through January 8, 2023 –Jessica Armbruster

ONGOING

Cozy

Rosalux Gallery

Hygge. Cuffing season. Stocking up on wine, making soup in bulk, and going on baking sprees. Here in Minnesota, we’re really into prepping and setting ourselves up for success for long stretches of isolation, be it winter related or pandemic. But that doesn’t always stop the anxieties about the outside world from coming in. For “Cozy,” Terrence Payne’s new collection of large-scale drawings, the Minneapolis-based artist explores our longing for comfort while living with the trauma of raging plagues, political upheavals, extreme inflation, and other modern-era bullshit. 315 West 48th St., Minneapolis. Through October 30 –Jessica Armbruster

Smoke and Ground

Public Functionary

In 2019, Public Functionary closed their gallery at 1400 12th Avenue NE with the promise of returning bigger and better. And that’s exactly what they did. That same year, local artist Leslie Barlow joined the crew to helm PF Studios, a program offering mentorship, affordable gallery space, and other resources for (often low-income) BIPOC artists just starting their career. (You might recognize Barlow from this year’s official State Fair artwork.) Then, in 2020, the PFunc gang secured a much bigger space in the Northrup King Building. Now, you can check out their new 7,000-square-foot gallery and performance space at the official grand-opening, which will feature artists from Barlow’s Studios program. For this group show, curator Adrienne Doyle asked artists to consider the question: Where do our memories live in our landscape and how do they tie or sever us from place? See how different artists answer. Northrup King Building, Studio 144, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis. Through November 6 –Jessica Armbruster

Harriet Bart: Reckoning

NewStudio Gallery

“We live in a broken world,” warns Harriet Bart. “‘Reckoning’ is a cautionary tale.” This time, the St. Paul-based, international artist cautions us through creating a unique, site-specific space filled with a variety of items. Some hold cultural significance (a bronze owl, a model of a barn), some have been found in nature (a burl, animal bones), and others have been tampered with in-studio (a gold-leaf embossed stone). Will you be able to decipher and heed the warning? 2303 Wycliff St., St. Paul. Through December 3 –Jessica Armbruster

Rosy Simas Danse: She Who Lives on the Road to War

Weisman Art Museum/All My Relations Arts

Part art installation, part dance performance, She Who Lives on the Road to War examines potential paths to a peaceful future via indigenous history. The exhibit’s title is inspired by the life of Jigonhsasee, an ancient Haudenosaunee woman, known as the Mother of Nations, who once touted war between tribes but eventually changed her ways and advocated for peace. Can you imagine what that kind of turnaround would look like in today’s world? That’s kind of the point of this show, which encourages people to rest, grieve, and “consider how we can all work towards reconciliation during the dual pandemics of systematic racism and COVID-19.” You can see installations at both WAM and All My Relations Arts, and both venues will host dance performances during the show’s run. RSVP for free tickets and find the entire performance schedule here. Weisman Art Museum’s (333 E. River Rd., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) show runs through February 5, while events at All My Relations (1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis) are through December 15.  –Jessica Armbruster

We Are Working All the Time

Weisman Art Museum

Polish-born, Minneapolis-based artist Piotr Szyhalski creates posters that look like propaganda. But instead of promoting patriotism, he challenges the status quo, as his pieces proclaim things like, “Seek Truth From Facts,” “Rise Up!,” and “I can’t Breathe. If It’s No Covid, It’s the Police.” Szyhalski has been exploring “extreme historical phenomena” – think wars, labor movements, and protests against bad world leaders – since the ‘90s. In 2020, Szyhalski was set to have a retrospective exhibition at WAM. That show, of course, had to be postponed when the pandemic hit – an extreme historical phenomenon! During that time of lockdown and chaos, he entered another creative era, posting a new hand-drawn poster every day for 225 days. The resulting project, “COVID 19: Labor Camp Report,” was a hit, not just locally but internationally, with many pieces going viral. You can see some of these efforts in “We Are Working All the Time,” an epic exhibition showcasing Szyhalski’s 40-plus years of work, which includes posters, plates, installation, media, and other curious items. 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis. Through December 31–Jessica Armbruster