Bound by Nature is an exhibition of sculptural wool art by Kimber Olson inspired by symbiotic partnerships in woodland environments. The exhibition is complemented by Art from the Lathe, featuring sculptural work in wood from the AAW permanent collection.
Mutuality abounds in woodland environments. It also explains why an exhibition of textiles in a venue that specializes in wood art may not be as unlikely a prospect as it seems. The AAW Gallery of Wood Art will host an exhibition of wool sculptures that are premised on mutuality, a type of symbiotic relationship where two distinct species work cooperatively to the benefit of both. Kimber Olson’s textiles reference organisms like lichens, mycorrhizal root networks, and more. Lichens are made up of algae and fungi. The algae benefit the fungi by providing nutrients through the process of photosynthesis, and the fungi provide protection and humidity for the algae to thrive. Organic materials are at the core of woodturners’ and Olson’s art. Trees are the source of art from the lathe. Wool is the principal material in Olson’s art, however, the works are thematically tied to woodlands. Organic, sustainable and biodegradable — wool is an ideal material for art that explores ecological processes. Olson’ art includes traditional and nuno felt, a process in which cloth and wool are combined to produce highly textured surfaces evocative of living organisms. And in a nod to the woodturners, Olson integrated wood into some of her works. Kimber Olson aims to deepen understanding of how nature works and inspire commitment to the environment through her art. Infusing traditional hand processes with contemporary twists, Olson explores organic processes to mine themes of temporality, interdependency, and regeneration. Bound by Nature was made possible by a 2017 Artist Initiative grant Kimber Olson received from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Lizzo came to Minneapolis as an indie rapper and left to become a world-conquering music star and personality. Her friends and collaborators tell the story of how Lizzo made her career and image here. (Apparently, at one point, Lizzo was… shy?!)
This rendering shows an open green-space and stairs that will let visitors reach the riverfront from 1st Street when the Water Works project is finished in 2023.
Courtesy of HGA Architecture
A $30 million revitalization project on the Mississippi River will surface long-buried relics of the city’s milling history, host a new Native American restaurant and add park space near the Stone Arch Bridge. The restaurant will be the first for Sean Sherman, the so-called “Sioux Chef,” who has won a James Beard award for his advocacy and revival of Native American cuisine. It’s scheduled to open in the spring of 2021. Sherman noted the site, formerly the site of the Occidental, Columbia and Bassett mills on the riverfront, has a long historical link to food.It was most recently the site of a former riverfront Fuji Ya restaurant, vacant since 1991. He said it has an even more ancient link to Native American culture at the Mississippi River’s only waterfall. “It’s just something, I think to have the indigeneous perspective on this waterfront, to have some of the histories that go much much deeper than the city … right here in front of a sacred Dakota area,” Sherman said during a groundbreaking ceremony.
Jay’s Longhorn was the epicenter of the Minneapolis punk rock and indie rock scene in the late 1970s. At a time when the music scene was dominated by Top 40 cover bands, a group of punk rock visionaries-led by Andy Schwartz, former publisher of the New York Rocker-scoured the city in search of a place that would welcome the New Wave.
The Suicide Commandos, Flamingo, Curtiss A, and The Suburbs found a home at Jay’s Longhorn, which also served as the launchpad for Hüsker Dü and The Replacements and the preferred venue for touring acts like Elvis Costello, The B-52s, and The Police.
Join Sound Unseen for the St. Paul premiere of the film Jay’s Longhorn. A Q&A with director Mark Engebretson and special guests will follow the screening.
Emmette Smith, originally from Tennessee, relocated to Minnesota at the age of 16. He has always had a penchant for art from painting watercolors to shaping clay pottery items. He also enjoys tattooing and has experience with metalworking. Eventually, though, he returned to his true passion: woodworking.
His grandfather taught him the skills of woodworking at a young age. The smell of fresh cut wood combined with the sound of a lathe or table saw still get his creative juices flowing to this day. After his time in the US Navy, he wanted to get back into creating some form of art. Armed with a few hand tools, he began crafting functional woodworking art that he then sold at a local farmers’ market.
Emmette’s collection included such items as coffee tables, wine bottle holders, and light fixtures. The art was fashioned from repurposed, reclaimed wood, with a combination of steel piping. The pieces he created had a uniqueness of design that not only showed his artistic ability but also his skills in making art that was completely functional for everyday life.
Emmette continues to increase his woodworking skills and artistic repertoire of items. The newest additions to his line are hand turned writing pens. For Emmette, his workshop has become a place of meditation where he’s able to distance himself from the pressures of the world and just enjoy the smells of fresh wood being made into incredible pieces of art, all the while honing his skills.
