Art Hounds: Fiber art at MIA, a multimedia premiere in Rochester and surreal sisterhood onstage

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above.

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Fiber art finds a spotlight

Sandra Brick, a teaching artist at the Textile Center of Minnesota, recommends a trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to see Amy Usdin’s contemplative fiber arts exhibit, “After All.“

The show runs through Feb. 22 in the U.S. Bank Gallery.

Sandra says: I think it’s really great that Mia is giving fiber art this call-out in this show because, historically, fiber art has been considered a craft, and by having this exhibit at Mia, we’re saying that it is an art.

Amy's art is an expression of connection and transformation. There's woven layers, knots, found objects and time-composed pieces, both large and small, and many are hanging from the ceiling. So it's a truly immersive experience. You get to walk around the art. I would check it out just to learn and see how simple processes, like weaving, knotting, can be transformed into really contemplative, transformative pieces.

A lot of the pieces are very airy, and so you're actually seeing through them. You see how it all blends together and flows into one really great use of the space.

— Sandra Brick

Multimedia storytelling takes the stage

Performance enthusiast Laurel Podulke-Smith of Rochester follows the work of local artist Jessalyn Finch, who has a short multimedia film debuting this weekend.

“Embodied Landscapes” is the creation of Finch, Mary Mailand Schlichting and Laura Sukowatey. The film incorporates dance, large-scale drawing and sculpture.

The premiere takes place at the Historic Chateau Theatre in Rochester on Sunday, Jan. 11. Screenings are at 2 and 3:15 p.m., with an artist talk and Q&A in between. Attendees are encouraged to wear cocktail attire and enjoy mocktails while meeting the artists.

Surreal sisterhood in ‘Plano’

Minneapolis theater maker Caleb Byers recommends “Plano,” presented by Third Space Theater. The play runs Jan. 9–18 at the Alan Page Auditorium at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis.

Caleb says he’s been anticipating this production since seeing Third Space Theater’s original show “Breach” at the Fringe Festival.

Caleb describes the play: Will Arbery is something of a magical realist-slash-surrealist playwright. And “Plano” is about three sisters, essentially in a sort of heightened reality and a sort of undisclosed period of time.

Time is a little bit strange in “Plano.” They, in a very surreal style, move through their specific problems. There’s very snappy, casual, modern dialogue. I'm incredibly excited for these artists in particular to tackle this.

— Caleb Byers