by Commentary by Michael Fallon   June 23, 2008 of the recent panel discussion on �Minneapolis� artistic future,� sponsored by the Minneapolis Arts Commission, you didn�t miss much. In what best can be described as an excruciating exercise of intensive local arts spin, early attendees to the event were treated to a host of thought-terminating clich�s from Minneapolis City Council President Barbara…

by Profile by Hannah Dentinger   June 16, 2008 the phone book, looking for a psychiatrist. Any psychiatrist. She settles on a Dr. Beedle. �A man named Beedle,� she reasons, �can�t be all bad.� Later that day, Hornbacher perches on a chair in Dr. Beedle�s office.           �What brings you here today?� he asks.           �I�m going crazy.�           �Well, don�t beat around the bush,� he says. �Jump right in.� Hornbacher�s new memoir abides by that maxim…

IF YOU’RE OFFERING A SURVEY OF MINNESOTA CARTOONISTS, you have to, first, mention that the Twin Cities ranks fifth in the nation for the number of resident cartoonists (and then follow that claim with a disclaimer that the above ranking is anecdotal at best). Of course, you’d also want to dust off your pop cultural histories so you could detail the genesis of the comic book form—which begins with…

by Profile by Myron Berdahl   June 9, 2008 projects that speak to our shared humanity. Her hope is that by moving, or even surprising viewers with the stories in her films audiences will, at the very least, question their preconceptions. A former clarinet player herself, Goldberg has always been drawn to the music scene. In fact, much of her documentary work over the past 25 years has been focused around…

The entrance to Marlaine Cox’s back room office, just off the workfloor of her metalworking shop EVIDENCE OF THE MARRIAGE OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE is all around us. In the Twin Cities, alone, such public art abounds, from the murals and sculpture adorning the state capital to the mosaic work found at the light rail stops along Hiawatha. These gracious artistic touches can elevate even the most…

Editor’s note: We originally published this essay on Nielsen’s work in 2008, but Smuda’s examination is evergreen, still a beautiful read on the artist’s tricky, cerebral paintings. We’re pulling this piece up from the archives this week in Nielsen’s memory, after hearing news of the artist’s untimely death last week. CHRISTIAN NIELSEN’S PAINTINGS EXIST IN THE OPTIC PLEASURE ZONE between literal…

Image (top) shows Jonathan Gomez Whitney’s “ARThouse With Chandalier,” taken at Whitney’s ARThouse opening this past July. (All photos courtesy ARThouse 2007) by Profile by Scott Stulen   May 5, 2008 waits in front of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse. As the clock approaches the top of the hour more visitors steadily appear, gathering near the door of the residence. Soon the door is opened and the crowd…

Image (top) is “Winter Poplars” by Charles Beck. All artwork featured with this article is also by Charles Beck. by Essay by Deb Wallwork   May 5, 2008, essay by Deb Wallwork (Originally published on mnartists.org in January 2008; excerpted for the May 2008 issue of which mnartists.org co-publishes with .) that it spanned a little canyon. On the wrong side of the tracks in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, we drive past…

Jim Johnson’s most recent collection of poetry, “The Co-op Label” (Dovetailed Press, 2005), was nominated for the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award in poetry. by Profile by Cheryl Reitan   April 29, 2008 writes poetry that is cut from the cloth of his Finnish roots. While much of his work recalls the lives of Finnish settlers in northern Minnesota, the message is universal. It is the quintessentially…