Quodlibetica originated from the desire to write about art and visual culture in ways not confined by academic conventions or journalistic hype. Part journal, part blog, Quodlibetica fosters critical conversations about visual arts in a forum that is accessible, engaging, and committed to quality writing. Based on the Latin quodlibet, which has entered the English language as (1) a statement proposed for disputation, (2) the actual discussion, and (3) the whimsical combination of familiar elements, Quodlibetica is a space to argue eloquently and whimsically about art, find out what’s happening in the Twin Cities art scene, and engage with writers, artists, and critics, who like to think. Contact us if you want to get involved.
Rosalux is an artist cooperative art gallery that was founded in Minneapolis in 2002. The gallery has been home to artists whose work can be found in [...]
Published 9.17.2010
Its recent feature in the New York Times confirms what a decade of dedicated curation has proven. Nicholas Harper’s dark, gothic gallery is a major fixture in the Twin Cities art scene.
Harper’s art space, far from being an autonomous satellite to the scene, is an integral player in the emerging gravity of a northeast cultural [...]
Published 5.8.2010
An unassuming store front in South Minneapolis houses a five year-old artists project determined to show work that is experimental and socially relevant. At times, Art of This can feel as grassroots as it gets in its rare combination of ambition, grit, and vision. Artistic directors David Peterson and John W. Marks never cater to [...]
Published 3.27.2010
Located in the midst of the old warehouses that provide studio spaces for St. Paul’s vibrant arts community in Lowertown, AZ Gallery (A to Z, with A standing for Argyle, Z for Zebra) brings us an eclectic mix of shows each year. Part of the gallery’s appeal lies in the unexpected: never pretentious in its [...]
Published 3.26.2010
Tucked between Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake, Bockley Gallery is a local gem. Owner Todd Bockley’s commitment to representing Minnesota artists has led to an impressive array of Midwestern luminaries who show at the gallery: whether Bockley is showing George Morrison, Jim Denomie, Andrea Carlson or David Sollie, the gallery is always worth [...]
Published 3.26.2010
Located in the heart of Uptown, the nonprofit Soo uses its two galleries to present provocative and exceptional local work. The attached gift shop is full of affordable work by local artists. Their website states a vision of art as a part of community, and the Soo’s events are among the best art parties of [...]
Published 1.20.2010
Traffic Zone houses some of the most beautiful artist studios in the Twin Cities, no doubt about it. But Traffic Zone has also become a must-see venue for contemporary art: Ex-Libris, the re-purposed book, on view at traffic Zone as I write this entry, is one of the most compelling shows devoted to book art [...]
Published 9.29.2009
When we think about galleries and art spaces in the Twin Cities, why does Umber stand out? Perhaps it is the low-key South Minneapolis neighborhood; more likely, though, is the fact that Umber has been consistently showing some of the Twin Cities’ most compelling work by youngish artists: Pam Valfer’s creepy quilt creations, inspired, it [...]
Published 9.29.2009
Which other gallery in town can boast this caveat: “As the Gallery is a window in a shoestore, we cannot offer insurance, shipping nor climate control. The sun will beat down and it will be a little colder or hotter than the store’s interior. Automatic awnings protect the window, but not completely. Let your art [...]
Published 9.29.2009
Nothing compares to the Soap Factory’s haunted Halloween basement. Spacious and post-industrially beautiful, the galleries attract a diverse crowd of artists and art lovers. Never boring, sometimes provocative, occasionally very smart.
Published 9.24.2009