Once upon a time there was a species gripped with the Promethean fire of intellect and imagination. Unlike their fellow animals, these creatures were neither constrained by actuality nor imprisoned in the present. These creatures—let us call them human beings—manipulated language and images to explain the world as it was and as they wanted it to be.
One such manifestation of the symbolic faculty of human beings is the fairy tale. These pocket-sized medleys of fantasy, folklore and fairy godmothers have been passed down for centuries and subtly recast to suit the needs of each generation.
With “Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, and Contemporary Art” the Racine Art Museum (441 Main St.) celebrates the staying power of the urge for the fantastic and the diverse forms it takes. Enameling, glassblowing and papercutting are but a few of the processes utilized by the artists to come to grips with the human condition. The show is on display from May 25 until Aug. 31.
Wall-to-Wall Salon
The Hardy Gallery
Anderson Lane, Ephraim
Door County is an arts sanctuary. There are more than 80 galleries, museums and performance venues spread over the area’s 482 square miles. Since its inception in 1962, the Hardy Gallery has held an annual juried exhibition for local and regional artists. The submissions are so abundant in quantity and quality that for a week (May 25-29) before the judges thin their numbers, all the submissions are displayed in the Wall-to-Wall Salon. The gallery kicks off their 52nd season with a celebration-cum-sneak peak on Saturday, May 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. The exhibition proper opens Friday, June 6 from 5:30-7 p.m.
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Milwaukee College Prep Gallery Night
The Urban Sanctuary
181 N. Broadway
“Knowledge plus character pave the road to college and beyond,” reads the mission statement of Milwaukee College Prep. This free, K-8 public charter school has been so successful that they are poised to open their fourth location this fall. Whereas many public schools have cut their arts programs in response to shrinking budgets, MCP has interwoven the arts into their core curriculum to the benefit of student success and stimulation. On Friday, May 23 from 5:30-8 p.m. students and staff will display the fruits of their labors for the public and art school scouts.