St. Louis Arts in February
By Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky, Healthy Planet Arts Editor
Image: Aeroglyphs by Jonathan Gainer, at Bruno David Gallery
Lately, St. Louis Art Museum seems intent on wowing our community with amazing special exhibitions, notably the just-closed Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea. February 6-August 9, Currents 125: Blas Isasi brings the contemporary Peruvian sculptor’s works to St. Louis. Using angular steel, color, bone and even hair, Isasi’s works symbolize the radically different worlds of indigenous Andeans and colonizing Europeans. www.slam.org
Through February 23 The Green Center, 8025 Blackberry Avenue, hosts Leaf Bugs by Ansleigh Schmid. This delightful exhibit pays homage to the details of creepy-crawlies, real and imagined, all created using real pressed plant parts. On February 23, enjoy folk music by Nick Pence and Shane Devine in the Green Center’s Acoustic Concert Series, 7-9 p.m. Tickets include lemonade, wine and beer, plus lively foot-tapping. www.thegreencenter.org
Laumeier Sculpture Park, 12580 Rott Road, celebrates 50 years of merging art and nature in wonderful ways. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on February 7, Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting looks back over the past half century with a noontime curator talk, a puppetmaking workshop 11 a.m.-2 p.m., plus images of temporary and ephemeral exhibitions no longer in the park. www.laumeier.org
Through March 22, eight regional ceramic artists are featured in Clay: What We Make of It at the Kingsbury Gallery, located in Grace & Peace Fellowship, 622 Clara Avenue at Delmar. Call 314-973-6875 for appointment.
Over at Bruno David Gallery, 7513 Forsyth, see Daniel Raedeke: Outside; Charles Turnell: Prairie & Sky; Jonathan Gainer: Aeroglyphs, De-code/Re-code; Bill Christman: YES. All on view through February 21. www.brunodavidgallery.com
The Kemper Art Museum on Washington University’s campus presents Looking Back Toward the Future: Contemporary Photography from China (featuring works of 14 contemporary artists) and Emeka Ogboh: The Song of the Germans (a sound installation), both running February 27-July 27. www.kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu
Third Degree Glass Gallery, 5200 Delmar, hosts The Many Faces of Mardi Gras by NOLA glass artists Teri Walker and Chad Ridgeway, through February 27. Attend the Third Friday party on February 20, 6-10 p.m. for some hot fun! www.thirddegreeglassfactory.com
Beneath the City, A World is curated by Jameson Paige at The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee. Running through March 7, the exhibition pulls in works by artists who “use space itself as a medium,” presented in video, sculpture and sound. www.theluminaryarts.com
Through February 13, explore human emotions in The Fabric of Life juried exhibition at Webster Arts, 2 Summit Avenue. Opening on February 20, American Routes celebrates Route 66’s 100th anniversary, on view through March 27. Maybe check out Yoga in the Gallery there, too. Classes are Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. through February 25; fee per session. www.webster-arts.org
Tenderness, humanity and emotional depth take center stage in Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer-prize winning drama, Primary Trust. See it February 4-March 1 at the Rep, 130 Edgar Road. www.repstl.org
Stray Dog Theatre presents a “wickedly clever and darkly comedic thriller” by Ira Levin (think Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives) entitled Deathtrap. The show runs February 5-21 at Tower Grove Abbey. www.straydogtheatre.org
St. Louis Ballet performs St. Louis Blues: Call It Love! at the Touhill, February 14-15. It’s a Valentine’s Day treat, for sure! www.stlouisballet.org
St. Louis Classical Guitar welcomes Korean guitarist Jiji on February 28. Classical goes electric in this eclectic program, performed at Salem United Methodist Church, 1200 S. Lindbergh. www.stlouisclassicalguitar.org
Cathedral Concerts doubles up events at the Cathedral Basilica, 4431 Lindell, this month with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, February 10, performing music from Gregorian chant and baroque to music of the 21st century. Following that, Grammy-nominated VOCES8 ensemble arrives from Britain on February 23. Both performances at 7:30 p.m. www.cathedralconcerts.org
It’s a crazy-packed month of music for St. Louis Symphony Orchestra!
February 10 follows the Simon & Garfunkel 1-night, non-orchestral concert.
Stephan Deneve leads the orchestra’s live score to Milos Forman’s film, Amadeus, February 13-14. Then SLSO teams up with CITY SC for ETERNAL: A Tina Turner tribute, February 15. A complete version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (including star vocalists) fills Powell Hall, February 20 & SLSO is joined by the IN UNISON Chorus for the annual Lift Every Voice concert, February 27. Closing out the month is a celebration of John Coltrane’s musical legacy, led by Edwin Outwater with Joe Lovano on the saxophone, February 28. Concert tickets make a perfect Valentine’s Day gift (just hinting….) www.slam.org