WEST BANK SOCIAL CENTER

We’ve said it before, but seriously: We love the folks over at Art Review and Preview. For the past two and a half years, they’ve busted their butts putting together issue after issue of thoughtful, engaged arts criticism. These are people who care about art and healthy creative communities!

We’re fantastically excited to bring in ARP! founders/editors Tiff Hockin and Ariel Pate for our October Praxis, this Sunday from 4-6pm. Tiff and Ariel told me that we’ll be making newspapers, though they’re mum on details. Come make some papers and pick their brains about the tough business of running an independent arts journal!

Very much! —Miranda

There might be a few items of interest for fans of WBSC revolving around this month’s Give & Take event taking place tomorrow night at Intermedia Arts:

• Two of the three creators of the monthly show are WBSC keyholders (or whatever we are calling that now). That would be Colin & Troy.
• A third keyholder person will be one of four presenters for the night. That would be Shanai, and she is presenting on the representation of nature through the diorama.
• Another presenter happens to be the first artist featured in our ongoing Praxis series. That would be Peter. He will be presenting on the correct way to tie your shoes and other other things knotty.
• As an aside to the last point. Peter wrote a fantastic little piece for the latest issue of ARP! that features both WBSC and Common Room as local examples of a certain kind of art project commonly referred to as relational art. After doing this kind of thing for 3+ years now, this is what Colin & Troy have recently decided their work together, and Give & Take in specific, is all about.

We really think you will enjoy it!

Give & Take // September
Wednesday, September 23rd
@ Intermedia Arts
Doors at 7PM & presentations at 7:30
Tickets: $5 to $10 (Sliding scale)

Give & Take is where happy hour meets show-and-tell for creative, passionate, & curious people. It features snappy presentations by fascinating people in a relaxed and social setting. Come be surprised by unexpected connections!

This month: Ken & Roberta Avidor on seeing the world through a sketch book, Aaron Landry on the best and worst pizza in the Twin Cities (with samples of his favorite pizza in Uptown), Peter Haakon Thompson on tying knots (wear shoes with laces if you can), and Shanai Matteson on the representation of nature through the diorama. And as always: participatory games, activities, and surprises!

RSVP on Facebook to let us know you’re coming.

Hope to see you there!

PRAXIS: Farmwork
Sunday, September 20th: 3pm

Join us this Sunday for a Praxis presentation & discussion with WBSC keyholder Andy Dayton. He’ll talk about Farmwork, a community of artists rooted in the farmland outside of Madison, WI.

Things that may be discussed: gardening, Alan Kaprow, alternative growth, Black Mountain College, localism, Frank Lloyd Wright, bonfires, intentional communities, and pickles.

Join us for Praxis this Sunday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Our featured artist for August is Marcus Young. He describes his work as ”attend[ing] to inner and civic life, nurturing personal practice and collective experience.” Learn about Grace Minnesota, his newly-launched “behavioral art studio,” and his job as artist-in-residence for the entire city of St. Paul (!).

This isn’t simply an artist talk, though. Marcus has some ideas he wants to bat around with you, and we’ll also hit the streets in a mini version of his public dance project, Don’t You Feel It Too? Bring a set of headphones if you’ve got them (we’ll have some extras, so come either way).

This Sunday, WBSC presents the first installment of Praxis, our monthly artist talk and workshop. Each month an artist’s talk will be followed by an activity that will generate questions, discussion, and hopefully even ideas for new projects.

This month Peter Haakon Thompson will be sharing some images and thoughts about his creative projects, including the A project, Auto Ethnographic, Art Shanty Projects, Neighborhood Art on Wheels, Teach me Your Language and others. Following Peter’s talk, an activity will get everyone outside. There will be beverages to consume and plenty of good company.

We’ll be taking small donations at the door ($5-10) to help support the efforts of West Bank Social Center, but all are welcome regardless of whether you can contribute financially. Hope to see you!