Off the beaten path

Fall Gallery Night, like all the others, can easily become an overwhelming event with shows in nearly every gallery, bar, restaurant and venue in the city. To avoid the chaos, most of us stick to what we know and end up at the same galleries, the same bars, looking at work by the same people.

Maybe it’s just me, but this time of year always finds me itching for a change. For this Gallery Night guide my goal is to get you, dear readers, out of your element and hopefully  into bars, restaurants and rickety-old artist lofts to see some fresh, innovative work from some established and up-and-coming talent. Keep in mind that this list has been pared-down to give you a manageable selection. And, as such, I’m sure that a few great shows will be unintentionally overlooked. But this is the Internet, and the power of immediate information dissemination is at your fingertips! If there are any Gallery Night events or happenings that you don’t see on this list, please leave a note in the comments section. Until then, feast your eyes on these …

East/Riverwest

Let’s start our jaunt in Riverwest with a vist to RedLine, Milwaukee’s newest arts incubator. Fresh after its recent grand opening, the folks at RedLine present Flatlands, a series of layered pieces by Vietnamese-born artist Tomas Vu-Daniel. In Flatlands, master printmaker Vu-Daniel uses a variety of materials and processes such as silkscreen, paint, drawing and collage to “create a dichotomy in which memory battles reality.” Also in the gallery will be a politically charged and slightly controversial conceptual video installation entitled Day Clean, created by local artist Portia Cobb.

Once you cross the river, be sure to check out the Sixth Annual Mary L. Nohl Fellowship Exhibition at UWM’s Inova/Kenilworth Gallery. Artists Brent Budsberg & Shana McCaw, Xav Leplae, Iverson White, Bobby Ciraldo & Andrew Swant, Tate Bunker, Frankie Latina and Barbara Miner check in one year after being selected as Nohl Fellows in 2008. Don’t limit yourself to Gallery Night for this one,though — check out Inova’s website for a list of ancillary events in conjunction with this show.

At the Tool Shed, you’ll find Into the Feminine: An Exploration of Female Desire decorating the walls of the new and improved retail space on Murray Avenue. Budding photographer Miss Nico presents a series of portraits that celebrate and explore female strength, desire and sexuality in an attempt to challenge misogynistic depictions of female eroticism and take steps toward a healthier , more sex-positive culture.

Your venture through the East side  would not be complete without a stop at The Green Gallery East for a new show entitled Yesterday, featuring new work by sculptor and mixed-media artist Tony Matelli. In Yesterday, Matelli uses simple, everyday objects like playing cards, cigarette butts and cold pizza along with more stable materials like steel, porcelain and bronze to construct elaborate and precarious structures.

 

Third Ward

MIAD presents Reconnection, a meticulously curated selection of works by 10 MIAD alumni working in a variety of media to create a one-of-a-kind gallery show. The selected artists are: Joseph Bolstad, Paul Cowan, Jessica Kaminski, Mayuko Kono, kathryn e. martin, Boris Ostrerov, Nate Page, Laura Paulini, Dan Steinhilber and Christopher Willey. As a whole, Reconnection offers a glimpse into the process of contemporary art making with non-traditional installations, techniques and materials.

The Historic Marshall Building welcomes Merge, its newest art space,  which will host its official opening on Gallery Night and Day. Merge’s first gallery show will feature work focusing on social issues from three established artists and educators. Each artist works in a variety of media, so expect to see drawing, collage, book arts, photo-collage and painting among others. Stop in and welcome them to the neighborhood!

Adam Nilson rocks Moda 3 with Painted Beats an evening of live art and music, with large-scale paintings and mixed media installations that create a truly ethereal experience. Nilson premiered this show in Beloit last spring, and TCD was lucky enough to be there. The show also features work from Soar Studio’s David and John Jenson and music by Kid Cut Up.

 

Walker’s Point & Bay View

Just a block over from the Arts Building you’ll find Photographs from the South on display at B-Side (above Ginger), a gorgeous selection of silver gelatin prints by Brian Zbichorski and Jamie Omeara taken on a recent trip to the southern United States. More work will be on display around the restaurant, plus special-guest DJs Joey S and Kid Millions are popping in for a few sets.

Women’s art collective Guildess hosts Bittersweet, a juried group exhibition at Bay View’s spectacular Hide House. Bittersweet features work from a dozen Milwaukee-based artists in a variety of media, each piece having been carefully selected to retain and enhance the show’s theme. For each piece of art that is sold, Guildess will donate 25 percent of the sale to The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.The WPCA combines the work of more than 20 artists and five scientists for Paradise Lost? Climate Change in the Northwoods, an exhibit that addresses how Wisconsin’s northwoods may be affected by global warming. The artists explore the causes of climate change with  paintings, quilts, puzzles, drawings and music, offering each contributor’s unique perspective.

RedLine
1422 N. 4th St.
Milwaukee, WI 53212

Inova/Kenilworth
2155 N. Prospect Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

The Tool Shed
2427 N. Murray
Milwaukee, WI 53211

The Green Gallery East
1500 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

MIAD
273 E. Erie St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Merge
207 E. Buffalo St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

MODA 3
320 E. Buffalo St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Ginger/B-Side
235 S. 2nd St.
Milwaukee, WI 53204

Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
911 W. National Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53204

Hide House
2625 S. Greeley St.
Milwaukee, WI 53207