Here’s what’s going on at several of the galleries in Northeast.
Public Functionary
Blackness in Transit: BGBM (Black Girl to Black Man) by Bearboi
- Opened July 25 in PF Upstairs Gallery
- Details: Local Minneapolis photographer Bearboi steps into the spotlight with his debut solo exhibition, “Blackness in Transit: BGBM (Black Girl to Black Man).” Pays tribute to the unique experiences of girlhood from the vantage point of Black transgender men and masculine individuals. Bearboi’s evocative photography captures the nuanced intersections of identity and transition, offering viewers a profound visual narrative that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
- Duration: July 25 – August 17
- PF Galleries Hours: Thurs-Sat 9am-6pm
- Location: Studio 144 of the Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Adera Lijen: a promise to protect by Adera Lijen, curated by Makeda Tadesse
- Opened July 27 in PF Main Gallery
- Details: Emerging Curator Institute’s 2023-24 Curatorial Fellow, Makeda Tadesse, brings her fellowship exhibition to life with “Adera, Lije; Adera Lijen: a promise to protect”. This show delves into the cultural dissonance experienced by second-generation East African diaspora communities in the United States, featuring works by Elsa Lakew, Bereket Adamu, Nafyar, and Addisalem Alemu. Tadesse’s curation weaves together diverse artistic expressions to explore themes of heritage, identity, and the complexities of cultural preservation.
- Duration: July 27 – August 17
- PF Galleries Hours: Thurs-Sat 9am-6pm
- Location: Studio 144 of the Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
TOA Presents and Gelo Shop
RULE features new and selected works by Vernon Vanderwood and Miles Mendenhall
- Opened July 12 at TOA Presents
- Details: In “RULE,” artists Vernon Vanderwood and Miles Mendenhall navigate the in-betweens of process and material, creating kaleidoscopic landscapes that challenge and delight. Vanderwood’s large-scale works juxtapose free expressions in dance and disintegrating mediums with the rigidity of silk binds and frames, questioning the poetic and political potentials of material and mark-making. Mendenhall’s monoprints, crafted through a unique blend of gelatin, pigment, and photographic chemistry, exist in hallucinogenic fractures that blur the lines between historical and futuristic, symmetry and asymmetry. Together, their works pose sugar-coated questions and offer ribbon-tied answers, inviting viewers into a realm of structured whimsy.
- Duration: July 12th – September 5th (choreographed performances on closing night)
- TOA Presents Hours: Friday 3pm-6pm and Saturday 10am-2pm
- Location: 655 19th Avenue NE, Suite 104, Minneapolis, MN 55418
NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory
Dust in the Sky showcasing selected works by Syed Hosain
- Opened: July 12
- Details: Syed Hosain’s “Dust in the Sky” offers a rich tapestry of painting that explores the unfixed histories and traditions of Middle Eastern geography and his own identity. His layered surfaces create a tension between recognition and obliteration, suggesting sprawling cities, molecular structures, and complex networks. Hosain’s works compel close examination, revealing new depths with each viewing. His technique of working into found surfaces, such as old encyclopedias, further obscures and reimagines factual information, creating a vivid visual smorgasbord that bridges past, present, and imagined futures.
- Duration: July 12 – August 3
- Regular Gallery Hours: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays 12-5pm
- Location: 1720 NE Madison St #14, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Midway Contemporary Art
Reserves featuring newly commissioned works by K.R.M. Mooney
- Opening Reception: August 1, 6–8pm
- Details: K.R.M. Mooney’s “Reserves” explores the intricate relationship between materiality and perception through a series of newly commissioned works. Mooney’s sculptures and installations challenge conventional understandings of form and function, transforming ordinary materials into extraordinary art. This exhibition marks the grand reopening of Midway Contemporary Art in its new permanent home. Mooney’s work, which is also featured in the Whitney Biennial 2024, invites viewers to reconsider the possibilities inherent in the materials around us.
- Duration: August 1 – October 5, 2024
- Regular Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Location: 1509 NE Marshall Street, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Compiled by Jacob Dommer