Exposing, transforming planet’s woes

Betsy PickleOur Town Arts

Art adds to our lives in many ways. One of the most challenging is how it reflects life and makes us think more deeply about it.

That’s the value of the University of Tennessee Ewing Gallery’s “Unsustainable – A Planet in Crisis,” a group show featuring works of different materials, disciplines and execution. The theme is planetary crises: climate change, the rise of disease and superbugs, world conflict and national instability, plastics in the ocean, gun violence, pollution of waterways from mining, air pollution from use of fossil fuels, the opioid crisis and species extinction.

Ambitious, much?

Pam Longobardi (From Facebook)

On exhibit through Feb. 16 at the Ewing, 1715 Volunteer Blvd. in the Art + Architecture Building, “Unsustainable” explores and expresses these crises in evocative ways. One of the participating artists, Pam Longobardi of Atlanta, will speak on her work at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, in the McCarty Auditorium, Room 109 of the A+A Building. A reception will follow in the gallery.

Longobardi is an eco artist and activist known internationally for sculptural works and installations created from plastic debris, mainly from marine and coastal environments. Her talk is part of the UT School of Art’s Programming Committee Lecture Series.

Other artists showing in “Unsustainable” are: Michele Banks, Brandon Ballengee, Scott Chimileski + Roberto Kolter, Brandon Donahue, Lorrie Fredette, Yeon Jin Kim, Dan Mills, John Sabraw and Karen Shaw.

 

Mozart & Mahler & more

“Mozart and Mahler” buddy up in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series, 7:30 p.m. today and Friday at the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Conductor Aram Demirjian will lead the KSO through Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 (“Titan”) and Mozart’s Concerto No. 23, with guest pianist Aristo Sham.

The Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra will join forces with the Carpetbag Theatre at 6 p.m. Sunday for “Night With the Arts: A Concert in Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” also at the Tennessee.

New concertmaster William Shaub & Friends will present “The Young Beethoven and Folk Music” next Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 22 and 23, at the Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. The program will feature Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor and Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, “Ghost” (Op. 70); Mason Bates’ Ford’s Farm for Solo Violin and Haydn’s Piano Trio No. 39, Mvt. III (Gypsy Rondo).

Vines on newsmakers

Veteran Knoxville journalist Georgiana Vines will be the guest speaker at the Knoxville History Project’s Third Thursday at Maple Hall tonight. Vines will talk about her new book, “East Tennessee Newsmakers: Where Are They Now?,” at the 6:30 p.m. event. Maple Hall is at 414 S. Gay St.

Nineteenth Amendment centennial kickoff

The Suffrage Coalition kicks off the centennial commemoration of the Nineteenth Amendment at 6 p.m. today at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Elaine Weiss, author of “The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight To Win the Vote,” will be the featured speaker.

Weiss will also speak at 11:30 a.m. at the University of Tennessee’s Student Union Auditorium. Both events are free.

Betsy Pickle is a veteran entertainment, features and news reporter.

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