Open virtually
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
If James Cameron (1914-2006) saw people peering through the window of his Black Holocaust Museum, he would let the strangers in and give him a personal tour—even in off hours. The museum is now housed in a splendid building (401 W. North Ave.) that will open to the public after the pandemic ends. Meanwhile, you can tour the seven virtual history galleries chronicling the story from life in Africa to Black America today. Click on the special exhibits gallery for Memorial to the Victims of Lynching. Cameron, one of the few Black men to survive a lynching, founded the museum to help us learn from the past. Visit at abhmuseum.org.
Wise Farm Productions’ Brews & Tunes Live Stream Series
Saturday nights
Wise Farm Productions, the production company led by singer-songwriter Wise Jennings, is offering weekly live streaming performances on their Facebook page, inviting several Milwaukee-area acts to play. February’s lineup includes a strong list of rock acts, with Dropbear Collective on Feb. 13, Cullah on Feb. 20, and Whiskey and the Devil on Feb. 27.
ACA Music & Entertainment’s ACA Live Series
Since the pandemic altered live music plans, ACA Music & Entertainment have consistently hosted local artists and acts safely from the comfort of their studio space. February’s live streaming lineup includes performances from pop duo 7000Apart, singer-songwriter Gene Gruber and the Paul Silbergleit Trio, amongst many others. Details can be found at acaentertainment.com and on their Facebook page.
February 10
Lynden Sculpture Garden
“Home: Story Time”
Looking for things to do with your kids? How about a virtual, bilingual “Story Time” featuring children’s books by authors and illustrator who have experienced life as refugees, migrants or asylum seekers? Designed for children ages 4-8, each session ends with an art activity from Lynden Sculpture Garden’s art educator Claudia Orjuela. Worksheets and handouts will be available for download. 10:30-11a.m.at lyndensculpturegarden.org.
February 11-21
Village Playhouse
Salomé
The controversial 19th century playwright Oscar Wilde was in prison when his version of the Biblical parable Salomé was brought to the stage in 1896. Now, the Village Playhouse will virtually stage the story of the infamous stepdaughter of King Herod Antipas who requested the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter after dancing the Dance of the Seven Veils. Her mother, Herodias, was thrilled. Herod? Not so much. Salomé is also Village Playhouse’s entry in the AACTFest, one of 40 theater companies to participate nationwide. Village Playhouse veteran producer and director Tom Zuehlke directs. For more information, call 414-207-4879 or visit villageplayhouse.org.
Through February 12
Portrait Society Gallery
“What on Earth: Contemporary Artists and the Landscape”
How do artists represent the natural world at a time when human hands have reshaped virtually every aspect of the environment? “What on Earth” tries to answer that question with work by more than a dozen contemporary artists. Photographer Lois Bielefeld, for example, created a series of photographs of freeway islands—those neglected bits of land skirting freeway ramps feel like strange hidden patches of unkempt wildness in her dramatically lit night scenes. Painter David Niec flees the light pollution of cities and “finds solace and poetry” in images of the moon and the night sky.
Streaming February 12-14 and February 19-21
Festival of Films in French
This will be the 24th year for the Festival of Films in French, an increasingly ambitious undertaking that has gone beyond France to encompass movies from across the francophone world—even films where French is seldom heard in the screenplay. The festival began in a UW-Milwaukee classroom, moved up to the UWM Union cinema and, given the pandemic, pivots to streaming this year. Selections will include “militant cinema” from director Jean-Pierre Thorn.
February 13
Reflection of Flesh Parasitic EP Release Featuring Special Guest Twan Mack
Worlds will collide on Saturday, Feb. 13, when metal band Reflection of Flesh plays an online kickoff show for their new release, Parasitic. The live stream will emanate from Kneeverland Productions’ The Ring performance space, which is made specifically to cater to top-notch streaming shows, and it will feature hip-hop artist Twan Mack. The combination of aggressive styles is not to be missed, and more information can be found on Reflection of Flesh’s Facebook page.
February 20
Eagle Park Beer Yoga
Looking for a way to combine exercise, relaxation and beer? Eagle Park’s Muskego distilling location has the answer with Beer Yoga! It’s a recurring event, the third Saturday of every month, that offers something special for those looking for a safe excuse to get out of the house, do something active and have a beer afterwards. Each guest gets one beer of their choice—although not every beer is available—with the purchase of their ticket for the hour-long yoga class. Tickets are limited, so sign up early to make sure you get a spot!
Through March
Milwaukee Art Museum
“Susan Meiselas: Through a Woman’s Lens”
The exhibition features pictures by one of the most important American documentary-style photographers of our time. A member of Magnum Photos since 1976, Meiselas seeks to bear witness to stories that raise provocative questions about the ethics of seeing. “Through a Woman’s Lens” presents never-before-shown photographs on subjects from human rights to domestic violence that reflect her ongoing commitment to working and sharing the stories of women.
Through May 2
Museum of Wisconsin Art
“Warhol and the Portfolio of Fame: Photographs by Douglas Edmunds”
It took months for Wisconsin photographer Douglas Edmunds to secure 15 minutes with Andy Warhol. Four of the portraits he took of Warhol, gazing inscrutably as expected, are included in this exhibition. Warhol was only one subject of Edmunds’ “National Portrait Series” of famous Americans. Also on display at MOWA are his photographs of singer Ella Fitzgerald, poet Allen Ginsberg, journalist Bob Woodward and Harley executive Willie G. Davidson.
