Plenty of energy at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum this week. “Wear Your Words” is the name of the project undertaken by local teenagers in cahoots with environmental educator, artist and recycling consultant Nancy Judd. The work consists of upcycled garments—fashion incorporating recycled materials—that successfully unite social-critique with haute couture. “CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS” police tape hugs the zaftig curves of a manikin, fabricating a dress as well as interpretive possibilities, for example, as reference to the many violations of the female body in our culture.
“Puzzle Sculpture” is both democratic and avant-garde in orientation. The piece consists of individualized puzzle pieces—decorated by viewers like you—which, when placed together, create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The work has a forefather in “exquisite corpse,” a game popular amongst the surrealists, wherein independently conceived and executed drawings are assembled to exquisite and grotesque results.
On Saturday, May 10, from 1-3 p.m., both exhibitions will be on display at Woodson Art Museum. “Wear Your Words,” along with Nancy Judd’s solo exhibition “ReDress,” will be on site until June 15. Admission is always free.
Mother’s Day with Sprecher
Sprecher Brewery
701 W. Glendale Ave.
Mother’s Day is one day of the year when we have the opportunity (and, let’s face it, the expectation) to dazzle Mumsy with foudroyant displays of love and appreciation. Just because, after the age of six, macaroni necklaces are no longer up to snuff does not mean art is not a viable option. On May 11, Sprecher Brewery and Splash Studios join forces to help you construct a special Mother’s Day. Sprecher’s brewery tour will culminate in canvases, art supplies and professional assistance. The $50 admission covers the tour, commemorative glass, samples, snacks and supplies.
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Milwaukee Bonsai Society: Spring Display of Bonsai
Lynden Sculpture Garden
2145 W. Brown Deer Road
“Paedomorphism” is the technical term for the retention of infantile characteristics past infancy. Think large head and puppy-dog eyes. Or, concretely, think Betty Boop. The botanical exemplar is of course the bonsai. Cultivated in accordance with the proportions of a full-grown tree, yet small enough to live in a pot, the bonsai is as much a poem as it is a plant. On May 10 and 11, from noon-5 p.m., the Milwaukee Bonsai Society will be celebrating the return of spring at the Lynden Sculpture Garden with a display of expertly maintained bonsai. General admission to the Garden and display is $9.
