Cycled through the sculpture yard at Casket Arts today, as I occasionally do. I was a bit disappointed not to see any works in progress (I always find the process so interesting), as there were only finished pieces on display. Maybe this piece, Time Machine, is reaching back through industrial history to speak of oxidation and decay. It feels fitting outside a building that once mass-produced coffins.
Category: Arts
A trip to Zoran’s world
At Sip Coffee Bar, the gregarious sculptor Zoran Mojsilov introduced himself and sat down beside me. He’d noticed me taking in some of his works in progress in his yard across the street. He asked if any stood out, and I mentioned one. He is constantly working on commissions, and I see his sculptures around town. He referred to us both as “grey-heads” as we chatted about the Old World, compared notes on Yugoslavia in the 1970s, and agreed socialism can be good.
Intermission
There were no takers for pre-show drinks outside, where it was a sweltering 90-plus degrees, but inside Orchestra Hall, the AC was doing a grand job. Following medical scans this afternoon, with more lined up for Monday, a glass of wine and an escape into the world of Britten, Beethoven, and Schumann were most welcome.
Arms clasped around the world
On our regular Sunday morning walking route, I was surprised by this art installation at Boom Island Park. That’s me stretching as high as possible to get a shot that would capture a recognizable section of the piece, but I only managed to get details of some fingers. Interpretive signs featured a drone shot and explained that this is part of “Beyond Walls,” a “human chain around the world” spanning 23 cities, beginning in Paris.
Party like it’s 2026
Pushed my bike past preparations for a Prince singalong celebration later today; he would’ve been 68 this weekend. First Avenue is right nearby, the venue where he often performed and which he made famous in Purple Rain.
Spotlighting the orchestra
The rain had started as we walked into Orchestra Hall for an afternoon chamber music concert featuring smaller groups from the Minnesota Orchestra. I particularly enjoy how younger members of the orchestra get to show their exceptional talents.
Wee Willie Winkie’s resting place
Our walk today held quite a few surprises. At the Glasgow Necropolis we happened upon the grave of William Miller, the ‘laureate of the nursery’ and author of Wee Willie Winkie. Behind it, Glasgow Cathedral dominates the skyline.
The ultimate frequent flyers
I finally got around to seeing “Crossing the Line: The Passport Re-Imagined” at Open Book, just three blocks from our home. Here, the artist has produced passports for migratory birds; the painted eggs represent individual birds, while the cloth satchel serves as a “nest” to hold the eggs and passports. On my own travels, I’ve often been in awe of migratory birds, especially at Farewell Spit on New Zealand’s South Island, where we observed bar-tailed godwits that migrate 7,500 miles to Alaska.
Beyond the canon
We had an unusual perch for the nearly sold-out Minnesota Orchestra concert. There wasn’t much dust on the pieces we heard: two 20th-century American composers unfamiliar to me (Antheil and Adams) and Tchaikovsky’s final symphony, written on the cusp of the 20th century. In the foreground there’s a robotic camera; the performance was broadcast live on Minnesota public television and radio.
Closed on Mondays
On Mondays, I sometimes get the urge to look at art. At the start of my walk today, I popped into Open Book for “Crossing the Line: The Passport Re-Imagined.” Bad idea: like many galleries, it’s closed on Mondays. Since the cafe was open, an Americano and a donut replaced examining “themes of immigration, power, limitation, and belonging.”