Welcome to the Friday Art News Roundup! To submit news for next week’s roundup, email kris@doublescoop.art. (The roundup generally does not include exhibitions, events, or calls for artists. You can post those here on our statewide visual arts calendar any time.)
Reno approves major sculpture for E. Fourth Street
On Wednesday, after a year-and-a-half-long process involving approximately 10 community input sessions (including a presentation by Reno historian Alisha Barber), the Reno City Council approved a major art installation on West Fourth Street, under the Wells Avenue overpass.
The sculpture, titled “On Growth and Form,” will consist of two large trees made of steel mesh, positioned on two of the underpass’s existing concrete columns to look as if they are holding up the bridge. The artist is Kipp Kobayashi from Los Angeles, who drew some of his inspiration from the lumber mill industry that previously existed in the neighborhood.
Most of the project’s $165,000 budget will come from the National Endowment for the Arts, making this the largest NEA-funded project in the state.
The Generator has a new education department
In December, the Generator appointed its first-ever Education Coordiantor, Alysia Dynamik, to spearhead new STEAM K-12 initiatives. Dynamik has worked with the Discovery Museum in Reno and served as Senior Technology Educator at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
As the Sparks makerspace awaits a new location, Dynamik’s first project is a virtual one—the Genny Box, a take-home STEAM activity kit for kids ages 5-8.
Burning Man’s Desert Arts Preview is virtual this year
Burning Man’s ArtSpeaks storytelling series presents a virtual alternative to the annual Desert Arts Preview. Most years, the event is held in person in San Francisco to provide an early look at some of the artwork that will be built on the playa come August. This year, according to the event post, “We’ll hear from Honoraria artists who are planning on bringing their projects to Black Rock City the next time we can gather together safely. … After the program, you’re invited to join us in our very own virtual Desert Arts Preview ‘lobby’ where you can learn more about Burning Man artwork, chat with the artists themselves, and explore a whimsical world with surprises around every corner.” This year’s Desert Arts Preview is Sunday, March 7, 1-2 p.m. Ticket info here.
Another San Francisco event you can stream from home
In normal years, when Reno-area art-goers want a big-city art fix, we dart over the hill to San Francisco. One SF museum, the Exploratorium, has long hosted an after-hours, adults-only event, After Dark. These days, After Dark Online streams on Facebook and YouTube. The next edition, about artists who rely on science, is on March 4, and the March 11 session is about fractals.
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