Calendar of Events

Looking for Labor Day weekend plans? Celebrate with 405,000 people at the largest Labor Day Weekend fireworks show in the nation - Knoxville's 2009 Chrysler Jeep Boomsday Festival! The 22nd annual Boomsday Festival is set for Sunday, Sept. 6 from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Neyland Drive and Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville. Enjoy classic festival traditions and various live entertainment and contests throughout a fun-filled day. This year's festival also celebrates Knoxville's Navy Week by hosting the U.S. Navy Band for a live performance to celebrate America's heritage. Rail Jam Demos will also take place, in which Neyland will be transformed into a man-made 30-foot wide and 200-foot long water track where professional wakeboarders will skim across the water attempting jumps and turns at 18-22 miles per hour. Then at 9:30 p.m., watch the jaw-dropping fireworks as the nation's largest Labor Day weekend fireworks show kicks off, along with an original soundtrack provided by Star 102.1 FM. Knoxville's Boomsday is an unforgettable event and will leave you begging for more! For more information on visiting Knoxville during the Boomsday Festival, please contact Teresa Hall at thall@knoxville.org or (865) 342-9118.

Live Music by Misty River; tours of the historic museum; BBQ, food and drinks; door prizes, fireworks, and plenty of parking! Information: 865-522-8661, www.mabryhazen.com

UT Photojournalism professor Robert Heller always has his camera with him when he travels. Heller's photographic exhibit, "City Light," examines the confluence of architecture, people and light, as found in cities such as San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Warsaw and elsewhere. Open to the public M-F 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. 625 Market Street, Suite 1400, downtown Knoxville. 865-524-1223 or www.easttennesseefoundation.org

The Knoxville Museum of Art introduces Contemporary Focus, a new series that recognizes, supports, and documents the development of contemporary art in East Tennessee. Each year the KMA will feature several emerging artists who work in new and experimental ways. Contemporary Focus 2009 presents the work of three remarkable artists: Hunt Clark, Patricia Tinajero, and David Wolff. Hunt Clark studied art at the University of Tennessee with a focus in painting and sculpture. Clark is best known for his intricately curved, organic shapes that he carves out of large blocks of wood or constructs with large inflatable structures. Patricia Tinajero is an assistant professor in the department of sculpture at the University of Tennessee. Born in Quito, Ecuador, Tinajero often uses her work to raise questions about cultural identity and social practice. As part of Contemporary Focus, Tinajero has built a large sculpture in KMA's south garden. David Wolff, a 1991 graduate of the University of Tennessee, paints with a delicate and thoughtful touch. Deeply inspired by Renaissance and Medieval art, Wolff's abstract scenes become intensely realistic. Wolff runs the Fluorescent Gallery in downtown Knoxville which has become a backbone of Knoxville's downtown arts district. The opening reception at the KMA on Thursday, September 3, 2009, from 7-9pm is free and open to the public. 1050 World's Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37918. Open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am–5pm, Friday 10am–8pm, and Sunday 1pm–5pm. Admission and parking are free. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Anton Vidokle is one of many artists who recognize the educational potential of art, but his productions usually do not manifest themselves in the form of traditional art objects. In the place of sculpture or painting, Vidokle creates work in the shape of social forms familiar to us – such as libraries, schools, and public conversations. This exhibition presents several projects Vidokle has produced over the last decade: publications from e-flux, an NYC based artist resource and art video distribution center founded in 1999; the model of unitednationsplaza, a free year-long school based in Berlin initiated by the artist in 2006; a station of texts and lectures from seminars at Night School, an artist commission in the form of a temporary school at the New Museum in New York City (January 2008- February 2009); New York Conversations, a feature film shot by the artist in 2008 with Nico Dockx , Rirkrit Tiravanija, and A Prior Magazine; and a comprehensive archive of over one hundred lectures, talks, and seminars organized by Vidokle throughout the past three years in Berlin, Mexico City and New York. Anton Vidokle was born in Moscow and arrived in the United States in 1981. He is currently based in New York and Berlin. 1050 World's Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm. FREE admission. For more information: (865) 525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints are included in the retrospective show by Bruce D. Busey opening at the Blount Mansion Visitor's Center, 200 W. Hill Avenue (corner of Gay St and Hill Av) Knoxville, TN. Reception will be from 5 pm to 8 pm on September 4. The show will encompass approximately 50 years of work. Mr. Busey started drawing while in high school, obtained his Bachelor's and Master's in Art from the University of Missouri. During the 30 years he taught Art in Iowa and since his move to Tennessee, the passion for expression in his own unique style has never wavered. For information, call 865-379-8263 or e-mail brucedarlene @ earthlink.net.

Opening night September 4

1714 Andy Holt Avenue on the UT Campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.org

September 1-30
1050 World's Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm. FREE. For more information: (865) 525-6101 or www.knoxart.org.

Featuring painter Gary Dagnan and fabric artist Elaine Fronczek. The Gallery will host an opening on Friday, September 4. Operating hours Tuesday – Saturday 11-6 and Sunday 1-5. 422 S. Gay St., Knoxville. 865-525-5265 or www.artmarketgallery.net.

The objects featured in this exhibit, ones seen publicly for the first time, are drawn from a private collection developed over the past 30 years by an adventuresome couple from Ten­nes­see. What started as a simple memento of the Southwest—a pair of small kachina dolls purchased in Santa Fe, New Mexico—eventually led to a remarkably rich and diverse collection of items produced by Indian peoples throughout all culture areas of Native North America. With each new specimen, the couple wanted to learn more about not only the object itself but also the cultural context within which it was made and used. Each new item added momentum to the couple's quest to expand and diversify their holdings. They were increasingly drawn to the scholarly literature on Indian art; they visited museums and Indian reservations across the United States and Canada; and they initiated contact with well-known dealers from coast to coast. They also began tailoring their vacations to match their collecting interests concerning the work of particular Indian artists, artifact types, and culture areas. All of this activity was fueled by the desire to broaden their understanding of the material culture of Native Americans. Their history of collecting can best be characterized as a journey of discovery, one they hope the viewer will share while touring this exhibit. The beautifully crafted pieces represent only a fraction of the holdings contained in this remarkable private collection. Information: 1327 Circle Park Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996. 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

In the Blain Galleries. Opening reception August 21, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN. Information at 865-436-5860 or www.arrowmont.org.

The inspired movie hit of the sixties comes vividly to life on the stage. Benjamin Braddock, recent college graduate and prodigal son, returns home and promptly becomes embroiled in an affair with the wife of his father's business partner, one Mrs. Robinson, only to find himself falling in love with her daughter. A rich and full bittersweet comedy.

227 Broadway in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. For more information, call (865) 482-9999 or visit www.orplayhouse.com