Calendar of Events

BY MOLLY SMITH METZLER
THE LAB THEATRE

Acclaimed writer Molly Smith Metzler ('Shameless', 'Orange is the New Black', and 'Maid') brings us a new comedy about the challenges of parenthood. This heart-warming comedy finds divergent young mothers strike up a friendship during precious nap time. The comedy takes a sharp and honest look at the power of female friendship, the paradox of working motherhood, and the effects that economic and social class has on parenthood in America. 'Cry it Out' captures the audience with laughs, a little rage and the bonds of early parenthood.

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information/tickets: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com

Medgar Evers, Byron De La Beckwith and Me: Why Portrait of a Racist Remains Relevant in the Century
September 18, 2024 @ 12:00 p.m.

Why should we still be discussing the 1963 assassination of Mississippi civil rights leader Medgar Evers and the 30-year quest to bring his killer to justice? Perhaps — even 61 years after his assassination — Medgar Evers’ life and legacy are more relevant than ever.

About the speaker: Reed Massengill is a widely published writer and photographer who was born in Knoxville and received his journalism degree from UT in 1984. The new University of Tennessee Press edition of his 1994 book Portrait of a Racist: Byron De La Beckwith and the Assassination of Medgar Evers has been issued with a new afterword and revealing new material that helps put this 20th Century crime in a 21st Century context.

https://www.easttnhistory.org/event/medgar-evers-byron-de-la-beckwith-and-me-why-portrait-of-a-racist-remains-relevant-in-the-21st-century/

Join us for the fifth edition of the Hispanic Film Festival on the UT campus featuring independent award-winning films in Spanish with English subtitles, and introductory talks by UT professors. Free admission!

Select Wednesdays at 6pm, 3 films screened in person at the Lindsay Young Auditorium (Hodges Library):

Parallel Mothers (Spain, 2021) a film by Pedro Almodóvar [September 18th 6pm]
Sealed Cargo (Bolivia, 2015) a film by Julia Vargas Weise [October 2nd, 6pm]
Alegría (Spain, 2021), a film by Violeta Salama [October 16th, 6pm]

Two more films are available online at https://pragda.com/sfc-event/university-of-tennessee-knoxville-2/
Username: SFC@UniversityofTennesseeKnoxville / Password: SFCUniversityofTennesseeFall2024

The Return (Costa Rica, 2012) a film by Hernán Jiménez [Available from September 25th to October 1st]
Un traductor (Cuba, 2018) a film by Rodrigo Barriuso and Sebastián Barriuso [Available from October 9th to October 15th]

Parking Information: The G17 Garage at 1800 Lake Ave, free parking to the general public beginning at 6pm weekdays (no overnight parking 3am-6am). The Vol Hall Garage at $1 per ½ hour. Regular street parking in the Fort Sanders area.

Pictures courtesy of Pragda. Contact Betsabé Navarro (bnavarro@utk.edu). Website: https://tiny.utk.edu/filmfest

Wim Wenders · 1984 · 145 minutes, free to attend
September 18 · Regal Riviera · 7:00 p.m.
“It is true, deep, and brilliant.” — Roger Ebert
“Paris, Texas is a landmark work in every sense: understated, powerful, sublime.” — LA Weekly

New German Cinema pioneer Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire) brings his keen eye for landscape to the American Southwest in Paris, Texas, a profoundly moving character study written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Sam Shepard.

Paris, Texas follows the mysterious, nearly mute drifter Travis (a magnificent Harry Dean Stanton, whose face is a landscape all its own) as he tries to reconnect with his young son, living with his brother (Dean Stockwell) in Los Angeles, and his missing wife (Nastassja Kinski). From this simple setup, Wenders and Shepard produce a powerful statement on codes of masculinity and the myth of the American family, as well as an exquisite visual exploration of a vast, crumbling world of canyons and neon.

Wim Wenders (born 1945 in Düsseldorf/Germany) is considered one of the most important representatives of contemporary world cinema. In addition to multi-award-winning feature films, such as Paris, Texas (1984), Wings of Desire (1987) and Perfect Days (2023), he has also created innovative documentaries such as Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011) and Anselm (which screened at Film Fest Knox 2023). Wenders is an acclaimed director, producer, photographer and author; his photographic work has been exhibited in museums around the world, and his literary output includes numerous photo books, film books and collections of essays. Wim Wenders and the Wim Wenders Stiftung decided to elaborately restore and color grade PARIS, TEXAS in 4K to coincide with the film’s 40th anniversary in 2024. The 4K restoration work was made possible with the support of Chanel and the German Film Heritage Funding Program (FFE). It was carried out at Basis Berlin Postproduktion, using the 4K scans made at L’Immagine Ritrovata.

https://www.filmfestknox.com/paris-texas/

Hola Hora Latina is proud to present Frutos Latinos, an art show competition celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and highlighting talented artists in our community. Local Hispanic/Latinx artists will showcase their artwork to celebrate their cultures and traditions. Top 3 winners will be announced at our gala event on September 17th.

For more information contact, enrique.cruz@holafestival.org

https://holahoralatina.org/current-exhibit/
https://www.facebook.com/share/cq3AHVaASuH33WFe/
HoLa Hora Latina: 865-335-3358

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning play - A story about the mystery of life and what we make it.

River & Rail Theatre, 111 State Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-407-0727, www.riverandrailtheatre.com

The Wordplayers present A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, an acting version by Thornton Wilder.

Sep. *12, 13, *19, 20 @ 7:30 pm
Sep. 15 & 22 @ 2:30 pm
at Erin Presbyterian Church
200 Lockett Road, Knoxville, TN 37919

At its core, A Doll’s House is a story about the male tendency to cage feminine strength, and the female tendency to break the lock. Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, like Shakespeare’s work, is timeless, and as relevant to audiences of 2024 as it was to audiences of 1879. A Doll’s House shines a harsh spotlight on the toxicity of a family unit in which the woman is anything less than an honored partner in the pursuit of life.

Directed by Christi Watson.

Tickets: Adults: $22 Students: $18
Available online at https://wordplayers.org/buy-tickets/ and at the door
*Thursdays are PAY WHAT YOU WISH – donations taken at the door with cash, check, or card.

The WordPlayers: 865-539-2490, www.wordplayers.org; Facebook: The WordPlayers, Twitter: @wordplayers, Instagram: wordplayers

Reception: September 6th / 5-8PM
October 4th / 5-8PM
Details TBA

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

First Friday Reception: September 6th, 5:30 - 9 pm

Linda Sullivan, Clay
Linda developed a special interest in glaze chemistry and development while receiving her Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Ceramics at Northern Illinois University. She continues to experiment with glazes, including crystalline glazes, which are some of the most difficult for achieving successful results. Linda states that the process for creating crystalline work is challenging and requires exacting conditions to ensure that crystals form – appropriate clay body, refined forms, fluid glazes with specific chemical ingredients, correct thickness of glaze, and complex firing and cooling kiln cycles. After the kiln reaches peak temperature, a computerized schedule controls the specific points and durations at which the temperature is held steady to encourage crystal formation. Coloring oxides in the glaze determine the resulting colors. Just as in nature when all conditions are perfect, crystals develop and grow, resulting in uniquely glazed pieces that differ from one another and cannot be duplicated.

Jack Retterer, Photography
Jack Retterer is a photographer and poet in East Tennessee. His work has been on display in numerous venues including the Emporium Art Gallery in Knoxville, the “Arts in the Airport” exposition at the McGee Tyson airport, the Knoxville Mayor’s office and the Knox County Mayor’s office. He has taught photography at Benedictine University in Naperville, Illinois. He currently teaches “Fine Art Photography at the University of Tennessee, and has also served on the boards of artist and photography associations in Tennessee and Illinois. Jack’s present and past professional affiliations and memberships include: Professional Photographers of America, Professional Photographer of East Tennessee, Tennessee Artists Association, Knoxville Arts and Culture Alliance, Juried member of the Art Market Gallery, Art Guild of Fairfield Glade, Tellico Village Art Guild, Foothills Craft Guild, and The Tennessee Poetry Society.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-6, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net, www.Facebook.com/ArtMarketGallery

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present six new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, September 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM. As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Alliance and City of Knoxville, the free gathering with exhibiting artists will also feature nearly 20 artist vendors and live music with Fountain City Ramblers along the 100 Block of Gay Street, which will be open to pedestrians only from 4-10 PM between Jackson and Vine avenues.

Based on seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish still life paintings, I took inspiration to update my artistic process by studying the past through the sub-genre of vanitas and memento mori paintings. Vanitas is a still life artwork which includes various symbolic objects designed to remind the viewer of their mortality and of the worthlessness of worldly goods and pleasures. A memento mori is an artwork designed to remind the viewer of their mortality and of the shortness and fragility of human life. Every aspect of the picture has symbolism and language, some evident and common, some obscure. These pictures are all studio still life setups, photographed digitally. The permanence of our ideas and identities, whether in art or in life, are a vanity of mind.

David Gorley is an East Tennessee artist with a BFA in Fine Arts from East Tennessee State University. He challenges himself to explore photography’s various techniques and styles to create cohesive, succinct showings of bodies of work. He has used various formats of film and digital cameras over the years. He loves to remind viewers of our rich history of art and how a particular genre in a particular time period can still be relevant to expand upon today. His work has shown throughout East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. www.davidgorley.com

The Emporium Center is located at 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery hours are M-F 9-5 and Sat 10-1. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present six new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, September 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM. As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Alliance and City of Knoxville, the free gathering with exhibiting artists will also feature nearly 20 artist vendors and live music with Fountain City Ramblers along the 100 Block of Gay Street, which will be open to pedestrians only from 4-10 PM between Jackson and Vine avenues.

This new collection of ceramic mosaics features geoscience investigations and discoveries in a broader context to enhance scientific understanding about natural processes among the public. In this exhibition, Anna Szynkiewicz presents artistic visualizations of geological settings investigated by the Curiosity, Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars as well as emphasizes the significance of clay use through time for water transport and purification. She has included mosaics made with help of University of Tennessee students who used imagination to express their knowledge gained in various Geoscience courses. The ceramic mosaics feature a variety of exciting career opportunities offered by Geoscience, including environmental, geology, water, and planetary fields.

Anna Szynkiewicz is an associate professor of geoscience in Earth & Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee. She teaches geology and environmental science courses and conducts geochemical research in volcanic and desert areas on Earth that are believed to be analogous to the planet Mars. She is also a member of Mighty Mud, where she makes ceramic Martian rovers and mosaics featuring scientific topics taught in her classes and researched with her students.

The Emporium Center is located at 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery hours are M-F 9-5 and Sat 10-1. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present six new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, September 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM. As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Alliance and City of Knoxville, the free gathering with exhibiting artists will also feature nearly 20 artist vendors and live music with Fountain City Ramblers along the 100 Block of Gay Street, which will be open to pedestrians only from 4-10 PM between Jackson and Vine avenues.

Where I Am is a series of etchings and linocuts created in Kyiv, Ukraine during the summer of 2022. This period marked the time immediately after the initial shock of Russia's unprovoked and unjust full-scale invasion of Ukraine had passed, allowing for the first meaningful reflections to emerge. During this time, millions of Ukrainians sought refuge abroad, grappling with the loss of their homeland. The artists behind the Where I Am project are members of the Antresola Art Studio, which has been active for over a decade at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. This studio fosters collaboration between younger and older generations of artists, including Ігор Цикура (Ihor Tsykura) and Інна Любич (Inna Liubych), who created pieces for the exhibit. The entire series was created for charity, with all proceeds from the sale of the artworks going toward providing medical equipment for the Ukrainian service members, facilitated through the Ukrainian charitable organization UA First Aid. Where I Am has previously exhibited in Kyiv, Ukraine; Tallinn, Estonia; and Athens, Ohio (USA). This local exhibition is presented by koloHUB, a Knoxville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping and improving the lives of war-impacted people and animals in Ukraine.

Home as a phenomenon, as a concrete object, is blurred in the twilight of the uncertain modern world. The tragic experience that millions of Ukrainians are currently experiencing prompts them to search for a new meaning of the very concept of “my home.” The project Where I Am is an attempt to capture fragments of semantic constructions (or delusions? or desperate dreams?) that, as a result of pressure from the savage and arrogant bureaucratic worlds, have not yet been able to form something coherent. The work of creating a new, comprehensible picture of the world from these elements is difficult and long, but it cannot be avoided.

Ігор Цикура (Ihor Tsykura) was born in the Donetsk region in 1965. He grew up in the southern part of the Kherson region and moved to Kyiv in the mid-90s as a “free artist.” Since 2001, he has been the head of the Antresola Art Studio: https://www.facebook.com/igor.tsikura. Інна Любич (Inna Liubych) was born in the Vinnytsia region in 1991. She studied in Kyiv, where she currently resides and works as a psychologist at the Center for Mental Health at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Liubych is the author of the painting project "Alexithymia of Space" (2019) and the co-author of the graphic projects "Where Am I?" (2023) and "Mystical Space" (2023): https://www.facebook.com/innoms

Instagram @whereiamukraine
www.koloHUB.com
https://uafirstaid.com/en/

The Emporium Center is located at 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery hours are M-F 9-5 and Sat 10-1. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.