Misleading Trails

This new exhibit at Skidmore’s Schick Art Gallery is the fruit of more than 18 months of “interaction and collaboration” among seven artists from the China Art Archives and Warehouse (Beijing) and Bucknell University: Ai WeiWei, Xiaoze Xie, Hong Hao, Vernon Fisher, Enrique Chagoya, Dan Mills and Hai Bo. As Xie explains in the catalogue essay, “Even though there is not a single theme or artistic medium linking all the works in the exhibition, there are diverse and complex correlations between the featured works.” In other words, words are insufficient: Go to Schick and discover the connections yourself.

Pictured is Mills’ Mine! (2004, courtesy of the artist and Printworks Gallery, Chicago).

Misleading Trails opens today (Thursday, July 13) and continues through Sept. 22 at the Schick Art Gallery (Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs); please note that the gallery will be closed (for Summer vacation?) between Aug. 4 and Sept. 4. There is also an opening reception today from 6 to 7 PM. Artist-curator Dan Mills will present a lecture on the exhibit on July 21 at 7 PM in Skidmore’s Gannett Auditorium (Palamountain Hall). Admission to the gallery and all events is free. For gallery hours, call 580-5049.

Rasputina

Rasputina are a band who share much in common with the historical figure they are named after. No, they aren’t large, bearded, faux holymen with supercharged sex drives and alleged healing powers. However, like Rasputin, they are a bit ethereal, hard to pin down, and mesmerizing. According to the band’s Web page, they even share the same century of birth with the mad monk—the 1800s. If this were true, the cello trio who call their concerts ‘recitals’ would have something else in common with Rasputin—that they would be long dead. Alas, Ras putina are not deceased, de spite all their cosmetic attempts to appear otherwise. No, the rotting fingers of the living dead could not coax the elegant noises out of the cello strings that Rasputina can.

Lately, the band who refer to themselves as “The Traveling Ladies’ Cello Society” have run into a vexing problem. Ever since member Zöe Keating left this year, there has been something mucking up their prim-and-proper allure: They have replaced Ms. Keating with an icky-sticky boy. Will they be able to turn any more young, impressionable lasses into brides of the undead? You’ll have to find out for yourself. Forgive us, our inkwell has run dry and we can no longer dip our quill.

Rasputina will die for you on Monday (July 17) at 8 PM at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio, (302 Central Ave, Albany). Tickets are $15. Call 465-5233 ext. 4 for more information.

the 51st (dream) state

Spoken-word artist Sekou Sundiata has drawn favorable comparisons to Gil Scott-Heron and the Last Poets, which should pretty much give you an idea of where he’s coming from. He’s been called a “master poet/artist/musician and spokesperson for our times.” Longstoryshort, Sundiata’s 2000 release on the Righteous Babe label, is, simply, one of the most engaging works in its form. And he’s been an influence and inspiration for artists from Ani DiFranco to Mike Doughty. In the 51st (dream) state, Sundiata will do what he does best—recite his socially conscious poetry over Afro-Caribbean, funk, and jazz music (performed by a 10-piece ensemble)—but the performance also will incorporate a visual element that should make for a stirring and thought-provoking evening at the theater.

the 51st (dream) state with Sekou Sundiata will be performed this Saturday (July 15) at 8 PM and Sunday (July 16) at 3 PM at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle St., Great Barrington, Mass.). Tickets are $24, $36 and $50, $16 for students. For tickets or more information, call (413) 528-0100 or visit www.mahaiwe.org.