WHAT: Caché: Casket arts showcase
WHEN: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Friday; 12p.m.-8 p.m., Saturday; 12p.m.âÄì5 p.m., Sunday
WHERE: Casket Arts Building, 681 17th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
COST: Free
Known as being a part of the city that holds a commitment to celebrating art and artists, Northeast is filled with galleries. Among many inspiring places, one sprawling expanse of archaic stone epitomizes the symbiosis between the community and those with a push to create in any medium: the Casket arts and carriage house building.
To celebrate the prolific work of some of the 100+ artists who utilize the space, the Casket presents âÄúCaché,âÄù a showcase of their work.
Meant to highlight art, fashion and music, âÄúCachéâÄù will provide a multifaceted opportunity to experience both seasoned and burgeoning talent within the local arts scene.
âÄúArtists need to support each other,âÄù clothing designer Gina Landes said. âÄúIt really builds a sense of community when you take time to appreciate what everyone around you is doing.âÄù
Now in its fourth year running, the event has gained most credibility through the sheer number of participants. The various studio spaces and businesses provide a work area for dozens of painters, sculptors, jewelers, textile designers and more. There is no lack of diversity.
âÄúCasket is more a community than a workspace,âÄù vintage furniture curator Maria Zellar said. âÄúItâÄôs different than a gallery because you actually get to see how the work is made. ItâÄôs like a little artistic city.âÄù
Structured more as an open house than a scheduled gallery affair, attendees can roam through the spacious building to soak up their preferred vein of art. Local musicians (Robert Bell, Chris Thompson and City of Sound and Danny Morrison solo to name a few) will provide entertainment on the first and fourth lobbies throughout the duration of the showcase.
âÄúAs a musician itâÄôs especially rewarding to perform in an environment of creative, artistic people,âÄù Morrison said.
The reasons to attend are scattered across the board. Appreciating the hard work of talented locals is at the forefront, sure, but itâÄôs not like the typical college student is in the market to purchase a painting for their meager dorm room (letâÄôs face it: that money goes to snacks and nightlife). To the realistic appreciator of art and shopping, thereâÄôs no better place to snag one-of-a-kind jewelry or clothing than at a gallery occasion.
At its core, however, âÄúCachéâÄù seeks to foster more personal interactions with the artists than the rushed, forced cordiality of a typical âÄústuffyâÄù art function. The artists, playing host in their own digs, will be more comfortable and also more eager to discuss their work and process.
Combined with the inevitable (albeit clichéd) presence of wine and cheese, art aficionados and adventurous weekenders citywide have every reason to revel in the product of something cool, fun and free within the reachable boundaries of campus.
