Five Art Exhibitions to See in Dallas this Weekend

For the Love of Kettle
If anyone ever tells you, “No one cares about art in Dallas,” send them straight to For the Love of Kettle. This annual event features the work of hundreds of artists from all over the city at various price points sold off in an energetic frenzy during a one-night-only event. Seriously, the lines are around the block. Beloved Kettle Art Gallery (2650 Main St.) throws this annual party as a way to pay the rent for the year and because it's a really good time. If you plan to buy, camp out before the doors open at 7 p.m. If you just want the spectacle, stop by anytime before 10 p.m. Admission is free, but bring your wallet because you'll probably leave with some art. More at kettleart.com

Adam Linder at Chalet Dallas
If you haven't yet spent an afternoon lounging in the Nasher Sculpture Center's Chalet exhibition, this will be your weekend to do so. May we suggest Friday? In its final weekend, this space has hired artist Adam Linder to perform his piece Some Cleaning (2013), which he describes as "a choreographic service in which a client may contract a subject, based on an hourly rate, to choreographically clean the space." From noon-5 p.m. Friday, Linder will be in the gallery, "cleaning" it. Admission is $10. 

Jeff Parrott, The Universe Is a Room We All Live In and I Am a Modern Shaman and We Are All Aliens
Painter Jeff Parrott creates an entire world in his paintings and oftentimes, he will then destroy it. The psychedelic world he places on the canvas is filled with energy; his work is chaotic and mind-numbing. This weekend, he will exhibit his latest paintings at The MAC – now in the Cedars – with an opening reception from 7-11 p.m. Saturday. 

Lips Like Sugar
It's always a delight when an artist whose work you like is given the chance to curate a show and introduce you to artists whose work they like. This weekend, Dallas-based multimedia artist Margaret Meehan curates an exhibition at Beefhaus (833 Exposition Ave.). Lips Like Sugar will feature the work of Robert Melton, M. Mendez and Emily Peacock, and during the opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Friday there will be a performance by Brad Tucker, “Bad Trucker: Classic Action Medlee.” More information at artbeef.blogspost.com. 

Thor Johnson 
Artist Thor Johnson doesn't make things that are easy to look at. His art is grimy and violent, and an exhibition of his work will likely send you out into the night with a small pit in your stomach lining (much like the characters in his world). But somehow you'll be better for it. Or at the very least, you'll still be alive. His latest work will be featured in an exhibition at Pariah (1505 Gano St.) with an opening reception from 7-10 p.m. Friday. More at facebook.com/pariaharts.