Keeping up with what's going on in the always-busy Dallas arts scene is tough, especially if you don't exactly have the cash to shell out $40 or $60 for an occasionally mediocre performance. The perception that taking in good art is expensive is pervasive, and it keeps many of use brokelings away from some really cool events.
When there are free and low-cost opportunities to see the arts, you should take full advantage of them. Spend a few hours getting culture on the cheap with one of these four events, ranging from art exhibitions to an avant-garde presentation of short film and visual art.
Late Nights At The DMA January 16 Dallas Museum of Art Free (exhibits require tickets for admission)
Late Nights at the DMA are a cheap way to spend an evening, and there are plenty of activities for single folks, groups of friends and families. If you're dragging the kids along, you can do some painting and yoga or play bingo. There will also be accordion and violin performances, cocktails for purchase and an interesting documentary about Henri Matisse. Weirdly, you can also check out a rendering of Monet's "Water Lilies" made entirely out of nail polish.
The Abstract Image January 17-February 21 Sun To Moon Gallery www.suntomoon.com Free
The Sun To Moon Gallery in the Dallas Design District is generally dedicated to top-quality nature photography, but the gallery's upcoming exhibition is all about work that is much more abstract, the first of its kind. Featuring prints from nine world-renowned photographers, The Abstract Image is composed of images that challenge traditional notions of light, shape, shadow and form presented in a variety of printing styles and techniques.
Call and Response January 17-March 7 McKinney Avenue Contemporary Free
As Dallas VideoFest takes over the Dallas Contemporary for its annual Dallas Medianale event, there are a number of events that showcase works from the world's most innovative visual artists. On January 17, the Medianale's presentation of avant-garde video and film installations from renowned artists like Bruce Nauman, Gary Hill, and Owen Kydd comes to the MAC. If you have no clue exactly what video and film installations are as they relate to art, this event will likely be a good primer.
Postcommodity's Gallup Motel Butchering CentralTrak Saturday, January 17 Free
Also in the video art vein, CentralTrak will play home to Postcommodity, a collective of artists who view their work through a decidedly indigenous lens. The four artists, originally based in Canada, have traveled the globe with their unique interdisciplinary art and bring The Gallup Motel Butchering to CentralTrak after stops in Sydney and Ontario. The gritty and intense presentation follows a Navajo woman who uses a motel as a temporary space to butcher and clean meat for a feast. This one may be a little NSFV -- not safe for vegans.
