The list of what’s good and what’s new in Austin and beyond for the week of Aug. 19, 2018
Beach Blanket Cabaret
Natalie George Productions stages another of its brilliant cabaret evenings, this time featuring singers Hannah Rose, Veronica Williams and Paul Sanchez. Cocktails and bites available.
Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Aug. 19-20, Ironwood Hall, 505 E. Fifth St. nataliegeorgeproductions.com/cabaret
“Water Music: A Workshop Performance”
Graham Reynolds loves science and “Water Music” is his new suite that explores water in in all its roles from the geopolitics of water rights to the element’s role in jellyfish propulsion. Reynolds will premiere “Water Music” in 2019, but in the meantime the Austin composer is trying it out in a free workshop performance.
8 p.m. Aug. 20 & 27, Dive Bar, 1703 Guadalupe St. Free. facebook.com/events/406616839853444/
Art From the Streets
Troy Campa of CAMIBAart Gallery curates this exhibit of art made by people who are struggling with homelessnes via the longtime volunteer-run program Art From The Streets.
Opening: 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 22. Exhibit continues through Oct. 14. Austin Central Library, 701 W. Cesar Chavez St. Info
“Ed Ruscha: Archaeology and Romance”
Ed Ruscha’s wry and deadpan representations of the vernacular of the last 50 years of American West distill the imagery of popular culture into a language of cinematic and typographical codes that are as accessible as they are profound. “Archaeology and Romance” is first major exhibition drawn from the Ransom Center’s Edward Ruscha Papers and Art Collection, a body of archival materials — selected by the artist and acquired by the Ransom Center in 2013 — focused especially on Ruscha’s artist’s books.
Continues through Jan. 19, 2019. Harry Ransom Center, UT campus. Free. hrc.utexas.edu
Return of the Litvak: Angry Cloud + Descnd
Austin street artist Angry Cloud takes over the DORF’s house gallery and surrounds grounds with an immersive installation featuring his signature angry clouds — is a cathartic expression for him that reclaims public spaces from pervasive, bland development
Opening weekend happenings: 7 to 10 p.m Aug. 24; 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 25 Live T-shirt screen printing: $5, bring your own shirt. Beto O’Rourke fundraiser and voter registration. On Aug. 24, Angry Cloud will be live painting. Exhibit continues 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 15 (and by appointment). Info
Works Progress Austin: “Casta” by Adrienne Dawes
A staged reading of Adrienne Dawes’ new play “Casta,” inspired by a series of casta paintings by Miguel Cabrera, an 18th-century mixed-race painter from Oaxaca. Casta paintings were a unique form of Mexican colonial portraiture that depicted different racial mixtures arranged according to a hierarchy defined by Spanish elites. Dawes’ lyrical, expressive play uses puppets and an original score by Graham Reynolds.
7:30 p.m. Aug. 24, 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25, Austin Presbyterian Theological, Seminary, 100 E 27th St. $5, salvagevanguard.org/tickets
“Revolving Catastrophes and Myths of a Beautiful World”
Mixing visual references from science fiction, mythology and art history Mexico City artist Cristobal Garcia trains his eye on Galveston Island and its history of devastating storms, rebuilding, tourism and immigration to investigate the cycles of catastrophe and the subsequent myths created as coping mechanisms.
Opening: 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 25 with a 7 p.m. gallery talk with Garcia and exhibit curator Leslie Moody Castro. On view through Nov. 3. Galveston Artist Residency and Gallery, 2521 Ships Mechanic Row, Galveston galvestonartistresidency.org
Cristobal Garcia
