Unofficial gallery night this Friday in Milwaukee

Officially, gallery night (and day) comes around four times a year. I enjoy gallery night, especially when the weather is good. It’s great to rub shoulders with so many folks out to see art—and in some of the busier locations I often literally do rub shoulders; it has gotten that popular. But there’s a down side to gallery night, and it’s due largely to its popularity. The art seems to be taking a back seat to the socializing.

I’m all for socializing, especially with people who like art. It beats sitting home alone—and it’s good for one’s mental health as well.

On the other hand, if you want to see art, this Friday is shaping up to be a mini gallery night, judging from the surprising number of openings. Not being an official gallery night, you’re less likely to run into the pure socialites and more likely to run into to pure art lovers.

Here are my picks for Friday, Sep. 10. There are others, but one can only do so much and I hope I make it to all of these. Unfortunately, they are all over the map! (Which will make it hard to get to them all, but is also nice to note.)

Walker’s Point Center for the Arts is having its annual membership show opening. Their website is down for some reason, but you can still get the info and address by clicking here.

Alverno College is showing Pause to See: A Photographic Journey through Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand and Ecuador by Suzanne Garr. Sounds to me like she’s covering a lot of territory there. Click here for info.

Cardinal Stritch University is hosting the “90-day lawn ornament” by Gary John Gresl. The title itself is intriguing but for anyone who knows Gary’s penchant for intricate and provocative assemblages, this sounds like a must-see. Click here for info.

There is always something happening in the Marshall Building in the Third Ward. Light Ideas Gallery is opening "The Freetimers Book of Light"—a group photography show to benefit AWE (Artists Working in Education), a great program to support! Click here for info.

If the Latino Arts Gallery at the United Community Center is not on your list of regulars, I recommend you add it. The show that opens Friday is Luis Barragán Legacy. Barragán is one of Mexico's most important architects and probably THE most important modernist. The image below is from this show. Oh, and you don't want to be late for this opening - the UCC puts out the best appetisers and they go fast! Click here for info.

Let me know where you’ll be going and I’ll try to bump into you there. (gently.)