Art for All

Think back to last fall. As the weather was turning cooler, we were bracing for a second wave of COVID-19, there was no approved vaccine, and live events were still largely virtual or outdoors. Crowding into a stadium to sing along with your favorite artist was unthinkable, our theater companies couldn’t yet safely return to the stage, and art museums and galleries were capping visitorship or requiring viewing appointments. A year later, St. Louis is set to welcome The Rolling Stones along with other big names. The Rep and Black Rep are both back at it with can’t-miss productions. And a space at the Saint Louis Galleria will transform top to bottom into an immersive Van Gogh exhibit. What we’re getting at here is that we’ve come a long way–this fall, there’s a bounty of arts events to appeal to any and everyone. Hopefully, last year remains a distant memory, but, as always, check with a venue for any cancellations or postponements before you go.

fall arts guide SEPTEMBER

Must-see Contemporary Art Museum exhibits↑

SEPTEMBER 3–FEBRUARY 20

Four new CAM exhibits go on display this fall: In Shara Hughes depicts a vibrant and chaotic world. Her paintings combine reality with the abstract and are known for their psychological complexity. Sculptor showcases a collection of work Butterly created 1996-2018 by building out each sculpture from the same starting place: a pint glass. In Farah Al Qasimi will showcase probing images of empathy, connection, and subjectivity for the museum’s Project Wall. And Lorna Simpson’s will be displayed from dusk to midnight on the museum’s fagade for Street Views. The two digital animations, (2020) and (2018), come from a series that combines watercolor coifs and old black-and-white images from and magazines.