September 30, 2015
Arts Roundup: Photography, a world premiere – and the acoustics of books
This week, UW World Series begins its 2015-2016 season at Meany Hall with Japanese butoh ensemble Sankai Juku, and continues with a collaboration between string quartet ETHEL and Native American flutist Robert Mirabal. Just across Red Square, acoustical engineer Zackery Belanger explores the acoustics of books in a Henry Art Gallery talk, where visitors will also find an exhibition of photographs by German photographer Ilsa Bing.
Sankai Juku
8 p.m., October 1-3 | Meany Theater
Declared “one of the most original and startling dance theater groups” by The New York Times, Japanese butoh ensemble Sankai Juku kicks off the UW World Series season with three performances in back-to-back nights. Weaving meticulous movement with dramatic staging, Sankai Juku is known for creating deeply moving dance and theatrical experiences. These Meany Hall performances feature the North American premiere of their latest creation, “Umusuna: Memories Before History.” More info
Zackery Belanger: On the Acoustics of Books
1 p.m., October 3 | Henry Art Gallery
As printed matter increasingly becomes displaced by digital platforms, Detroit-based acoustical engineer Zackery Belanger wants to know what is lost when we take away the physical form of the book. In this one-hour talk, Belanger will discuss how the 20,000 books in the Henry’s Librería Donceles exhibition have changed the acoustics of the Henry’s exhibition space. More info.
Native American flutist Robert MirabalPhoto: Kate Russell
ETHEL with Special Guest Robert Mirabal: The River
8 p.m., October 8 | Meany Theater
Critically acclaimed string quartet ETHEL continues its six-year collaboration with Native American flutist and two-time Grammy Award winner Robert Mirabal with this world premiere performance. Using rivers as inspiration for collaboration, their music explores water as the embodiment of spirit and its essential role in life on Earth in a cross-cultural concert experience. More info.
The public is invited to a free, lunch-time artist preview with ETHEL & Robert Mirabal at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, at the UW Intellectual House. More Info.
“Garden wire” Ilse Bing
Ilse Bing: Modern Photographer
Through October 18 | Henry Art Gallery
German artist and commercial photographer Ilsa Bing was an early pioneer of photographing with the with the 35 mm Leica hand-held camera, creating bold architectural compositions and observations of everyday life. This exhibition presents a selection of Bing images that have been gifted to the Henry Art Gallery in recent years. More info.
Titanoboa: Monster Snake
Through November 15 | Burke Museum
Measuring 48 feet long and weighing an estimated one-and-a-half tons, a realistic replica of the world’s largest snake is the centerpiece of the Burke Museum’s current exhibit, Titanoboa: Monster Snake. The exhibit delves into the discovery of the biggest snake on earth, which lived 60 million years ago in the era after the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. More info.
