The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick, Feb. 17-May 18, Chazen Museum of Art: 20th century artist Wharton Esherick worked in a variety of mediums, from painting to printmaking to sculpture, but is best known for making furniture that blends function and an artistic vision (which is why he is often considered the “father” of the studio furniture movement). Esherick’s home and studio in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is now a museum housing almost 3,000 of his art works, and it is from that collection that the exhibition “The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick” is drawn. A reception takes place at 5:30 p.m. on March 19; for more related events, visit chazen.wisc.edu.
Wild & Scenic: 2024 Rewind, Monday, Feb. 17, UW Union South Marquee, 6 p.m.: Last spring, the Barrymore hosted some films from the 2024 Wild and Scenic Film Festival (a fraction of those shown at the five-day California fest itself, which focuses on nature-based, activist, environmental topics). Now the UW’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies ongoing Tales From Planet Earth series has arranged for screenings of six films from the 2024 festival: Paddle Tribal Waters, 6,000 Miles, Chicas al Agua (Girls to the Water), INWARD, Finding the Line and Study Aboard. And in addition to the films being both beautiful and inspirational, there’s craft time before the showing. The Office of Sustainability hosts a DIY upcycling activity; if you bring an old T-shirt you can learn how to turn it into a tote bag.
Nickolas Butler, Tuesday, Feb. 18, Central Library, 7 p.m.: In A Forty Year Kiss, the fifth novel by Nickolas Butler, the Eau Claire-raised author rekindles his affinity for small-town Wisconsin settings — which were so integral to previous novels like the 2015 bestseller Shotgun Lovesongs and 2019’s Little Faith. Charlie and Vivian divorced after just four years of marriage, but then Charlie returns to Wisconsin 40 years later and attempts to reconnect with Vivian and pick up the broken pieces. The result is being billed as the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your book-loving sweetheart. This event is part of the ongoing Wisconsin Book Festival and will feature Butler in conversation with Wisconsin Book Festival ambassador and fellow author Laura Anne Bird.
Ann Arbor Film Festival Tour, Tuesday, Feb. 18, Arts + Literature Lab, 7 p.m.: Film festivals, usually place-specific, don’t always go on the road per se, although the films make the circuit from fest to fest. But the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the oldest avant garde and experimental film festival in North America, makes an annual tour and ALL hosts this version of the 2024 fest, with films Intersextion, Getting OK With Being OK That Things Are Not OK, This Line Connects the Void, Chasing Birds, de-composition, The Sketch, Nothing Special, Matta and Matto, and Long Time No Techno; none are more than 16 minutes long and encompass animation, humor, suspense, and more experimental approaches.
Marko Topchii, Tuesday, Feb. 18, Christ Presbyterian Church, 7 p.m.: Marko Topchii began studying classical guitar at age 4 in his native Ukraine. Three decades later, he is one of the most decorated guitarists on the international competition circuit, with more than 100 awards on his resume since 2007. Topchii’s current tour celebrates winning the Rose Augustine Grand Prize at the Guitar Foundation of America’s 2023 International Concert Artist Competition; the program includes works from both modern-day composers such as Frederic Hand and legends like J.S. Bach. The concert is hosted by the Madison Classical Guitar Society.
SOULful Joy, through Feb. 28, Madison College Gallery: The exhibition “SOULful Joy” features work by 14 artists celebrating Black culture and history as part of Black History Month. The exhibition also is an annual event honoring the memory of Dzigbodi Akyea, an academic advisor at Madison College for nearly two decades; it’s hosted by the Sisters of Unity and Leadership (SOUL) Affinity Group and Division of College Culture and Climate. The exhibit continues through Feb. 28.
Grace Jung, Wednesday, Feb. 19, Central Library, 7 p.m.: Squid Game is Korean television and is just one example of how the nation’s programming has seized the imagination of a worldwide audience. In this Wisconsin Book Festival presentation, Grace Jung — author, stand-up comedian and media studies Ph.D. — will discuss her new book, K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry Into Why We Love Korean Television. What is the cultural import of Korean TV? Jung delves into Squid Game, SKY Castle, Crash Course in Romance, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, My Mister, Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, DP, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Our Blues, and more. If nothing else it should set you up for bingeing for a good long while.
MMoCA Cinema, Wednesdays, through Feb. 26, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7 p.m.: These days in Madison, we often only have one shot to see non-blockbuster movies on the big screen. For its winter MMoCA Cinema series, the museum ups the ante by offering four films not currently streaming, either. Still to come: Feb. 19 features Viet and Nam, a romantic drama about coal miners/lovers dreaming of a better life; it was banned in Vietnam. The series wraps on Feb. 26 with a screening of Let’s Get Lost, an Oscar-nominated documentary about singer/trumpeter Chet Baker. Find more info at mmoca.org.
Renaissance Cluster of Dog Shows, Feb. 20-23, Alliant Energy Center: Were you among those waiting with bated breath for the Best in Show announcement at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show earlier this month? (Monty the giant schnauzer, for the win.) If so, don’t forget Madison has its own major canine event on the horizon. The Renaissance Cluster of Dog Shows is co-hosted by the Wisconsin and Dubuque kennel clubs, and features competition by more than 200 breeds starting at 8 a.m. daily. Find more info at renaissancecluster.org.
I AM a Man: The Re-humanization of Black Men, through Feb. 28, Goodman South Madison Library: A visit to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis inspired Madison artist Sharon Bjyrd to curate “I AM a Man: The Re-humanization of Black Men.” As she writes in the exhibition description, “In this exhibit, I hope to reclaim the humanity denied to Black men, not only in moments of historic protest but in everyday life — whether through the devastating impact of systemic racism in policing, prisons, or the policies that enforced single motherhood.” Meet the artists and participate in art activities at the final community gathering from 6-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 20. More info at madisonbubbler.org.
Che Durena, Feb. 20-22, Comedy on State: You may know Che Durena from his time as a host and writer for the YouTube hit My Most Amazing Top 10; his many viral TikTok videos; or perhaps from his current podcast, the sex- and culture-themed Dark Holes. Durena’s stand-up work showcases his freewheeling, uncensored improv ability to bounce back at audiences whatever (often blue) topics come up. Prepare to get roasted, Madison. Shows at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 7 and 9:30 p.m., Feb. 21-22. Tickets at madisoncomedy.com.
Wintertime, through Feb. 22, Bartell Theatre: Madison Public Theatre tackles Wintertime by Charles Mee, one of the country’s most innovative playwrights. While the setup may sound like a romantic farce — a couple looking for an amorous retreat at a lake house is suddenly interrupted by neighbors and friends — Mee draws on theater history to take this to different areas. Read Rebecca Jamieson’s review here. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except for 2 p.m. on Feb. 22). Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.
A Number, Feb. 20-March 2, American Players Theatre, Spring Green: Two Crows is the small but mighty theater company that works the winter season in Spring Green, to excellent effect. Its second production of this season is the psychological thriller A Number by Caryl Churchill, starring APT Core Company members Marcus Truschinski and David Daniel. Two Crows is branching out into a new venue, APT’s Touchstone Theatre, which should prove an intimate setting for the heady sci-fi-inflected plot revolving around human cloning and father/son dynamics. Shows are at 7:30 p.m.Thursdays and Fridays, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Find more info and tickets at twocrowstheatrecompany.org.
Adam Bohanan, Thursday, Feb. 20, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Currently based in the Twin Cities, Adam Bohanan made a splash in 2024 as a semi-finalist on The Voice; he wowed audiences and the judges with a soulful take on Chris Stapleton’s “Think I’m in Love with You,” a showcase for his elastic vocal pyrotechnics. He’s on tour this winter ahead of a forthcoming solo album, including the smoothly bouncy new single “Open Your Heart.” With Theo Brown. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.
