'365D'

Gina Lollobrigida. Sophia Loren. Isabella Rossellini. What's not to like about Italian women? But it is precisely this stereotypical image of the perpetually sexy Italian female that "365D" repurposes. The show, previously exhibited in Rome and Milan, is based on a book by photographers Marzia Messina and Sam Hinchey, who sought a more authentic vision of Italian women ("donne," hence the "D" in the title). Covering all ages and occupations, the 365 women they photographed range from gorgeous to normal, punkish to grandmotherly. Progressing like days of a calendar, each portrait is joined by a story, written by the woman, that happened on that particular day, Most of the portraits are Polaroid size but still fascinating. Proceeds from the book are being donated to Susan G. Komen Italy, a nonprofit organization for the fight against breast cancer.

  • 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thu.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sat. Ends April 28
  • Icebox Gallery, 1500 NE. Jackson St., Mpls
  • 612-788-1790
  • www.iceboxminnesota.com

'SHARON LOUDEN: MOVEMENT AND GESTURE'

A gesture of the hand is an expressive, fleeting act to which New York artist Sharon Louden gives painterly substance. Deceptively simple, her oil on paper and panel paintings are a disciplined tangle of noodle-like marks that coalesce into minimalist compositions of restrained, rhythmic beauty. A second reading may be required to fully appreciate the subtle movement of Louden's hand and how skillfully she choreographs color with form. Her palette is luminous. Subdued blues, off-whites and grays are animated by shots of vibrant red, yellow and orange. Up close, the raised edges of her brush strokes bring a tactile dimension to the works. Two short digital animations confirm these wiggly forms do have a life of their own. As marks appear, diffuse into one another and then disappear, "Them" and "Hugs" may be the stars of the show. Louden's three small wall-mounted sculptures constructed from aluminum strips are evocative apostrophes to her monumental installation "Merge," on view at the Weisman Art Museum through May 20.

  • 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Ends May 6.
  • Burnet Gallery at Le Méridien Chambers, 901 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls
  • 612-817-6824
  • www.burnetgallery.com

DYANI WHITE HAWK

White Hawk conflates the vocabulary of 20th-century modern art with the forms and symbols expressive of her Lakota heritage. The results are smart, striking paintings that pay homage equally to the stripes, color fields and abstract passages of such artists as Sean Scully, Barnet Newman and Mark Rothko (who were all influenced by native art) as well as the billowing Sundance flags, striped blankets and tepees of her native people. This work -- such as "Home," White Hawk's iconic four directions cross shown here-- is both ancient and contemporary. She deftly integrates the porcupine quill, both real and painted, as a design motif and symbol. With a keen eye for color, White Hawk produces abstract narratives that praise and critique her academic training and her tribal heritage, illuminating the language and power of Lakota practices as well as the masters and conventions of modern art.