Art: 'Design Cycles'

FRIDAY

'Design Cycles: A Bike Show'

Everyone knows how awesome Minnesota is for biking. But did you know the state is also a hot spot for innovative design in the bicycle industry? A new exhibition at the University of Minnesota's Goldstein Museum of Design celebrates the contributions of regional designers, builders and collectors who make our state a cutting-edge center of bicycle aesthetics. "Design Cycles," curated by Jean Mc­Elvain, will feature the latest in frame design by regional builders such as "The Liberace of Bikes" Erik Noren and Curt Goodrich, plus gear and tools by Twin Six and Bike Fixtation. You'll learn about the history of Surly fat bikes and get context on how bicycling has evolved and shaped culture through objects, photographs and historical maps. (Free opening party 6-8:30 p.m. Fri. Ends May 10, free. Goldstein Museum of Design in McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Av., St. Paul. goldstein.design.umn.edu.)Sheila Regan

SATURDAY

'Vibrant Matters'

Always inventive, the seven Minnesota artists whose new work is featured in "Vibrant Matters" transform the most unlikely stuff into art — rusty cans, roadkill, animal hair, sausage casings, found sound, dark matter. Some or all of that detritus will find its way into their new show. Participants include David Emitt Adams, who uses 19th-century photographic processes to print images on antique cans; bronze fabricator David Aschenbrener; art taxidermist Sarina Brewer; fiber artist Erica Spitzer Rasmussen; musician/filmmaker Chris Strouth, and photographer Keith Taylor. (Free opening reception 6-8 p.m. Sat. Ends March 14, free. Instinct Art Gallery, 940 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. 612-240-2317 or www.instinctmpls.com.) Mary Abbe

SATURDAY

'Wintertide: Biennial Juried Art Exhibit'

Well, well. Looks like the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association — the uber-inclusive, 700-plus-member nonprofit behind the come-one, come-all Art-A-Whirl — just got a lot more ... discerning. Saturday, NEMAA opens its first-ever juried exhibition, putting the curatorial squeeze on a group of artists previously admitted on as little as an annual fee. Member artists submitted around 500 works to be scrutinized by a panel of judges including U of M assistant professor and art critic Christina Schmid and Weinstein Gallery director Leslie Hammons. Did we mention there's a cash prize? Best in show will walk away with $2,000. Northeast art steps up its game. (Free opening reception 7-11 p.m. Sat. Public Functionary, 1400 12th Av. NE., Mpls. www.publicfunctionary.org.)

Gregory J. Scott