The Expletive Poster Show
The English language's most maligned four-letter word gets its due with a sure-to-be-profanity-laden poster show at the newish Stevens Square gallery Light Grey Art Lab. Expect plenty of F-bombs to drop, not to mention some bull-honkeys, gosh-darn-its and B-words. Graphic artists including Ann Shen, Patswerk, Teagan White and Victor Melendez will render their favorite dirty words in pretty, seemingly inoffensive typefaces. Bonus: If you wear an article of clothing that fits the theme of the show to the opening reception, you'll walk away with a custom poster print. Following Friday's reception, head back on Tuesday for "History of the 'F' Word: A Historical Look at One of English's Nastiest Words," a discussion led by English composition MFA candidate Deanna Larsen. (Free opening reception 7-10 p.m. Fri. Discussion 7-8:30 p.m. Tue. $5-$6 registration. Through Oct. 12. Light Grey Art Lab, 118 E. 26th St., Mpls. www.lightgreyartlab.com.) JAHNA PELOQUIN
'Exactitude'
Memory and reality are the focus of the latest works from Minneapolis artist Pamela Valfer and San Francisco-based Christina Empedocles, who are exhibiting jointly in "Exactitude." The title references the precise, photograph-like quality of both artists' respective drawings and illustrations, which are at once hyper-real and dreamlike. Valfer's landscapes merge real and imaginary landscapes, juxtaposing natural elements with iconic urban landmarks. (Think "Little House on the Prairie" meets "Good Times.") Empedocles' depictions of crumbled letters and comic strips reveal only part of the story, leaving the viewer to fill in the blanks. (Free opening reception 6-9 p.m. Fri. Through Nov. 11. Burnet Gallery at Le Méridien Chambers, 901 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. www.burnetgallery.com.) J.P.
'Through a Glass, Darkly: New Work by Serena Cole'
Cole, an artist from the San Francisco area, probes that dark area of the psyche where beauty doubts itself. Her new "Black Mirrors" series plucks images of high-fashion models from the pages of glamour magazines and turns them into haunting portraits of the damaged creatures she sees behind their carefully constructed facades. Still beautiful, they are yet more human as exposed. Her new series is informed also by her obsessions with the long history of art in which idealized men and women took the form of ancient gods and goddesses. In modern times we fixate on models, movie stars and those fantasy creatures who inhabit the unreal realm of "reality" shows. Whatever their source, they are creatures of the dark dreams that Cole transforms into art. Her first solo show at SooVAC is also a tribute to the gallery's founder, Suzy Greenberg, who died suddenly Aug. 16. Greenberg championed Cole's art after discovering it in a 2006 show and worked closely with her to prepare this exhibition. (Opening reception 6-9 p.m. Sat., free. Soo Visual Arts Center, 2638 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. Through Oct. 20. 612-871-2263 or www.soovac.org.) MARY ABBE
