The Twin Cities' 5 must-see art exhibitions this weekend

The weekend has come upon us swiftly, just like the rainstorm that hit the other day. But where there is rain, there is art. Or something like that. I cruised around and found these shows that I'm now recommending to you, dear reader. Check them out. Maybe I'll see you at some openings. Write to me and tell me if you liked them, what you thought, and if you are pleased or if you're pissed: alicia.eler@startribune.com. Or hit me up on Twitter @aliciaeler. See you around town and the internet, lol.

OPENING -- Queer Street Art, Fighting for Legitimacy

Opening: Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m.

Amalgamated MPLS, 720 Central Ave., NE, Unit 1, Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612-998-3361)

Event information here

The first time I saw two butch bearded dudes making out, probably on some street in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood, which is lined with phallic rainbow poles, I thought to myself: "Dude, that is hot!" I am certain that street artist Jeremy Novy thought the same thing. For the last two decades he's been covering the streets of San Francisco with his queerdo artwork, decorating sidewalks and pavement with koi fish and dudes smooching. He's not nearly as "anonymous" as, say, Banksy, but some only refer to him as the "queer street artist" whose work is for social change. Novy is stopping in Minneapolis while on his whirlwind cross-country tour. For those with some extra cash to spend, sign up for his one-day stencil workshop ($60) by calling 612-998-3361 immediately.

OPENING – "Transitions. A Daughter's Journey"

MPLS Photo Center, 2^nd Floor Gallery (2400 North 2^nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55411)

Event information here

Life: It's a journey! In this photography exhibition by artist Terry Gydesen, the artist displays 30 color photographs documenting her father, who slowly slipped away through four years of Alzheimer's in 2015.

OPENING -- A Mussel is to A House

Yeah Maybe Project Space (2528 East 22^nd St, Minneapolis)

Open hours: Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m. -3 p.m.
Artist discussion on Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m.

Gallery website here

The word-playful title of the group exhibition "A Mussel is to A House" at Yeah Maybe Project Space actually has nothing to do with shellfish. Actually, it's a collaboration between Yeah Maybe, the Walker Art Center and University of Minnesota students Havilah Aos, Paige Carlson, Torey Erin, Lexi Herman, Daniel McCarthy Clifford, Xavier Tavera Castro and Emily Swanberg. The show uses the humorous, poetic conceptual work of Belgian artist Marcel Broodthaers, whose work is on view as part of "Question the Wall Itself" at the Walker, as the starting point for critical inquiry.

Nathan Hylden, "Untitled," 2017. Acrylic and UV print on aluminum.

OPENING -- Nathan Hylden

Midway Contemporary Art (527 Second Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414)

Opening reception: Saturday, April 29, 6-8 p.m.

Event information here

Artist Nathan Hylden's hyper detail-oriented drawings overflow with patterns that often times create a mirror reflection of either side. Ritualistic and entrancing, they seem like images that one can only enter after staring at them for a very, very long time. So it's fitting that a magnifying glass would be the only image on the Midway website promoting this show, as if to say KEEP LOOKING . . .

ONGOING --- Vesna Kittelson, "BABEL LIBRARY"

Open hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-6pm

Kittleson's sculptures look like finely tuned findings from archaeological digs. Working with materials as fine as gold dust to as dirty as tar, the artist creates objects that occupy spaces of conflict.