Twin Cities' 5 must-see art shows this weekend

Above: "Receiving Blanket," a plush blanket imprinted with a bombed-out building, is part of Essma Imady's exhibit "Thicker Than Water."

ARTIST TALK

Essma Imady: Thicker Than Water

Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m.

Minneapolis Institute of Art (2400 Third Ave S, Mpls)

Free

Syrian-born artist Imady's solo exhibition "Thicker Than Water" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art is a solemn, heartbreaking meditation on the effects of Syria's civil war. It is also partly about the artist's own survivor's guilt: Through a series of coincidences, she happened to leave the country right before fighting broke out. This evening she will discuss her work in an artist talk. The exhibition runs through June 24. Read more about Imady's work here: http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-show-by-syrian-born-artist-explores-the-effect-of-war-on-children/477753343/

Yeah Maybe #29: Denver-based art collective Hyperlink, curated by Nicole Soukup

Opening: Saturday, May 19 at 7 p.m.

Open hours: Sunday, May 20 from 12-3 p.m.

Conversations with artists: Sunday, May 20 at 3 p.m.

This is the last show that Yeah Maybe will be doing before they take a little break. After two years and 29 consecutive monthly shows, the collective is staying goodbye for a little while. They'll be taking the summer off to do some exploring. The group will return in the fall, possibly in another format all together. Artists included in this show: Theresa Anderson, Amber Cobb, Tobias Fike, Ian Fisher, Donald Fodness, Matthew Harris, Derrick Velasquez, Summer Ventiz, Ashley Williams, Kathryn Wingard, Xi Zhang, Pat Keen, Moving Chic, Lip Gym and P. Larkin. The exhibition is curated by Nicole Soukup, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and the MAEP Coordinator at Minneapolis Institute of Art. For more about Yeah Maybe, check out this article: http://www.startribune.com/for-a-growing-number-of-twin-cities-galleries-home-is-where-the-art-is/443467013/

Rosalux Gallery (1400 Van Buren Street NE, Suite 195, Mpls)

Opening reception: Friday, May 18, 6-10 p.m.

Open hours: Saturday, May 19, 12-4 p.m.

A celebration of the gallery store expansion, this group exhibition also happens to coincide with Art-a-Whirl. Terrence Payne debuts a new series of quilts that mark a depature from his more dystopian-themed work.

MCAD Auction

Tickets $150

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (2501 Stevens Ave)

More than 60 works of art by alumni, friends and faculty go up for auction during this annual event. All proceeds support student scholarships through the MCAD Scholarship Fund. Artits donating their work include Julie Buffalohead ('95), Pao Houa Her ('09), and even MCAD President Jay Coogan. For the full list of artworks, visit mcad.edu/auction. More info about the event: https://mcad.edu/about-mcad/events/the-auction-at-mcad

Art-a-Whirl!!!!!

Free