Eight Great Things To Do This Weekend – 4/8/21

ONE: Opening at the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover on Saturday, April 10, “Mel Kendrick: Seeing Things in Things” brings together over 100 works that span nearly five decades, offering a rare glimpse into the artistic evolution of one of the boldest and most consistently adventurous artists of his generation.

Since the 1970s, Mel Kendrick has charted a unique and innovative path of experimentation and provocative investigation into the fundamentals and possibilities of sculpture. Exploiting the essential properties of his selected medium, whether wood, rubber, paper, or concrete, Kendrick creates works that lay bare the process by which they were made. Visible traces of his trial-and-error method—marks, cuts, paint, oil stains—compel us to unravel the mystery of each sculpture’s making and in doing so share in the artist’s meditations on the relationships between inside and outside, solid and void, organic and geometric, and nature and culture. Click here for more information.

TWO: A downtown Lowell resident, Stephen Malagodi finds a lot to photograph as he wanders. Malagodi, who has been taking pictures since 1980 doesn’t do staged or indoor studio work; the street is where he finds inspiration … or the forest, the river or subway. His camera exposes hidden corners, odd perspectives and the habitues of the downtown streets. Visit the Arts League of Lowell for “A City to Live In,” which presents over 25 of his photographs, carefully curated from the hundreds he takes and presented as a visual symphony of life in the city. There will be a small reception this Saturday, April 10, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. where you can meet the artist. Click here for more information.

THREE: Classical music fans should check out the latest performance by The Lexington Symphony. Featuring the works of Ludwig Maurer, Bach, Copland and Beethoven, this concert, titled “The Inside Story” will take place virtually this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. For more information on the Lexington Symphony’s concert series, click here, and to register for this weekend’s performance, click here.

FOUR: Get ready to celebrate the spring with a virtual good time during the Chelmsford Center for the Arts’ CCA in Bloom virtual party. Attendees will see beautiful works of art and floral arrangements while also learning how to make unique spring cocktails and mocktails. Put on your best spring outfit, order food from one of Chelmsford’s local restaurants, and then watch the exhibit unfold. The party starts on Friday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Click here for more information.

FIVE: Don’t miss the latest exhibit at Northern Essex Community College’s (NECC) Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace Gallery, featuring the work of NECC alum Kale Baker. Titled “Vessels,” this online exhibit includes 11 oil paintings, capturing a wide range of subjects from plants in a greenhouse at the Fuller Gardens in North Hampton, N.H., to the Merrimack River and the New England coast. The online exhibit an artist vita and statement, a video interview with the artist, and the exhibit. Click here for access to the online exhibit.

SIX: Do you miss watching live performances at The Palace Theatre in Manchester N.H.? Well, reminisce in some of the theatre’s best moments during the virtual presentation of “Musical Memories from the Palace Stage” Friday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Audience members will get an inside peek to the actor’s process while they enjoy 10 iconic moments from the Palace Theatre stage, introduced by fan favorite performers. Visit here to register for the event.

SEVEN: TONIGHT! Westford’s Parish Center for the Arts will be hosting their annual guest, Don White, virtually. White is many things: an award-winning singer/songwriter, a comedian, an author, and a storyteller. He has been making audiences cry tears of laughter for thirty years, released ten CDs, three live DVDs, and a book titled “Memoirs of a C Student.” The show starts at 7 p.m. Visit here to sign up for this livestream event that’s guaranteed to make you laugh.

EIGHT: Now that the snow has melted and the spring weather is settling in, stargazing at Gore Place in Waltham is back for the spring and summer season. See the night sky in new ways during this hour-long stargazing program led by an expert astronomy educator. Attendees will learn how to identify stars, planets and constellations, and uncover the historical importance of astronomy in the early 19th century. Stargaze this Friday from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Click here for more on this event.

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BONUS EVENT: TONIGHT! Art enthusiasts and everyone alike should check out the virtual program Sunflowers and Starry Nights: Inside the Genius of Vincent Van Gogh with Jane Oneail. In the decades that followed Vincent Van Gogh’s death at the age of 37, he has become regarded as a tragic genius. At 6 p.m., art educator Jane Oneail, will take her audience through the life, work and tragic death of one of the world’s most beloved artists. Click here to access the event.