Small Worlds

Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center will host an opening reception for two new exhibitions on Friday, July 15 from 5:30-8 p.m.  All ages are welcome, admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Both exhibitions will be on display through October 1.

Modern Twist: Contemporary Japanese Bamboo Art demonstrates that in the hands of master bamboo artists, a simple grass is transformed into a sculptural art. Bamboo is a quintessential part of Japanese culture, shaping the country’s social, artistic, and spiritual landscape. Mastering the art form requires decades of meticulous practice while learning how to harvest, split, and plait the bamboo.

Since 1967, six bamboo artists have been named Living National Treasures. The Japanese government created this award after World War II in an effort to celebrate and preserve the nation’s traditions and culture. Only two living bamboo artists —Modern Twist’s Katsushiro Sōhō (2005) and Fujinuma Noboru (2012)—currently hold this title. There are fewer than 100 professional bamboo artists in Japan today. Modern Twist brings 38 exceptional works by 17 artists to U.S. audiences, displaying many of these technically innovative and imaginatively crafted works for the first time. Modern Twist is on tour by International Arts & Artists.

Small Worlds is a voyage to fictitious worlds and landscapes set in an uncommon, yet vaguely familiar universe. Lacey Stinson, a Louisiana native, reveals his fascination with science and the supernatural along with art. His ideas for his drawings and paintings were influenced by the likes of Carl Sagan as Salvador Dali. www.LaceyStinson.com

Historic City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Charlestown Farmers’ Market is open on Bilbo Street behind the center every Saturday 8 a.m.-noon. For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

Bamboo