Film Streams has a pair of special events coming up, starting with a showing of the 1973 music documentary Wattstax on Saturday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. at the Ruth Sokolof Theater. On August 20, 1972 – to mark the seventh anniversary of the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles – Stax Records presented a memorial concert for an audience of over 100,000 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Wattstax aimed to be an African-American response to 1968’s Woodstock—or “a day of black awareness,” as emcee Jesse Jackson says in his opening speech. Wattstax is a vital, powerful music doc not to be forgotten. An additional showing will take place on Wednesday, June 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Film Streams and the Builders District have also announced a new outdoor movie series scheduled every month for the next six months. These free public screenings will take place at Builders Green in the Builders District at 724 North 16th Street — three blocks northwest of Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater. First up is the 2012 classic from director Wes Anderson, “Moonrise Kingdom” on June 9 at 8:00 PM.
The Nebraska Arts Council and Fred Simon Gallery have announced the upcoming exhibition, “Marked for Unbelonging” by Lindsey Weber, which will run from June 26 to August 20. The artist introduces us to her work by saying, “Marked for Unbelonging and Feed explores the ways identity, memory and power are constructed through systems of symbolism—be they digital, ecological or agricultural.” The opening reception at Fred Simon Gallery (1004 Farnam Street) is June 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. Reception is free and open to the public.
KANEKO Gallery has two new exhibits opening June 6. Big Clay 2 continues the exploration of monumental ceramic art, featuring remarkable works from Ree and Jun Kaneko’s celebrated private collection. This exhibition showcases a fresh cohort of visionary artists, including Anton Rejinders, Goro Suzuki, Annabeth Rosen and Michael Sarich – creators who challenge conventional ceramic practices through bold scale, innovative techniques and conceptual depth.
Beyond the Finishing Point is a rare and intimate exhibition showcasing Jun Kaneko’s collaborative drawings with three-year-old Ana Citrin. This collection reveals what happens when mastery meets uninhibited expression. The series emerged from Kaneko’s fundamental artistic question – How do you know when a work is finished? – explored during his tenure as head of ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Hot Shops Art Center, along with 75 artists and members of the community, gathered last week to celebrate something small in size but enormous in impact—the grand opening of the Hot Shops new elevator. Guests were treated to a molten glass ribbon cutting, a fiery and fitting tribute to Hot Shops’ roots in industry and art. The new elevator stands as a physical and symbolic reminder of Hot Shops’ identity: an art factory – empowering people to make art. And now, with improved accessibility, they’re making sure even more people can say, “You’re welcome here. You matter. You belong.”
