Art Hounds: “Four Little Girls,” sculpted memories, and a Guqin virtuoso

This week's hounds get behind a children's play about a horrific bombing of a black church in 1963, an artist who molds memories into objects and a master Chinese musician coming to the Twin Cities.

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In honor of Black History Month, Nordic Roots performer Kari Tauring is urging people to see Steppingstone Theatre's "Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963." It's about four young African-American girls in Birmingham, Alabama, who were killed when their church was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. Kari says remembering this event and the girls who died is an act of healing. "Four Little Girls" is on stage through Feb. 27th.

Fiber artist and arts educator Mimi Holmes greatly admires the work of sculptor and University of Minnesota landscape architecture professor Rebecca Krinke. Krinke has a solo show at Rosalux Gallery through Feb. 26th. "Visitation" is a sculptural installation inspired by lost and recovered memories. The opening reception will be held Friday, Feb. 4th and will feature an improvisational theater performance.

Gao Hong is one of the premier Chinese pipa players in the country. Gao, who teaches Chinese music at Carleton College, wanted to make sure people knew that Zhao Jiazhen was coming to the Twin Cities! Zhao Jiazhen is the world's foremost Guqin (seven-string Chinese zither) musician. She'll be performing on Wednesday, Feb. 9th, at the Loring Theater in Minneapolis. Jiazhen will also join the local world music group "Speaking in Tongues" in a concert on Sunday Feb. 13th at 3pm at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul.

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