ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Author Talk!

'Ruling Culture: Art Police, Tomb Robbers, and the Rise of Cultural Power in Italy'

Seminary Co-op Bookstore, in partnership with University of Chicago Press, presents an author talk on March 24 at 4 p.m. Fiona Greenland will discuss “Ruling Culture: Art Police, Tomb Robbers, and the Rise of Cultural Power in Italy.” She will be joined in conversation by Christine Mehring. Through much of its history, Italy was Europe’s heart of the arts, an artistic playground for foreign elites and powers who bought, sold, and sometimes plundered countless artworks and antiquities. Now, more than any other country, Italy asserts control over its cultural heritage through a famously effective artcrime squad. In its efforts to bring their cultural artifacts home, Italy has entered into legal battles against some of the world’s major museums. It has turned heritage into patrimony capital—a powerful and controversial convergence of art, money, and politics. With “Ruling Culture,” Fiona Greenland traces how Italy came to wield such extensive legal authority, global power, and cultural influence—from the 19th century unification of Italy and the passage of novel heritage laws, to current battles with the international art market. Drawing on years in Italy interviewing key figures and following leads, Greenland presents a multifaceted story of art crime, cultural diplomacy, and struggles between international powers. Visit www.semcoop.com/event for more information.

World Premiere!

'B O R D E R S'

The Joffrey Ballet presents Chanel DaSilva’s world premiere of “B O R D E R S,” which will stream March 25 at 7 p.m. “B O R D E R S” imagines the boundaries— both literal and figurative—that people place on themselves and others. DaSilva challenges the audience to look at how they separate themselves from others in the world, whether through physical means or psychological ones. Find more information on the 13-minute piece at https://joffrey.org/season-and-tickets/performances/

Dining Out(ish)!

Chicago Restaurant Week

Chicago Restaurant Week is upon us. Things look different this year, but over 250 restaurants are participating, giving diners a large selection. During Chicago Restaurant Week, diners can enjoy special prix fixe menus from restaurants throughout Chicago and nearby suburbs. These multi-course meals are $25 for brunch or lunch, and $39 and/or $55 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, gratuity, and delivery fees). This year, diners will have the flexibility to experience Chicago Restaurant Week through indoor and outdoor dining, or at home with delivery and takeout options. This event is running now through April 4. See a list of participating restaurants at www.choosechicago.com/chicago-restaurant-week/

Iconic Characters!

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Chicago

After going “on a break” to comply with COVID-19 city mandates, The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Chicago is back! The experience offers fans of the popular television show, FRIENDS, an interactive, two-story experience featuring 12 nostalgia-packed rooms with set recreations, original props and costumes, a retail store and more. Fans will have the opportunity to explore the show’s history, recreate favorite moments and learn behind-the-scenes information. The FRIENDS Experience remains “Monica Clean” and is taking measures throughout the space to ensure a safe environment for its staff and guests. The experience is located at The Shops at North Bridge on the Magnificent Mile and runs now through May 31. Timed entry visits are available with a ticket priced at $35 plus taxes and fees. Private access tickets are also available for groups of six or 10 guests. Visit www.friendstheexperience.com/chicago/ for more information.

Streaming Play!

'How To Catch Creation'

Goodman Theatre productions presents Encore – a new series of free and on-demand video streams of hit plays. Streaming now through March 28 is “How to Catch Creation” by Christina Anderson, directed by Niegel Smith. A young writer’s life turns upside down when her girlfriend drops some unexpected news. Fifty years later, four artists feel the reverberations of that moment—and its unexpected consequences—as their lives intersect in pursuit of creative passion and legacy. In this bold, imaginative work, Christina Anderson dissects the universal act of creation to inspire the dreamers and idealists in us all. Find more information on how to stream this performance at www.goodmantheatre.org.

Emerging Talent!

'Ground Floor'

“Ground Floor,” an ongoing biennial exhibition since 2010 that is now in its sixth iteration, brings together work by Chicago’s most promising emerging talent. The exhibition offers a single destination to discover artists who have recently graduated (in 2019 and 2020) from one of Chicago’s five top-tier MFA programs. Ground Floor gives exhibiting artists a major public venue in which to display their works at a critical juncture in their careers, helping to build, support and ensure a strong and vibrant community of artists in Chicago. The exhibition will present for the first time in person the thesis work of ten 2020 graduates, whose theses exhibitions were largely presented online because of the ongoing pandemic. This exhibition is generously supported by The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and The University of Chicago and is on display through April 3. Find more information, including when to visit, at www.hydeparkart.org/exhibition-archive/ground-floor/

Ballet at Home!

'Brushstroke'

The Joffrey Academy presents Tsai Hsi Hung’s world premiere in “Brushstroke,” which will stream on March 26 at 7 p.m. “Brushstroke” takes inspiration from the work of designer Alexander McQueen and painter Jackson Pollock. Using “the line” as a central theme, Hung weaves a series of complex textures through movement that create the effect of currents of wind winding around each other. The 12-minute piece features a cast of 11 artists—eight women and three men. Find more information at joffrey.org/season-and-tickets/performances/