A New Body

12/2

Quick decision time: Clay Aiken or Johnny Thunders? Jerry Bruckheimer or Jim Jarmusch? Peter Max or Jean-Michel Basquiat? The latter of each pair operates on the artistic fringe; the former is known for his glossy vanilla output. One makes you feel; one makes you forget. Opening Thursday with a reception from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Debris Gallery presents Creative Solutions: A Body of Art, which features the artwork of a number of teens with troubled pasts. The Creative Solutions program is a wide-ranging organization that specializes in supporting the creative tendencies of young people who’ve had a hard time for one reason or another. With the display running through January 3, this is a chance to see the results of singular experience and pure disclosure–something that’ll make you feel. For the first time, Creative Solutions’ art will be for sale, and the proceeds will go back to the program. Debris Gallery is located at 1205 Slocum St. Call 214-752-8855. –Matt Hursh

Forbidden Access
12/2

When you head downtown to the Dallas Museum of Art this week to hear the Boshell Family Lecture Series–like you do–you’ll be listening to Dr. Bennet Bronson discuss the exhibit of which he’s co-curator, Splendors of China’s Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong (on display through May 29). You’ll get there by 7 p.m., because you’re punctual. You’ll know about the exhibit, how Qianlong ruled for 60 years in the 1700s, how he amassed the largest collection of art in the world to that point, how awed visitors are when they see the 1,800-pound carved jade boulder he got for his 75th birthday. But when you ask a question, you’ll need to know this: It’s pronounced “cheeyen-loong.” You can thank me later. Admission is $10 to $15. Call 214-922-1200. –Eric Celeste

MADI Love
12/2

Mitsouko Mori, a renowned artist in the MADI tradition, will open a month-long series of lectures and appearances in Dallas with a public reception at the MADI Museum and Gallery on December 2. A painter, her work is in museums throughout Europe and in Japan. The MADI movement, which originated in Argentina in the 1940s, is characterized by bright colors and bold geometric shapes. Mori’s work, influenced by her long residence in France, carries these themes beyond oil and canvas to other media such as neon and silk screen. Mori was born in Japan, graduated from the Tokyo National University for Fine Arts, then studied in France for five years under a government grant. She has lived in Paris since completing that work. During her time in Dallas, Mori will give lectures and do research. The MADI Museum is at 3109 Carlisle St. at the Kilgore Law Center. The reception is 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Call 214-855-7802. –Jim Schutze