Getting Cultured

Lowertown is an interesting, but weird place to live.

Actually, Lowertown is not that interesting – just trendy. There’s a lot of art, spontaneous street performances, and a few good independent restaurants.

Although Lowertown is well into the third stage of gentrification, artist lofts and co-ops keep many of the creative types around. They radiate an air of coolness that allows developers to sell luxury apartments and condos.
The art scene and diversity are only theoretical selling points for the neighborhood.
Very few of the young professionals in my neighborhood actually go to art exhibitions and related events – these are tourist attractions for people outside of Lowertown.
My building actually stopped hosting art crawl events due to the number of resident complaints.

One day I decided to stop ignoring Lowertown’s art amenities and actually do something cultured.

And so…

Ralph Gilbert Union Depot Murals at the MMAA Project Space.

Mitchell and I went to the Minnesota Museum of American Art Project Space.

It’s a free art gallery in the Pioneer-Endicott building. The exhibition we stumbled across featured the prep pieces from Ralph Gilbert’s Union Depot Murals.

It took about 15 minutes to view the entire exhibition and it felt like using a long-neglected gym membership.

I studied art history (among other things) during undergrad, and I felt reconnected with that long-dormant, yet utterly impractical passion.

I’m going to try to stop ignoring our art scene and go to at least art event per week, which isn’t hard to do in this neighborhood.

It’s one step to help support the local art scene that helps sell so many nice condos.