10 art exhibits to catch this month

"Salutary Sculpture", a chess retrospective, and eight other exhibitions to catch in February.

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Whether in-person, virtual, or scheduled, this season's exhibitions and gallery shows are in full swing. From single-visitor video screenings to large-scale installations, there's plenty to see this month at the city's many galleries. Here are a few must-see shows to catch in February.

Salutary Sculpture – February 12 through May 15

Laumeier Sculpture Park is spending 2022 focused on the role that art and nature play in health and wellness, both for individuals and for the community. The theme is explored in the spring exhibition Salutary Sculpture, in which the work of eight artists across several mediums has been brought together to show "art’s capacity as a therapeutic tool for adaptation, recovery, and rehabilitation." 

GROW – Through February 5

Virginia Harold's new multimedia exhibition at The Dark Room explores a single universal truth: Water is Life.  Through photographs, chemigrams, paintings, and collages, Harold examines our connection to the earth and the way it sustains us as she continues to hope for “a future where the world and its creatures can grow into a symbiotic, healthy, and sustainable partnership.”

Harun Farocki – Through February 13

German avant-garde filmmaker and artist Harun Farocki made more than 100 films in his lifetime, many of them focused on the power of images and the politics of their use. Beginning this month, Farocki’s experimental, documentary-like style will be on display at the Kemper Art Museum's Video Gallery, where two of his most acclaimed works, Images of the World and the Inscription of War (1988) and Schnittstelle (Interface) (1995) will be screened for the first time since entering the permanent collection five years ago. 

Missouri Mushrooms  – Through February 26

Foundry Studio Artist Jody Williams has long blended her passions for art and flora, serving as the executive director and prior president of the American Society of Botanical Artists. This month, you can catch her survey of the state's mycological wonders in the Ameristar Gallery. Williams captures the beauty and diversity of mushrooms in watercolor, with each inspired by specimens she's foraged, including those found in the woods near her St. Francois County farm.

Open Theme Annual – Through February 28

Head to Webster Arts' new space at 2 Summit Avenue for the arts organization's first exhibition in their new home, the Open Theme Annual. The work of 50 artists from 15 states in on display in this open-ended show, which urged submitting artists to share their very best work. Vibrant paintings, striking photographs, and intricate ceramics are all and display (and for sale) through the end of the month.

Playlist – Through March 5

Album cover-like squares of color line the walls of Gallery 2 at Bruno David Gallery, where Daniel Raedeke’s Playlist is on view through March 5. The SIUE alum has created a new series of works that blends colors, textures, and techniques into abstractions that, like any good playlist, stand apart but work seamlessly together. The works, with names like “Outro,” “Playback,” “Overlay,” and “Field Recording,” are all available for purchase through the gallery.

Metamorphosis | Nirbhaya – Through March 5

Bruno David Gallery welcomes back video artist Monika Weiss for this sound and film project that can be experienced by just one viewer at a time. The audiovisual cycle tells the story of Daphne, a mythological nymph who became a laurel to escape pursuers, through choreography, photography, and improvised instrumentals. 

Reflection Tea: 18th Biennial Teapot Exhibition – Through March 25

This annual Craft Alliance exhibition explores the many rituals, traditions, and cultures that have developed around drinking tea. Curated by Singapore-born American potter and teacher Fong Choo, the eighteenth iteration of the exhibition will also include a reception January 21 and an artist talk with Choo and ceramic artist Eric Serritella on January 22.

Woodlands: Native American Art from St. Louis Collections – Through April 24

This exhibition in Gallery 100 at the St. Louis Art Museum gathers together rarely seen works by Indigenous artists from local collectors, regional collections, and SLAM's own collections. All originally from the Woodlands, a region that stretches from the Great Lakes to the southeastern Atlantic coast, the items on display range from historical textiles to sculptures and graphic art, including recent significant gifts to the museum. 

Mind, Art, Experience: Celebrating 10 Years of Chess & Culture in Saint Louis – Through July 17

This first-ever museum-wise exhibition at the World Chess Hall of Fame takes a look back at 10 years and 50 exhibitions at the Maryland Avenue museum. The show features more than 120 artworks and artifacts spread across three floors, with highlights including including works by artists M.C. Escher, Tom Friedman, Barbara Kruger and Yoko Ono; artifacts from World Champions Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Boris Spassky; and, of course, many incredible chess sets. 

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