Thursday, May 4 Through a Lens When you look closely at any community, it is more varied and nuanced than it first appears. With that in mind, visual storyteller Matika Wilbur undertook a mission that had not been made in a century: photographing all 562 federally recognized tribal nations. In 2012 she sold everything in her Seattle apartment and traveled 600,000 miles across all 50 states documenting the diversity of experiences and lives of Indigenous people with the goal of changing the way we see Native America. The result is her book, Project 562, a collection of portraits and personal narratives that challenge whatever monolithic ideas we might have about tribal life. People pictured in the book are photographed in locations, poses and clothing of their choosing, and their stories address topics including sovereignty, faith, family, the protection of sacred sites, land stewardship, language preservation, education, the arts and more. Wilbur, herself from the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes of coastal Washington, visits Monterey to share insight from her book. [SR] 5:30-7:30pm Thursday, May 4. Irvine Auditorium at MIIS, 499 Pierce St., Monterey; or via Zoom at go.miis.edu/project562. Free. mbutcher@middlebury.edu, project562.com. Saturday, May 6 Pick A ’Pecker Acorn woodpeckers are a single-minded bunch—and “bunch” is appropriate here, because they flock together in large numbers and their communal living arrangement would be considered scandalous if practiced by humans. They also stand out in the forest like, as The Cornell Lab’s All About Birds guide puts it, “a troupe of wide-eyed clowns.” Their sole mission is to stuff trees and other wooden objects with acorns. In fact, the birds once filled an Arizona water tank with 485 pounds of the seeds, carried from who knows where. Actually, Dr. Walt Koenig probably does. He is part of the Friends of Carmel Valley Library’s First Saturday Series to share information gleaned from a five-decade-long study of the peculiar ’peckers 30 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY may 4-10, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Marina Orlova The MPC Printmakers Club consists of 40 artists from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Soul & Spirit—MPC Printmakers is an exhibition of approximately 53 unique prints by over 38 members on display in the Pacific Grover Art Center from Friday, May 5 (with an opening reception at 7pm) through June 29. The presented techniques include: etchings, relief prints, monotypes, collagraphs, screen prints and mixed media prints. “The title/topic of the exhibition speaks to an existential creativity with us all being in a ‘critical moment’ on our planet today,” wrote Leonard Han, club chairperson, in the statement for this exhibit. “As much as we need the expertise of scientists and environmentalists today to guide us toward a sustainable future, there is great need for the insight and imagination of artists to break through a collective denial and complacency.” [AP] 4-10 may HOT PICKS To see more local events, and add your own, visit calendar.montereycountyweekly.com Courtesy of Pacific Grove Art Center Courtesy of Venture Gallery VISUALS Maria Poroy Always experimental and known for her use of color, Maria Poroy shows new work in a square format with color that is “extra” at Venture Gallery (260 Alvarado St., Monterey). Poroy is the Venture Gallery’s featured artist for May with her show ART2, or “Art Squared.” This exhibit includes larger works, as well as Poroy’s dramatic 12-by-12-inch paintings on wood panels that include mixed media and extreme texture. The centerpiece is a collection of eight canvases with an interlocking design that can be grouped and displayed in various ways. On display through May (10am-6pm; closed Tuesdays). “People call me an abstract expressionist,” Poroy writes. “Color is my language and I am drawn to subjects that resonate with me whether it be a barn or a flower.” You can meet the artist 10am-2pm Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 20. [AP] After a long hiatus, the 1980s band The Pixies got back together in 2004. They’re now on tour for Doggerel, the fourth album released since they reunited. Their stop in Monterey may include old favorites as well. The annual Garden Party at Carmel’s iconic Tor House is a must-visit local event—enjoy music, art, history and poetry on Sunday, May 7. Daniel Dreifuss
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