FINE ARTS

This fall, director and choreographer Britta Joy Peterson ’08 debuted already there, an immersive dance installation at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

It featured scenic design by alum Sara Brown ’01.

The two actually met on campus in February 2020, on an alumni panel that was part of the celebratory opening of the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre. Peterson remembers listening to Brown talk and feeling “so inspired and aligned with her values. It feels like I’ve known her now for years.”

Says Brown, “What I really appreciate about [Peterson] is that she is extremely open to the expertise that the rest of her team is bringing to the process. I enjoy very much her clarity and her generosity of spirit in collaborating.” already there is an immersive installation designed for small, timedentry audiences who explore, indulge, and play in a sensory labyrinth of dance and design. Dancers were recorded individually and spliced together to project the performance onto the walls of the space. Peterson worked with the Institute for Human-Centered Design to make the work accessible. “You don’t need to be an expert at accessibility to make your work accessible,” she says.

That’s one of the things she learned at Gustavus: “Trusting in the skills that you’ve amassed, and trusting in your ability to be vulnerable and ask for help, that’s the way to begin,” Peterson says. Brown o ers a similar lesson: “Run towards things you do not understand but are curious about,” she says. “I end up doing a lot of dance work… because I welcome the challenge of creating spaces that are not tied to a text necessarily,” she says.

Alums Britta Joy Peterson ’08 (left, with Christian DeMarais ’11) and Sara Brown ’01 (right, with professor emeritus Doug Hu ) at the opening of the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre in February of 2020, where they fi rst met.

Jan. 19–Feb. 1 Home Concert Feb 12, 7:30 p.m., Christ Chapel Minneapolis Convention Center, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. GWO will embark on a 16-day tour of Spain and France, followed by a home concert in Christ Chapel and a featured performance at the Minneapolis Convention Center as part of the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic. The Tour theme is “Drawing Inspiration,” and is centered on Omar Thomas’s “Come Sunday.” GWO will be joined by guest faculty artists Heidi Johanna Miller, Karrin Meffert-Nelson, and companion course professor Glenn Kranking ’98.

HONOR CHOIR FESTIVAL, March 14 The Festival brings together outstanding high school singers and for an exciting one-day experience. The festival concert features performances by the Gustavus Choir, the St. Michael–Albertville Concert Choir, selected vocal soloists, and the 125–voice Festival Choir.

GUSTAVUS JAZZ ENSEMBLE, March 19 The Jazz Ensemble will play an intimate show at the main room at Crooners Supper Club in Minneapolis in the afternoon.

Feb. 17–20, 2022; Gardner Laboratory Theatre.

by Stephen Adly Guirgis Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Should he be forgiven or punished for all of eternity? The Last Days of Judas Iscariot tells the story of a court case over the fate of Judas Iscariot through flashbacks of his childhood and testimonies of historical and biblical figures as each side debates whether Judas goes to Heaven or is condemned to purgatory.

Battle at the River Bottom, Kristen Low, 2020–2021, painted, carved, and sanded basswood with charcoal, 30 x 41 inches

Battle at the River Bottom: Drawings and Videos by Kristen Lowe Hillstrom Museum of Art This exhibit features recent works by faculty artist Kristen Lowe—richly-painted soft wood, hand-carved in intricate patterns, over which detailed charcoal scenes of animals in landscapes are drawn.

Traveling McKnight Artists Exhibition Schaefer Gallery A traveling exhibition of artworks by recipients of the McKnight Fellowship for Ceramics from the year 2020. The Fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding mid-career ceramic artists living and working in Minnesota.

Christmas in Christ Chapel 2021 “We Shall Go Forth Singing” will be a celebration of resiliency through song, dance, and spoken word. See page 6 for more.

Winds of Christmas The sounds of the holidays in Christ Chapel or virtually, featuring the Gustavus Wind Orchestra and Gustavus Wind Symphony. Performances and exhibits are often livestreamed and/ or archived for viewing at home or on devices. Visit gustavus.edu/finearts to learn more.