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Culture

Madison’s broader landscape of art, literature, and more.

A photo taken from the perspective of an ice skater looking downward shoes a pair of skates and the frozen lake ice below it.

Skating on changing ice, in a shifting climate

By Sam Harrington ● Microtones ● February 10, 2023 February 8, 2023

In the future, we’ll get less time to enjoy our frozen lakes.

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A hardcover copy of the book Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor, featuring diagonal multicolored stripes across a black background and the title and author in italic capital letters, is shown in a photo with a snowy morning in Madison’s Orton Park in the background. Houses, bare trees, a blue sky, and a stretch of park path are visible in the photo's background.

The not-quite-grown-up Madison of “Filthy Animals”

By Jesse Raub ● Microtones ● February 3, 2023 February 3, 2023

Discovering the city with Brandon Taylor’s short-story collection as a companion.

A poster collage of the six features in the new MMoCA Cinema winter series in chronological order. From top left, "Riotsville USA" (January 26), "Leonor Will Never Die" (February 2), "De Humani Corporis Fabrica" (February 9), "małni—towards the ocean towards the shore" (February 16), "Stand By For Failure: A Documentary About Negativland" (February 23), and "Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power" (March 2).

MMoCA Cinema refreshes its approach with a doc-heavy winter series

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● January 23, 2023 January 23, 2023

The six-week Thursday series, starting January 26, picks up where Spotlight Cinema left off.

An illustration shows the face of the column's author, Dr. Sami Schalk, smiling against a rainbow background. In the foreground are a sandwich, a cup holding a steaming hot beverage, and a stack of books on which the text "Pleasure Practices with Sami Schalk" appears. Two candles sit on top of the books. Illustration by Rodney Lambright II.

Pleasure Practices with Sami Schalk: Spice up your life

By Sami Schalk ● Pleasure Practices ● January 20, 2023 January 19, 2023

In these winter doldrums, reach for a flavorful kick.

A small stuffed shark, crocheted by the author, is shown sitting on a blue sofa cushion.

Surrender to nothing

By Christina Lieffring ● Microtones ● January 13, 2023 January 12, 2023

The rewards and challenges of putting all the projects aside.

A photo shows the side of the Overture Center that faces out onto North Fairchild Street in downtown Madison. The multi-story, glass facade reveals people gathering in a lobby outside of Overture Hall, and warm lighting inside. In the background is an evening sky and, because of the angle of the photo, a view of the glass dome that tops Overture's rotunda.

The City signs up to increase Overture Center’s subsidy to $2.3 million, with a catch

By Scott Gordon ● Culture ● December 20, 2022 December 20, 2022

Madison’s Common Council passed the new 10-year agreement on December 6.

An illustration by Shaysa Sidebottom shows a film camera against an abstract background. Emanating from the camera's lens are a ghost, a hand holding an umbrella, and various other objects including a framed picture, a book, and a smiley face.

The stories we didn’t tell this year

By Scott Gordon ● Culture ● December 19, 2022 December 20, 2022

Help us get more ideas out of purgatory.

A photo shows artist T.L. Solien standing in front of his works in a gallery. The works are mosaic-like paintings comprising multicolored fragments that suggest shapes and patterns.

T.L. Solien explores the fragmentation of color and consciousness in “Along The Way”

By Hannah Keziah Agustin ● Culture ● December 12, 2022 December 12, 2022

The exhibit is up at Tandem Press through January 13, 2023.

A trio of headshots of the performing musicians—Shuguang Gong (piano), Sahada Buckley (violin), and Trace Johnson (cello).

Heady trios and “White Noise”

By Scott Gordon, Lewis Peterson & Grant Phipps ● Music ● December 11, 2022 December 13, 2022

Plus more events we recommend checking out in Madison, December 12 through 18 edition.

The author and her partner pose with a peacock made of lights at the Henry Vilas Zoo.

Pleasure Practices with Sami Schalk: Lean into lights

By Sami Schalk ● Pleasure Practices ● December 9, 2022 December 9, 2022

Embracing the comfy cozy glow of the holiday season.