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Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and Valentine's Day fall within a few days of each other this year. The CU Art Museum is adding another reason to celebrate with the opening of three new exhibitions this Friday, Feb. 12. The opening festivities will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the CU Art Museum, located in the Visual Arts Complex. Admission is free.

The evening will include a variety of performances and activity stations, along with the opening of three new exhibits. 

Exhibits:

Be Here Now is the second exhibition in a series subtitled Conversations Between Objects, which provokes a dialogue between artworks that span different time periods and geographic locations. 

Our inaugural artist-in-residence explores the human impulse to collect and throw things away. 

This exhibition showcases artifacts dating to China’s prehistoric beginnings through its classic imperial dynasties. 

Activity Stations:

• 5 to 7 p.m.—Refreshments including Tibetan momo (dumplings), King cake and Valentines Day cake
• 5 to 7 p.m.—Mardi Gras mask-making activity
• 5 to 7 p.m.—Haiku writing station 
• 5 to 9 p.m.—Before I Die Wall activity

Performances:

Trio Las Dahlias
6 to 6:30 p.m.

Trio Las Dahlias is an all female Mexican trio: Teresita Lozano (flute and vocals), Valeria Carlos (guitar and vocals) and Roberta Maldonado (percussion and vocals). The group aims to collect, preserve and promote the classic Mexican songs they were raised with and inherited. Their goal is to erase cultural, racial, linguistic and political borders by evoking the voices of their heritage, as well as to express the long historical strength and struggle of women in Mexican music and Mexican culture. They believe the passion, humor, and pathos of this music transcends cultural barriers so that others may enjoy and share in its significance. The group is named after the dahlia flower, the national flower of Mexico. 

Everybody Likes to Dance, by Las Hermanas Iglesias
7 p.m.

Las Hermanas invited their parents to curate a song reminiscent of music they grew up dancing to in their respective countries. Their father, Bienvenido, chose a Dominican Merengue and their mother, Bodhild chose a Norwegian Pols. The artists then asked five musician/DJS to each create a mashup of the songs. After learning each of the dances, the artists developed a new choreography, a fusion of steps between the two traditions. A nod to Andy Warhol’s Dance Diagram series from the early ‘60s in which "readymade" diagrams of ballroom dance steps were displayed on the floor, Las Hermanas created a dance diagram of their new choreography. The artwork operates as both a floor piece and a functional dance floor for viewers to try out the steps. A takeaway poster of the dance diagram accompanies the project.

Side By Side Dance Co.
7:15 p.m.

Side by Side Dance Company develops Colorado youth from a multitude of cultural backgrounds to become leaders, creators, and successful builders of communities. Through dance and a variety of community events, they strive to inspire, teach and empower individuals from all walks of life. Their mission is to inspire others to follow their dreams, reach out to one another and live their lives to the fullest. This mission is carried out in all that they organize – community workshops, performances, festivals and full length productions. Arts enrich life: whether one is a mover, painter, musician or witness. Reaching those outside of our dance community is critical in spreading their message and enriching as many lives as they can. The mission comes to life through the art of storytelling. Performing provides an opportunity for dancers to take their audience on a journey, to bring them to distant places and familiar feelings. Because of it’s power in bringing people together, Side by Side wholeheartedly believes in and promotes the story found in us all. Featured dancers: Vanessa Weingarten, Maggie Shomaker, Poet Lyon, Donovan Noland, Helen Noland, Sasha Gordon, Ken Yeng, Raymundo Valenzuela, Alvie Saucedo and Linsey Jolly.

Dance Party led by 
7:30 to 8:45 p.m.

Pinata breaking
8:45 p.m.

For more information, visit the