'Ohhh...Alright...' by Roy Lichtenstein
POP GOES THE WORLD The Art Institute opens the largest retrospective to date of
Roy Lichtenstein’s work, including his famed paintings of comic strips. See them
starting 5/22.

THE FIVE

Don’t-miss picks for Wed 5.16.12 through Tue 5.22.12:

1

museums Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective
Nudes and Chinese landscapes probably aren’t what you’d first associate with Lichtenstein, the late king of comic-strip-style pop painting. But the artist’s 50-year career covered that ground, and then some. With scads of Lichtenstein’s sketches, materials studies, paintings, and sculptures, the world-premiere of this traveling exhibit takes a closer look than ever.
GO: 5/22–9/3. Open Mon–Wed, Fri–Sun 10:30–5; Thu 10:30–8. Free (kids under 14) to $18. 111 S Michigan. artinstitutechicago.org
2

festivals Chicago Craft Beer Week
In its third year, Chicago’s annual ode to small-batch brews goes hyper-local. The 11-day beer-tasting extravaganza homes in on nine neighborhoods and three suburban hubs in which organizers have pinpointed the best bars, pubs, and breweries.
GO: 5/17–27. Schedule and locations: chibeerweek.com
3

zoos Xtreme Bugs
Brookfield Zoo bugs out all summer, starting this weekend when 22 monster-size animatronic butterflies, hornets, ants, and other colossal creepy-crawlies make their invasion. Closer to the ground, catch cockroach races, edible-insect cooking demos, and more.
GO: 5/19–9/7. Open daily 10–5. Free (kids under 3) to $20, which includes the price of general admission. Parking $10. 8400 W 31st, Brookfield. czs.org
4

concerts THIS LAND IS OUR LAND: A CENTENNIAL CONCERT CELEBRATION OF THE LEGENDARY WOODY GUTHRIE
It seems fitting that this celebration of what would have been the 100th-birthday year of one of America’s legendary protest songwriters coincides with a week punctuated by demonstrations in Chicago’s streets.The eclectic lineup of artists includes Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, the Klezmatics, and Holly Near.
GO: 5/19 at 8. $26–$56. Metro, 3730 N Clark. metrochicago.com
5

theatre The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead
One actor (Deborah Staples), seven roles, and a story with more twists than a spinning top: Robert Hewett’s schizophrenic comedy sets off a ripple that becomes an emotional tidal wave for a woman scorned.
GO: Previews 5/22–29. $45–$65. Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon, Glencoe. writerstheatre.org

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND

Paul Hornschemeier
Paul Hornschemeier

Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals—a.k.a. people we like: Paul Hornschemeier, the Evanston resident, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and occasional Chicago contributor who recently has been holed up in his studio working on a few top-secret projects.

“Starting Friday, there’s a comics conference at the University of Chicago. I’m going to the first lecture, which is by the cartoonist Art Spiegelman. I definitely respect him for [his graphic novel] Maus, but more particularly for [the avant-garde comics magazine] RAW, which he cofounded with his wife, Françoise Mouly, who’s now the art editor for The New Yorker.

“Saturday, I’ll be working in the morning on a couple different scripts for TV shows, but I can’t say much about them because they’re still in development. I’m also working on projects for bands. There’s a great post-punk Chicago band, Paper Mice, that I’m drawing an album cover for. I’m also doing a surprise, comics-themed project for an upcoming show with the bands Fake Limbs and Nonagon.

Later in the day, I’m going to a couple more talks at the conference, including a panel moderated by Françoise Mouly with R. Crumb, Chris Ware, and Daniel Clowes. It’s insane that all of those people are going to be in the same room at the same time. Saturday night, I’m going to my monthly poker game. It’s me and a bunch of novelists, pharmacists, and journalists. Occasionally a beer might be had, but that’s about it.

“Sunday there are a couple more comics talks at U of C. Then I’m having lunch in Wrigleyville with a comedian who I’m working with on a movie thing, which is another secret to some degree. After that, I’ll probably come back home and work. My wife is out of town this weekend, so I have a date with the Blu-ray Disc of Take Shelter, which I haven’t seen yet. From the second I saw the trailer, I thought ‘People slowly going insane. This is my movie.’”

FREEBIE OF THE WEEK

talks Daniel Clowes
The U of C’s star-studded comics conference (Alison Bechdel! Gary Panter! Lynda Barry!) is full for the weekend, but Quimby’s gives graphic novel geeks another chance to brush elbows with a cult cartoonist. Daniel Clowes—best known for 1997’s Ghost World—signs copies of his first monograph, The Art of Daniel Clowes, at the store this Thursday.
GO: 5/17 at 7. Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 W North. quimbys.com

 

Photography: (LICHTENSTEIN) ESTATE OF ROY LICHTENSTEIN/PRIVATE COLLECTION; (HORNSCHEMEIER) CHARLIE DEETS