“I’m the fish that likes to swim upstream.” Chris Christensen used this phrase over and over again to describe his journey from a middle-class upbringing in Iowa to attending Stanford University to starting his own winery in Sonoma County. Christensen’s unlikely breakthrough into the wine business is underscored by his identification with and affinity for […]
Cedar Rapids artists
Posted inArts & Entertainment
CR designer’s work in ‘Totally Under Control’ clarifies its uncompromising look at our government’s COVID failures
Watching a contemporary documentary about events unfolding in real time is a surreal exercise that elicits both despair and incredulity. Directors Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Suzanne Hillinger’s film Totally Under Control (2020), available on Hulu, explores the (mis)management of COVID-19 in the United States and deftly investigates the way American politicians and public health […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Quarantine Fest keeps eyes on local art, social issues throughout pandemic
Artists and musicians rely on live performances to build a following and connect with their audiences, as well as to make money. As COVID-19 closures and social distancing measures continue, music venues remain closed for the foreseeable future, theater performances have been canceled and fewer people are commissioning art. Social media was the platform many […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘Corteo’ offers a high-flying homecoming for Cedar Rapids’ Erin Cervantes
The U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids will host Cirque du Soleil May 1-5, offering seven performances (including two matinees) to Eastern Iowans eager to experience the way that the world might be distinct from its everyday-ness. Tickets are $48-118.
