On Interpreting Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art's curator of photography Barbara Tannenbaum selected pieces for the exhibit Forbidden Games: Surrealist and Modernist Photography, showing Oct. 19 to Jan. 11.
Think about a piece in terms of its context. One of the most interesting things about looking at a work from the past is trying to use it as a way to understand what life was like in those days. Look at the work from a distance and then get close up and see what you see on the surface. Really scrutinize it. You can spend three to five minutes and think you've gotten an image. But it's important to remember — especially with photographs — that these are not just images. They are also objects, and they have a life through history. The traces of that passage through time are often visible. — as told to Simone Jasper
1964: When Browns Town Was Title Town
Sept. 6-Feb. 28, Western Reserve Historical Society, wrhs.org
This exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Browns' last championship. Fans can see more than 25 artifacts from the 1964 season, including original amateur and professional game footage, sideline photos and the shoes worn by running back Jim Brown.
Ferran Adria: Notes on Creativity
Sept. 26-Jan. 18, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, mocacleveland.org
A perfume flask that sprays cocktail aromas is one of the quirky cooking tools that chef Ferran Adrià designed. The tools are on display alongside detailed illustrations of their use. While Adrià doesn't have formal art training, his drawings reveal his sophisticated and scientific understanding of food.
Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age
Nov. 28-April 19, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, cmnh.org
Yes, we're used to frigid winters. This exhibit explores creatures that were experts at braving the cold such as a Columbian mammoth that once stood 14 feet tall. An interactive wall exposes cave art similar to pieces made thousands of years ago.
