Arts scene: (5/9/08): Arts

In Da-ka-xeen Mehner's latest show at the Alaska Native Arts Foundation, he uses dagger and mask forms from Tlingit culture to explore the challenges and identities of a man balancing cultures, lifestyles and more.

"Weapons of Mass Defense" features human-sized steel, metal and concrete sculptures that speak to a life split between Anchorage and Fairbanks, the Lower 48 and Alaska, an urban lifestyle and a rural hippy life, manual labor and art-making.

Mehner got his Master of Fine Arts degree in Native arts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks last year and is working on a solo show for the Alaska State Museum in Juneau.

His current show will continue until July 2 at the foundation gallery at 500 W. Sixth Ave. (www.alaskanativearts.org, 258-2623). The gallery's hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-- Dawnell Smith

International intrigue

This year's Statewide Juried Exhibition at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art includes an array of paintings, ceramics, multimedia pieces and other artworks by Alaska artists as selected by juror Mariko Munro.

As associate director of the 303 Gallery in New York, Munro organizes exhibitions at the gallery and represents and curates shows for national and international artists.

While looking at her choices, walk back to the guest room to check out Brenda Roper's installation and paintings in "Objects of Curiosity."

Both exhibits continue through June 1 at the International (427 D St., www. igcaalaska.org). The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

-- Dawnell Smith

So much Sandoval

Jazz trumpet giant Arturo Sandoval, a protege of Dizzy Gillespie, brings his Latin-influenced mix of jazz, classical, rock and Caribbean music to town Saturday courtesy of the Anchorage Concert Association.

The Cuban-born Grammy- and Emmy-award winner, who has played with the likes of Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz and Tony Bennett, has 10 solo albums and has appeared on recordings with pop biggies such as Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra and Paul Anka, among others.

He's used his horn to pay tribute to trumpet greats Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, but he's also an able pianist. We're sort of hoping to hear both when he plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Atwood Concert Hall. Tickets are $18-$40 at centertix.net.

-- Mike Dunham

Message in his guitar

You might know Bruce Cockburn as the political mystic songwriter who penned the poetic gem "If I Had a Rocket Launcher," but many music fans consider the Canadian a masterful guitarist who melds world music with folk, politics with spirituality.

He has produced numerous albums since the late 1970s.

Mike McCormick of Whistling Swan Productions describes Cockburn as one of the great solo guitarists and songwriters and "a total pro who will mesmerize listeners who pay attention."

Cockburn will perform at 8 p.m. today at the Discovery Theatre. Tickets are $40 (263-2787, www.centertix.net).

-- Dawnell Smith

New tunes for fairy tale

Shane Mitchell doesn't claim to be Engelbert Humperdinck. But TBA Theatre's artistic director is going head-to-head with the German composer by writing a new musical version of "Hansel and Gretel," in collaboration with Anchorage composer Dennis Cleary.

Mitchell said his musical is accessible to modern families, but he emphasizes he hasn't Disney-fied the Brothers Grimm folk tale. "The witch is a witch, and she gets what she deserves," he said.

The hourlong production is designed to be palatable for children; Mitchell said that on the scary scale, this compares to "The Wizard of Oz."

Performances are at 7 p.m. today and Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. May 16-17 and 3 p.m. May 17-18 in APU Grant Hall. Tickets are $7, $5 for students, seniors and military. (play@tbatheatre.org, 677-7529)

-- Sarah Henning