​Does art really matter? In the face of war, violence, repression, and imperialism, what can artists do to speak the truth and be influential? 

That's a question that has haunted Indian-born sculptor and installation artist Pritika Chowdhry, whose work tackles issues of international scope and history. She recently returned to the Twin Cities from Lahore, Pakistan, where she showed her work about partitions in countries such as India and Pakistan in "Remembering the Crooked Line," a gallery show that was at Rohtas Gallery this past  January.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, you may be wondering what you get your sweetie. This weekend features several great parties that should entertain as well as enable you to shop for the holiday. In addition to these events for lovers, this edition of Freeloader Friday has tons of art shows, free theater, music gigs, lectures, and a tribute to the United Kingdom at Brit's.

Come take a look at our list.

​In case you didn't know, Minneapolis has a city right next door to it that has tons of fun stuff to do. For Minneapolites who are driving instead of biking in the winter months, there really is nothing stopping you from heading over to the other side of the river for some new comedy by a few young theater artists under the helm of Jon Ferguson. 

There are no pop-culture icons featured in Tina Blondell's portraits. Instead, she chooses to  capture regular folks in a moment in time. Recent pieces have included a gleeful female drummer ready to jam, a man casually enjoying a beer, and a family in swimsuits, the bulging belly of the mother suggesting that there will be a new addition any day now. They are the folks you sit next to in a bar, you pass on the sidewalk, and you smile at while riding the bus. They are Midwestern performers, parents, and craftsmen (sometimes they are all of the above). Some occasionally dress like super heroes, others prefer to chill on a couch. The subjects of her oil paintings are varied, and sometimes even unexpected, yet her works often contain narratives that are familiar.

Some of these works are currently on display in "Lace and Gunpowder," a group exhibition at the Bloomington Art Center pairing male and female artists in their medium of choice. Meanwhile, Blondell plans to continue her series celebrating the average American, and she plans to eventually expand her collection to include people from all over the country.

​Joe Minjares understands the issues at the heart of Crashing the Party, a world premiere comedy by Josh Tobeissen opening this weekend at Mixed Blood Theatre. Minjares, a longtime actor and restaurateur, has always had to balance his professional and family lives.

"I haven't done a play in a couple of years, so I'm a little nervous getting up on the boards again," he says during a break in the final rehearsals for the work. "I'm really happy doing it again, and I'm working with some really, really great actors."

​Opening with a crash of thunder and a blood-curdling scream, Urban Samurai's Slasher works to keep that intensity alive through its full 75 minutes. It's a task that's not completely met, but that doesn't mean the production doesn't have pieces that work.

Allison Moore's play explores the line between empowerment and exploitation on a low-budget horror flick. At the center of this is Sheena, a college student who wants to break out of her Texas town, but instead is the breadwinner for the family, working constant shifts at a bar to take care of her younger sister and disabled mother.

Envision: Artopia 2012 is upon us, and despite the wimpy winter we've had, it's still relieving to be talking spring already.

Now in it's 10th season, the fashion-meets-arts showcase of local designers, boutiques and vendors will again be held at the Graves 601 Hotel downtown on April 14 and will center around spring fashions.

Consistently a local production masterpiece thanks to the partnering of both V2 Nightlife and Ignite Models, Envision is a must-attend event.  This year, we hope to see our crop of Twin Cities designers really bring their best and show us a mix of finished, fresh looks that work either commercially or artistically and relate to the spring season's upcoming trends.