So Much To See! The Fall Arts Roundup

All of the sudden the arts calendar in Central Ohio is packed with some top-notch shows and events. Here's a rundown of what I'll be checking out in the next month, and why:

What: Caravaggio: Behold the Man! The Impact of a Revolutionary Realist.
October 21, 2011 - February 5, 2012, Columbus Museum of Art
Why: It's a Caravaggio painting. It's in Columbus. Isn't that enough? Seriously, people fly to Europe to see this sort of thing, and this one's going to be in your own back yard. Go see it.

What: Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow
September 16, 2011 - December 30, 2011, Wexner Center for the Arts
Why: Maybe you no longer believe painting can tell vital stories. Perhaps you've forgotten what it's like to get lost in a painting. Maybe you've decided that only 19th-century landscape painters can do sublime. If that sounds like what ails you, then Alexis Rockman is the cure. Think big-budget message movie without the shitty dialouge and crappy CGI.

What: House/Divided
October 6, 2011 - October 8, 2011, Thurber Theater at Drake Center
Why: Because we need art that shines a light on greed, malfeasance, corruption, and deceit. Because we need art to say what politicians, the media, and CEOs won't. Because we need Steinbeck, perhaps now more than ever.

What: Senna
September 29, 2011 - October 6, 2011, Drexel Theater
Why: I'm a sucker for a good sports documentary, and this one's been getting a lot of buzz. Motorsports fans of all stripes should make the effort to catch this during its very limited run.

What: Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life
Premieres Friday October 7, 2011, Gateway Film Center
Why: I'm also a sucker for high-profile French pop stars (or at least Charles Aznavour, Francoise Hardy and Carla Bruni (as much as she qualifies)). At the very least I'm expecting some great Paris location shots and 60s fashions.