Admirers of Khaled Hosseini’s vivid, sometimes heartbreaking novels of family, friendship and love have a chance to hear the acclaimed author speak this Sunday, June 9. A mere $29 gets you in the door plus a hardcover copy of Hosseini’s newest book, And the Mountains Echoed (which moved one enthusiastic reviewer on Goodreads to offer this opinion: “Khaled Hosseini is a literate fine, fine writer and this book is his best yet!!!!”). Even the New York Times described it as “a testament both to his intimate knowledge of [his characters’] inner lives, and to his power as an old-fashioned storyteller.” For the event, Hosseini, best known for his international bestseller, The Kite Runner, will engage in conversation with “New Mexico In Focus” host Gene Grant. And afterwards, he’ll be available to meet his devoted fans and sign books. Score one for Bookworks and the UNM English Department’s Literature Program, the event’s hosts. Starts at 7 p.m. in UNM Student Union Ballrooms B and C. For more information and to buy tickets, visit bkwrks.com.
Culture Shock: Enigmatically Simple Enigmatically Simple
Sometimes the absence of texture is the thing you want to touch. Clay artist Andrew Van Assche creates functional and non-functional vases, clocks, wall tiles and containers using a “slab-built” technique that results in highly stylized yet curiously simple stoneware. Some pieces, like the wall panel “Arrival,” tell a whimsical story, while others exude an abstract, alien feeling. His structures combine clean lines with muted, vintage-feeling colors that are applied with the use of slips and underglazes. The minimalist geometry of Van Assche’s creations makes you long to examine them with your other senses—to run a finger down the flat expanse of clay or measure the heft of a blocky box in your palm. Receptions for Van Assche’s June “Enigma” show at Palette Contemporary Art & Craft (7400 Montgomery NE) will be held Friday, June 7 and Friday, June 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. Call 855-7777 for more info. The show continues through July 3.
Culture Shock: Dance Dance La Revolución Dance Dance La Revolución
If you notice this week that the city seems to be overrun by extremely fit folks who speak Spanish with a lisp, you’re not imagining things. For over a quarter century, Festival Flamenco Internacional has been attracting a national and international mix of flamenco dancers, musicians and fans to Albuquerque for a weeklong celebration that includes performances, lectures and workshops. Want to brush up on your castanet technique? Or get a handle on flamenco-specific Spanish vocabulary? Check out the festival’s massive list of educational offerings. But leave yourself plenty of time to take in the star of the show—the gorgeous, difficult, rhythmic flamenco dance itself. Featured artists this year include Karime Amaya, Israel Galván, Marco Flores and Iván Vargas, all exploring the range of human emotion through the stylized movement of their highly trained bodies. Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque 2013 unfolds June 10-15 at sites throughout the city. Tickets run $20 to $90; New Mexico Passes provide a package option at 30 percent off general pricing and are available exclusively to residents. Visit ffi26.org or call 242-7600 to get in on this one-of-a-kind event.
