Zoinks—animals have taken over the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden! Meet an octopus, a kangaroo, a llama, a rooster, a horse, and a rabbit—and only some of those are sculptures. Then, hold on to your fanny pack as local band Koo Koo Kanga Roo hosts the hottest dance party of the summer!
Free First Saturdays feature free gallery admission on the first Saturday of every month, plus performances, games, art-making, and kids’ films from 10 am to 3 pm. Family friendly food options are available or bring something from home to snack on in the museum’s public spaces.
Performance: Koo Koo Kanga Roo
11 am
Learn new dance moves, sing loudly, and laugh a lot along with Koo Koo Kanga Roo. The dynamic duo Bryan and Neil hale from Minneapolis and are psyched to perform in front of the Spoonbridge and Cherry. Don’t miss THE live performance of summer 2019!
Live Drawing: Bunnies and Alpacas, Oh Yeah!
Rabbits, 10 am–12 noon
Alpacas, 1–3 pm
Traditionally, artists hone their skills by drawing human models. At Free First Saturday, we like to spice things up—this month our live models are alpacas and rabbits! The Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society and the Abbey Alpaca Farm have brought their furry friends for a fun day in the Garden. Learn about these beautiful animals and practice drawing them.
Adopt-a-Dog: Animal Ark
10 am–3 pm
What’s an animal-themed day without dogs? Our friends from Animal Ark are bringing dogs and puppies for you to meet, pet, or even adopt.
Art-Making Activity: Pet Rocks
10 am–3 pm
Don’t have a pet? No problem, you can make your own in this rock-painting drop-in activity. Artist Dana LeMoine will guide guests through simple ways to paint colors and textures to transform the rocks into their favorite animals. Families are invited to either bring in a favorite small rock (BYORock!) or choose one from a selection of rocks provided.
Art-Making Activity: Jellyfish Jamboree
10 am–3 pm
Claes Oldenburg is known for his oversized sculptures of everyday objects (see Shoestring Potatoes Spilling from a Bag in Gallery 6 or Spoonbridge and Cherry in the middle of the Garden). Today we’re taking a page out of Oldenburg’s book and collaborating to make a giant, soft sculpture of a jellyfish!
Music: Hennepin County Disco Authority
12 noon–3 pm
Feel the love and groove with the Hennepin County Disco Authority’s resident DJ Jon.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Tour
English, 12 noon
Spanish, 1 pm
Animals and the natural world are a common inspiration for artists. Learn more about the artworks in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden that is inspired by animals. Meet at the Main Entrance to the Walker Art Center.
Koo Koo Kanga Roo is the dance-a-long comedy show from Bryan and Neil, two friends who set out to experiment with live music and make it more fun. Armed with nothing more than an iPod, two mics and some gold sneakers, Koo Koo Kanga Roo puts on an all-ages dance party that invites everyone to join in. Whether you know them from “brain break” videos in your classroom, the Warped Tour, or a late night bar show, you’ve probably gotten sweaty dancing to their jams before.
The Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society (MCRS) is dedicated to improving the lives of companion rabbits. MCRS’s mission is to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits and to improve the lives of companion rabbits by educating the public and assisting humane societies. MCRS finds shelters or permanent homes for rabbits.
The Abbey Alpaca Farm is dedicated to breeding and raising quality Huacaya alpacas. They are dedicated to a superior breeding program, where excellence shows in the health and quality of the animals. They provide customers with the best alpacas, with a particular focus on excellence in the following areas: overall quality, conformation, uniform color, dense fiber, incredible crimp, and full coverage. The Abbey Alpaca Farm is located west of the Twin Cities in Hutchinson, Minnesota.
Animal Ark is an animal welfare organization in Hastings which rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes Minnesota’s lost and homeless companion animals every year.
Originally from Wisconsin, Dana LeMoine’s work focuses on printmaking and artist books. She previously worked as the education and community programs manager at Highpoint Center for Printmaking and has also taught locally at Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the Walker Art Center, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and the Waseca Art Center. LeMoine currently teaches printmaking and letterpress through Continuing Education at the MCAD. She has exhibited her work nationally and in Australia and was the recipient of the 2016 Jerome Book Arts Fellowship.
Hennepin County Disco Authority is a DJ outfit based in Minneapolis. A collective with influences in house and disco, they work to further the Minneapolis sound.
