"Cape Dorset Art: Tradition and Innovation" at the Heard Museum North: In this show, the Heard has left the desert behind for the visual traditions of Cape Dorset, an island in northeast Canada. This community has a strong arts scene in which, much like our Southwestern Native American artists, creatives attempt to reconcile tribal tradition with modern urban life. By many standards, the works are childlike and simple, lacking professional artistic training. But it's this very abandon of such concerns that frees the artists to create grounded works that describe their modern culture in charming ways. The concern revolves around the themes explored, rather than the skill employed. From a technical standpoint, a middle school student could've accomplished the ink and colored-pencil drawing picture titled Leaving the Store. The simple line drawing shows a group of people — clad in heavy coats, snow moccasins and fur-lined, hooded coats — carrying plastic sacks. This could be a folk-art piece from long ago, but the clash of the plastic, bright-colored sacks is clearly the result of an urban society. Thoughtful depictions of this tension elevate the works to mature pieces with more conceptual depth than what one would expect from the technical skill. Admission is $5 for adults. Runs through August 12 at 32633 N. Scottsdale Rd. in Scottsdale. Call 480-488-9817 or visit www.heard.org.
"Brad Konick: In the Beginning" at Congregation Beth Israel's Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum: Surrounded by the sprawl of Phoenix, the word "space" usually refers to vast stretches of land. But stepping into Brad Konick's exhibition requires a consideration of space on a much smaller scale. Particularly in his sculpture Ego Shelter, a rounded triangle made of corrugated layers of heavy steel, Konick creates a play of tiny spaces. The ridges of the steel slabs create a pattern of triangular pockets visible from the sides. There's an overwhelming urge to touch, poke, and prod the depth and atmosphere of these tiny gaps. Fortunately, some works, such as The Quiet Hive, invite the viewer's touch. This piece is a giant vase made of a nickel-plated geometric framework. The pattern leaves square gaps throughout — this vessel could never hold anything. When nudged, the heavy piece rocks back and forth with ease, melting away its industrial harshness and turning into a playful, taunting work. It's not surprising that Konick has a background in architecture. He uses the same sense of design. Admission free, viewing by appointment. Runs through May 16 at 10460 N. 56th St. in Scottsdale. Call 480-951-0323 or visit www.templebethisrael.com.
"Lyle Ashton Harris: Blow Up" at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art: Harris, a photojournalist who achieved acclaim almost 20 years ago, showcases a body of work that spans his career. But this isn't a straightforward show with a series of sterile, framed prints. Nor is it a chronological display of an artist's work. The exhibition takes over two of SMoCA's galleries and is a mishmash of framed photos, printed images on flowing fabric, large-scale collages, and video installation. The combination may seem inconsistent and disorienting at first, but once it's understood that you've stepped into a collage of this man's career, common threads can be found. Mainly, Harris investigates persona, race, celebrity, sexuality, and gender. In one photo, a black man's face grimaces in anguish as it glimmers with trickles of blood while his beautiful body is clad in just a jock strap and boxing gloves. The show is a bombardment of frenzied visual over-stimulation, but with a slow, concentrated consideration of each bit, viewers have much to gain from Harris' visual insights. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students, free for children. Through May 27 at 7374 E. Second St. in Scottsdale. Call 480-874-4666 or visit www.smoca.org.
