Iberian Glories

If an exhibit of only five pictures strikes you as a meager offering, please note these names: Goya, El Greco, Velazquez, Picasso, and Dali. Those are the signatures you'll find on the Five Spanish Masterpieces now on display at the DIA and each one of these canvases is a priceless feast for both the eye and the soul. The show is also a Detroit homecoming of sorts for Melancholy Woman, a jewel from Picasso's Blue Period that the museum sent on a worldwide tour recently. You'll find these beautiful works near the Rivera Court – five melodious songs complementing a strident symphony. Thru 8/19. More: dia.org

Not Basque ... BASK (and he's actually Czech)

BASK, the visual provocateur whose "thought crimes" provide us all with some much-needed mental clarity these days, will be at Royal Oak's 323East on 6/30 for a brief but passionate interlude called One Night Stand-Detroit. When the doors open at 5 p.m., you and other guests will get a first-hand look at his latest works AND the opportunity to buy them. At 7 p.m. the remaining pieces will be released and made available to collectors on 1xRUN. A criminally short time to become acquainted with a talented man, but (believe us) it will be time well spent. Bonus good news: BASK will soon be lending a hand to the Detroit Beautification Project. More: 323east.com.

Pop, Pow ... WOW!

Juxtaposing Motor City music legends with the iconography of carbonation is a pretty refreshing idea. Bill Morrison evidently thinks so too, so he snapped open Detroit Pop at River's Edge Gallery in Wyandotte. Both a hymn of praise and a love letter to his old neighborhood, Morrison's show also draws some well-deserved attention to his own effervescent talent – a talent that this CCS alum lent to Matt Groening and Futurama. You'll see a great deal of that here as well. More: artattheedge.com.

Did The Whole Rhythm Section Ever Bunk Here?

Turning a police station/jail into an art gallery seems perfectly logical to us – which is probably why we've been keeping a solicitous eye on the HatchArt Collective's ongoing efforts to give 3456 Evaline a fresh purpose and a much needed paint job. The hatchlings in Hamtown still have a long way to go, however. If you'd like a closer look at this work in progress (and make a modest donation to the coffers), drop in on 6/30 for Lockdown!, a curated "happening" of performance art with spoken word vignettes, installation pieces, improvised music and an array of multi-media delights. Among the inmates providing diversions: Alice Schneider, Marianne Brass, Sarah Peters, Kurt Prisbe, and Andy Meyers. More: hatchart.org

And You Will Not Be Struck By Flying Asphalt This Time

We were allowed a sneak peek at the Belle Isle Public Art Exhibit #6 last week and also given an upcoming itinerary. Starting at 6 p.m. on 6/27, proceed to the lawn of the Belle Isle White House before embarking on a tour of works gracing Lake Tacoma; this will be followed by a shoreline performance by James Cornish and others. Return to the same location at 5 p.m. on 6/28 for a special meet & greet with the participating artists and a serenade from Halima Cassells. You may also join a panel discussion on the development of programs that utilize public spaces like our beloved jewel on the river. Scheduled to speak are park manager Keith Flournoy, Matthew Niami of Recycle Here!, and Joe Rashid of the Detroit Parks Coalition. Last but not least, here's a well-deserved shout-out directed at Melissa Vogel-Woods, Clare Fox, Sean Hages, Carleton Gholz, Ginger Chase, Chido Johnson and others who lent a dash of creative beauty to the surroundings.

You Must Remember This

Here's wonderful news if you're a fan of classic movies and the urban gems that used to screen them back in the day. The Detroit Theatre Organ Society is striving to restore the Senate movie house on Michigan Avenue and to pump up the volume of a Mighty 4/34 Wurlitzer. They're doing an impressive job and we'd like you to check dtos.org for a schedule of upcoming events. Needless to say our enthusiasm for all this started years ago with the equally worthy Motor City Theatre Organ Society and that group's accomplishments at the Redford. We've just received word that the bijou at Grand River and Lahser is going to show Casablanca on 6/29. This 1943 classic – the best "bad film" ever made and a timeless tribute to freedom – is also (pay attention, guys) the greatest date flick in the western world. And the Redford has a mighty big organ as well! More:redfordtheatre.com. | RDW