Friday 1/9 – Thursday 1/15
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10 SATURDAY The Field Museum’s ongoing Year of Biodiversity and Conservation program is currently featuring exhibits on the New World tropics, which run from Mexico down to the southern tip of Argentina and are home to nearly a quarter of all the plant and animal species on earth–with dozens of new ones being discovered every year. Today’s kickoff events for Biodiversity in the Neotropics include a roundtable discussion at 2 with museum scientists Bruce Patterson (curator of mammals), Barry Chernoff (curator of fish), and conservation ecologists Doug Stotz and Robin Foster. In addition to discussing their work in the neotropics, they’ll talk about an ongoing study of the tropical rain forest ecosystem that has so far tracked the development of more than 30,000 plants. The day’s programs also include a slide show and behind-the-scenes tour of the botany department (tickets are $18 and registration is required), a lecture by zoologist Larry Heaney on his work in the Philippines, and a “meet the scientists” event with insects division collections assistant Jim Louderman and others. Apart from the slide show and tour all events are free with museum admission, which is $10 for adults, $5 for children 3 to 11, and $7 for students and seniors. The museum is at 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. and it’s open from 9 to 5 daily. For more information call 312-665-7400 or see www.fmnh.org.
In a perfect world, Elvis Presley would have turned 69 this past Thursday. Among the thousands of impersonators keeping his memory alive is Chicago native Trent “the Dream King” Carlini, whose Las Vegas-based multimedia act includes more than 25 songs, eight costume changes, an 18-piece band, a video montage, and backup vocals by “the Carlini Angels.” He’ll swivel and shake tonight at 8 at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Rd. in Rosemont. Tickets range from $39 to $49; call 312-559-1212. For more on Carlini go to www.thedreamking.com.
New York-based artist Stephen Hendee started working with cardboard in the early 1990s because it was all he could afford. These days he makes his glowing, room-size geometric sculptures from materials like duct tape, plastic sheeting, foam board, and fluorescent lights. He’s now in Hyde Park creating a new installation for the Smart Museum’s upcoming show “Illuminations: Sculpting With Light,” which will also include work by Charles Biederman, Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin, and James Turrell. The exhibit opens January 22; Hendee will give a free talk on his work tonight at 5 at the University of Chicago’s Midway Studios, 6016 S. Ingleside. Call 773-702-0200 or see smartmuseum.uchicago.edu for more.
