A BODY IN FUKUSHIMA (part of “A Body in Motion” with ADF) – Through July 26 – Eiko Otake is a legendary New York-based movement artist, performer and choreographer who will perform as a solo artist in “A Body in Motion” with the American Dance Festival. As part of “A Body in Motion,” Pleiades will exhibit striking, vulnerable and fragile-seeming photographs by William Johnson of Eiko in radiation-damaged Fukushima, Japan. Pleiades Gallery, 109 E. Chapel Hill St.; Free; 919-797-2706
Colourful Concoctions – Thursday, 6-8pm – Cocktails inspired by Colour Correction: British and American Screenprints from 1967-75 exhibition. The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 2001 Campus Dr.; $7 per drink, includes a $5 coupon redeemable with purchase of a dinner entrée in the museum café; 919-684-6032
Hazel Lucas Shaw: Dust Bowl Survivor – Thursday, 7-8:30pm – The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was a man-made disaster of huge proportions. Dr. Sally Ann Drucker recreates Hazel Lucas Shaw (1903-2003), who lived in the Oklahoma Panhandle through this period. Shaw demonstrated extraordinary strength, courage and resilience, recording thoughts and feelings in a self-published memoir. Vivid details of her personal history dovetail with important periods in Oklahoma history. Her individual story is also about those who stayed put even when feeling betrayed by the land they loved. Southwest Regional Library, 3650 Shannon Rd.; Free; 919-560-8590
Ballet Folklórico Cutumba – Thursday, 8pm – Making their ADF debut, Cutumba performs Afro-Cuban-Franco-Haitian folkloric and popular dance, music and song, ranging from gagá to son, celebrating the cultural melting pot that is Cuba. With vibrant colors and action-packed theatrics, this is a show that is fully charged, from beginning to end. The Carolina Theatre, 309 W. Morgan St.; $32-$62; 919-560-3030
Mesa Latin Kitchen Grand Opening – Friday-Sunday, 4pm-10pm – Reserve a table for Durham’s newest restaurant, Mesa Latin Kitchen, a new, upscale, tapas-style eatery featuring contemporary, chef-crafted Latin fare. The grand opening weekend will feature live music, drink specials and delectable cuisine. Reservations are limited. Mesa Latin Kitchen, 2701 Hillsborough Rd.; 919-973-2717
Historic Russell School: Durham’s Last Rosenwald Schoolhouse – Friday, 5:30pm – The Museum of Durham History commemorates its latest Our Bull City exhibition, which explores the history of the Russell School, a one-room schoolhouse just outside of Hillsborough, N.C., part of the Rosenwald School initiative. Philanthropist Julius Rosenwald and civil rights leader Booker T. Washington established Rosenwald Schools to bring formal education to rural black communities in the South. Guests will have the opportunity to learn about the school’s legacy from exhibit curator Stephanie Pryor and Phyllis Mack Horton, chair of the Russell School’s board, as well as efforts underway to preserve the site. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served, and singer/songwriter Matt Phillips performs live under the gazebo till 8pm. Durham History Hub, 500 W. Main St.; Free; 919-246-9993
Jarekus Singleton – Friday, 5:30pm – The harmonica-infused Warehouse Blues concert series continues with this Mississippi native who melds hip-hop wordplay, rock energy and R&B grooves with contemporary and traditional blues. Local food trucks and beer will be available for purchase. Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St.; Free admission; 919-794-8194
Accumulation Opening Reception – Friday, 6-9pm – The Cameron Gallery presents this collection of ceramic and mixed media sculptures by Durham artist Jeffery Zern. His ceramic figures feature heavily textured faces, melancholy expressions, and elongated heads and necks. These fantastical characters are accompanied by found objects such as cameras, flags, glasses and stools. In this way Zern’s sculptures both occupy and transcend our world, seeming to exist simultaneously in the corporeal world and an imaginary realm. The evening’s festivities include light snacks and drinks, as well as free art making in the Make and Take room. The Scrap Exchange, 2050 Chapel Hill Rd.; Free admission; 919-688-6960
Elemental Opening Reception – Friday, 6-9pm – This exhibit celebrates clay’s fundamentally untamed character. Many ancient cultures saw the world as a mix of the elements: air, water, fire and earth. Clay is earth, ground down over eons, and when worked with water and fire, it has been central to our collective human history. Nathan Hood, Warner Hyde and Savannah Scarborough utilize clay’s natural forms and textures, and ask us to take note of the beautiful aspects of clay that are simply elemental. Claymakers, 705 Foster St.; Free; 919-530-8355
Third Friday Reception for Artist/Photographer Jim Lee – Friday, 6-9pm – This collection includes a wide range of the artist’s recent creations. Art, science, technology and nature are all part of a single matrix for Jim and his work reflects that. With his unique vision he looks closely, beyond the surface, at texture, at history, at cause, at effect, at circumstance … looking for why it is interesting and worth sharing. Jim creates striking still life and whimsical compositions from found objects that are mostly the remains of natural and human-made processes. Alizarin Gallery, 119 W. Main St., Ste. 200; 919-943-8370
Endangered Third Friday Reception – Friday, 6-9pm – The Pleiades featured artist for July is sculptor TJ Christiansen. Please come see his show about the plight of endangered animals around the world. TJ’s projects include representational and conceptual elements that take form in both functional and interpretive ways. He creates sculptures in wood, metal and found materials with particular attention paid to detail and craftsmanship. Endangered species featured in this exhibit include: leopard, tiger, rhino, gorilla, sea turtle and plains bison. TJ will donate 5% of sales from his show toward sponsoring an animal through the World Wildlife Fund. Exhibit runs through July 30. Pleiades Gallery, 109 E. Chapel Hill St.; Free; 919-797-2706
The British Invaders Band – Friday, 7-9pm – Enjoy ’60s-inspired British rock as part of the Brightleaf summer concert series. Brightleaf Square, 905 W. Main St.; Free; 919-682-9229
In Transit – Friday, 7pm – The last film by the late, legendary director Albert Maysles, is coming to Durham for a one-night-only screening. The film takes you on a journey into the hearts and minds of everyday passengers aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder, the busiest long-distance train route in America. Candid and direct, the film unfolds as a series of interconnected vignettes, ranging from overheard conversations to moments of deep intimacy, in which passengers share their fears, hopes and dreams. Full Frame Theater, 320 Blackwell St.; Free, but attendees must reserve a ticket via Eventbrite starting at 9am on the morning of the screening to attend
Jon Acuff – Friday, 7pm – This New York Times bestselling author reads from his most important book yet, Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, And Never Get Stuck featuring inspiring and funny true stories — not merely his own, but those of friends who restarted their careers after a layoff, an extended maternity leave or simply the realization that they were suffering fifty weeks a year just to pay the bills and enjoy two weeks of vacation. The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St.; Free; 919-286-2700
Lakewood Drive-In – Friday, 9-11pm – Durham Cinematheque and A/V Geeks join forces with The Scrap Exchange to present the new Lakewood Drive In, featuring real film projected on a big screen and a FM transmitter broadcasting sound to your car. For this month’s movie, Great Big World, you’ll be transported to exotic locations and see strange things. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase, or bring a picnic! The Scrap Exchange, 2050 Chapel Hill Rd.; $5 per person for walk-ins and bikes, $20 per car, $10 for two-seater cars
Party Illegal Fundraiser – Friday, 10pm – Durham’s favorite monthly dance party is back featuring Queen Plz, Play Play, Birdgherl and Trandle. All door profits will benefit SpiritHouse, a local organization that works with low-wealth families and community members to uncover barriers that prevent them from gaining the resources, leverage and capacity for long-term self-sufficiency. The Pinhook, 117 W. Main St.; $8-$10; 919-667-1100
Tomato Day – Saturday, 10am – Dozens of tomato varieties will be available for your to sample at the center of the lawn, hosted by Shane Ingram of Four Square Restaurant. Taste a few and vote for your favorites! Durham Farmers’ Market, 501 Foster St.; Free
Sketching in the Galleries – Saturday, 10am-noon – Local artist William Paul Thomas will present a brief lesson and demonstration of various ways to respond to visual art by creating your own sketches. Then you can try it out in the galleries. The Nasher Museum will provide drawing materials. You are welcome to bring your own, but pens, charcoal and wet media are not permitted in the galleries. Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 2001 Campus Dr.; Free with admission, ($5 for adults); 919-684-5135
Girls Rock Summer Showcase – Saturday, 2pm – 16 bands of youths ages 7-15 present their showcase from the first session of the organization’s summer rock camp. Motorco Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave.; $5-$10 suggested sliding donation
Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host – Saturday, 7pm – This American Life host Ira Glass has been working with Monica Bill Barnes & Company to invent a show that combines their two art forms: dance and radio. One is all words and no visuals. One is all visuals and no words. The result is a funny, lively and very talky evening of dance and stories. DPAC, 123 Vivian St.; $19.25-$58; 919-680-2787
Tom Young – Saturday, 7pm – This author and journalist will read from his latest novel, The Hunters, where we find the heroes in a Somalia infested with armed clans, pirates, poverty, and, increasingly, terrorism. The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St.; Free; 919-286-2700
BazaART – Sunday, 1-5pm – Enjoy locally made art, live demonstrations, entertainment, music, hands-on art activities, local vendors and food trucks. HappymessART Studios, 718 Iredell St.; Free admission; 919-286-9763
ADF International Screendance Festival – Sunday, 2-4pm – Curated by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Douglas Rosenberg, the International Screendance Festival kicks off Sunday and explores the ever-evolving relationship between cinema and dance. The ISF has screened more than 340 films from 20-plus countries. Come early to visit the galleries and enjoy brunch in the Nasher Museum Café. Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 2001 Campus Dr.; Free; 919-684-5135
Meet the Author: Dr. Mindy Fullilove – Sunday, 3-4:30pm – In anticipation of SpiritHouse’s citywide book study, join Dr. Mindy Fullilove, Professor of Clinical of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University, for a reading and discussion of her book, Urban Alchemy: Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities. Durham County Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.; Free; 919-560-0100
American Idol Live – Sunday, 7:30pm – Get up close and personal with the Top 5 Idols from Season 14: Clark Beckham, Jax, Nick Fradiani, Rayvon Owen, and Tyanna Jones. These idols will showcase their individual artistry and talents all set to a live band. DPAC, 123 Vivian St.; $40+; 919-680-2787
