Four great upcoming cultural events around town

This afternoon, I was meant to be at the Israeli Knesset for Culture Day. As a member of the Israel Union of Performing Artists, I was asked to be present as part of a delegation of active artists. And then, well… the government did a little hocus-pocus and there was no more time for culture. While the Knesset and Facebook are ablaze with political activity, I want to point out a few things to be culturally excited about in the coming weeks.

• The Flying Karamazov Brothers tour to Israel. If you haven’t seen them or have never heard of them, check them out. Lead by founding member Paul David Magid, The Flying Karamazov Brothers are going to bring a lot of crazy good times to the country. Their wacky antics include juggling, comedy, freaky tricks and music. In fact, all four of the so-called brothers are apt musicians. They have rigged their bowling pins to make percussive sounds so that their juggling is actually a kind of musical instrument. They will be here from June 10-17 with performances in Jerusalem, Modi’in and Holon.

• Fresh Paint. Now in its fifth year, Fresh Paint is a nomadic contemporary arts festival. Each year, the organizers choose a new, off-the-beaten-path location to showcase the works of local artists. Art buff or not, this is one of those not-to-miss events that is full of good vibes, handsome folks and lots of inspirational materials. Fresh Paint 5 will take place from May 15-19 at the New High School on Shoshana Persits Street in Tel Aviv. This is the clip from Fresh Paint 4:

• The Talooy Bamakom Festival. Part of Tel Aviv Art Year, this festival is all about site-specific performance. Events will overtake public buses, a storefront, the municipal building, an elevator or a coffee shop during the three days of this festival. All performances are free and open to all audiences. The festival will take place on May 17, 18 and 19.

• Oyster by Inbal Pinto Dance Company. As a kid, like many ballet-practicing little ones, I fell in love with The Nutcracker. The ballet was full of magical creatures wearing these beautiful costumes. It swept me away to a different world. Though I will never again experience that first performance, the closest I have come was the first time I saw this breath-taking piece. It has been running for more than a decade, I’ve seen it five times at least and yet every time I see that Inbal Pinto is presenting Oyster again, I feel compelled to go. The company will perform at the Suzanne Dellal Center on May 24 and 25 (matinee and evening performances).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9nXyaTURPM[/youtube]