Treasure Treasure and Robert Ramirez from 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch'
Arts and entertainment events in Pittsburgh keep our calendars full with some of the best creatives out there. Folk music, classical music, comedy on the stage, comedy on the screen and more — including Hedwig’s takeover of Downtown’s Greer Cabaret Theater — will make for a varied and exciting week in Pittsburgh from May 11-17.
Arts and Entertainment Events in Pittsburgh May 11-17
Any visit from Michael Chabon, who launched his career while studying at CMU and Pitt, is a homecoming. Monday’s appearance with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, which will take place at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, is a rare opportunity to watch a writer return to the place where his stories (if not his story; he was born in the D.C. area) began. There’s added anticipation to this stop, though; Chabon’s next book, his first in 10 years, is expected this fall. Perhaps a brief preview is coming on Monday night?
Marc Broussard makes the sort of soul-filled blues that can rock the foundations of a building. The second-generation bluesman, who plays Lawrenceville’s Thunderbird Music Hall this Tuesday night, brings Louisiana swagger to his songwriting — and full-throated reverence to standards and covers, another specialty. He’ll be joined Tuesday by Sway Wild.
Few Hollywood luminaries — or people, for that matter — get to experience a celebration of their 100th birthday. Fewer still do so while still actively working. But Mel Brooks is exceptional; when he turns 100 this June, he’ll be in production on Spaceballs: The New One, the long-awaited sequel to his Star Wars parody. The original Spaceballs returns to the big screen at Row House Hollywood this week, along with Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, in a retrospective co-presented with the JFilm.
In its Local Folk Series, Calliope House (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year) brings regional folk musicians to its intimate Roots Cellar stage, tucked underground in Shadyside. It’s a great way to get an up-close look at excellent musicians who might otherwise have escaped your notice. This week: the Penna Players, who focus on early jazz sounds and styles.
The first thing to know: “pathétique” is French for melancholic, not pathetic. So think of emotional resonance, not misery, when it comes to Tchaikovsky’s final completed work, premiered just weeks before the composer’s death. The PSO will present Pathétique as part of its “Symphony Starters” series on Friday night (and Sunday afternoon); Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is also on the bill. Edward Gardner conducts, with Behzod Abduraimov featured on the piano.
Part showcase of up-and-coming talent, part competition and part celebration, the Ladies of Laughter tour — deliberately named to fit the apt “LOL” acronym — brings rising stars of stand-up to theaters around the country. The Pittsburgh stop, set for Saturday night at Downtown’s O’Reilly Theater, features Dena Blizzard, Liz Glazer, Leighann Lord and Helen Wildy. The latter comic is no stranger to Pittsburgh stages; she developed her stand-up (and improv) skills here before relocating to New York. Welcome her back to town — and see some performers who could well be headliners in a matter of years.
Twenty years after first glamming up Pittsburgh with an acclaimed South Side run, Hedwighas moved Downtown. City Theatre has revived the rock musical in an energetic, impactful production at Downtown’s Greer Cabaret Theater — with unforgettable performances by Treasure Treasure, as Hedwig, and Theo Allyn, as beleaguered backup singer Yitzhak, who both grab the audience by the lapels. Read more about the show’s triumphant return — and get your ticket before they sell out, as this show is going to be a hit.
You’re cordially invited to attend an over-the-top wedding event at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.
Randy Fenoli, Star of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, Headlines Bridal Luncheon and Designer Showcase at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
A bridal luncheon and designer showcase featuring Randy Fenoli, star of TLC’s long-running series Say Yes to the Dress, will be held at Rivers Casino on Sunday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $50.
As Pittsburgh’s premier riverfront venue for weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, bachelor and bachelorette parties and more, Rivers Casino is rolling out the white carpet this summer. And the door prizes alone will take some major stress off the bride.
Win a Wedding Gown, Reception or Romantic Getaway … Amid Bouquets and Bustles
At the June 14 event, three lucky brides will win free wedding gowns of their choosing from the Randy Fenoli Bridal collection, plus one $20,000 wedding reception package at Rivers or a “suite” getaway weekend at The Landing Hotel including dinner at Martorano’s Prime.
Brides-to-be, grooms, friends and family of the betrothed, bridesmaids, groomsmen, wedding planners and more — this wedding party is for you. The on-site Wedding Services Team at Rivers Casino has created a wedding extravaganza that you won’t want to miss: a strolling cocktail reception, a sit-down plated lunch and a keynote address by bridal style guru Randy
Fenoli, followed by dessert, coffee and, of course … a cookie table featuring Bethel Bakery.
Several new gowns from Randy Fenoli Bridal’s latest collection will be on display throughout the event. Specialty cocktails include the “I Do Mimosa” and the “Say Yes Spritz.”
The Guest List: Say Yes to Sunday, June 14
General admission tickets for the June 14 Bridal Luncheon and Designer Showcase at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh include: two drink coupons, appetizers, a champagne toast and a sit-down plated lunch, followed by dessert and coffee. Check-in begins at 10 a.m.; doors open at 11 a.m. General admission tickets are on sale now, starting at $50.
A limited number of VIP tickets are available at $75. VIP tickets include all the above and preferred luncheon seating, plus a guaranteed meet-and-greet with Randy Fenoli.
Tickets to the June 14 Bridal Luncheon and Designer Showcase can be purchased online.
More Than 1,000 Weddings … Save the Date (and Your Budget)
There’s nothing like Rivers Casino Pittsburgh for weddings, as more than 1,000 couples can already attest.
With on-site food and beverage teams led by award-winning culinary arts veterans, including an in-house pastry chef, Rivers Casino brings unparalleled expertise to the table — figuratively and literally. The casino’s ability to highly customize menus is a powerful advantage when combined with more than 50,000 square feet of rentable space — including flexible ballroom configurations that accommodate wedding parties of all sizes.
And you can’t beat the commute. The Landing Hotel Pittsburgh, immediately adjacent to the casino, provides integrated walkable access to Rivers’ second-floor ballrooms, enabling bridal parties and guests to seamlessly arrive at the big event. This cuts down on travel time; plus, guests of The Landing Hotel receive free valet parking.
As an added incentive for attending Rivers’ June 14 Bridal Luncheon and Designer Showcase, Pittsburgh brides will have a same-day opportunity to further ease their budgets. Anyone who books and confirms a future wedding at Rivers Casino with a $500 deposit will receive either a free on-site ceremony or $2,500 off their reception.
For more information about Rivers Casino Pittsburgh’s event spaces, including availability, visit RiversCasino.com/Pittsburgh or call 412-566-4464.
From dinosaurs and pop art to hidden manor houses and interactive science exhibits, Pittsburgh’s museums cover just about every interest imaginable. Some museums are world-famous destinations while others feel like hidden gems tucked into neighborhoods you may have never visited before. No matter which ones make it onto your itinerary, each museum offers its own unique look into art, history, culture, and creativity. Plus, our constellation of museums is another reminder of why Pittsburgh is such an interesting city to explore.
Bananas, soup cans, and plenty of pop art, The Andy Warhol Museum is home to the works of Andy Warhol and the legacy he left. Walk through multiple floors that take you through physical art mediums and the technological advancements like screen tests. You’ll be surprised at the war of his tender early years, and dazzled by the audacity of his latter years.
Over in Oakland, the Carnegie Museum of Art is one of two connected Carnegie museums. Whether it’s perusing a timeline on local artists or a looking at works that give insight into some of the most important moments in art history, the galleries in this museum are fascinating. Be sure to check out their events, too, for exclusive tours and hands-on experiences.
Did someone say dinosaurs? The Hall of Dinosaurs at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History puts you right by life-size dinosaur and skeletal models. Plus there’s the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems with some of the most stunning specimens on Earth as well as exhibits on North American Wildlife, African Wildlife, and more.
Prepare to have your mind blown. The Museum of Illusions flips everything you know on its head through interactive displays. Have your cameras at the ready to see your head served on a silver platter, walk through an upside down house, and watch static images come to life in a 3D way.
Curious about the history of Pittsburgh? At the Heinz History Center you can learn about all eras of the city by engaging with exhibits on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the journey from slavery to freedom in Western Pennsylvania, a timeline of Pittsburgh inventions, and of course, the history of Heinz Ketchup.
Contemporary installation art is at the center of the Mattress Factory in North Side. Head through various levels and houses full of modern art in the most intriguing of displays. You’ll never know what you’ll find in their newest exhibitions but you can always count on the Yayoi Kusama mirror room full of mannequins and red dots, and the small house full of artist Greer Lankton’s creations. You might enjoy James Turrell’s light installations, too.
As you walk through Point State Park and look down at the tiles that mark the location of Fort Pitt, you may wonder how the 18th century version of Pittsburgh looked. At the Fort Pitt Museum you can get to know Western Pennsylvania’s role during the French and Indian War as well as the American Revolution.
Waterplay, a maker’s workshop, and so much more, fill the halls of the Children’s Museum with hands-on exhibits that get kids curious about art and science. After you’re done exploring, head over to MuseumLab where kids can gain skills in workshops like mending, soldering, and more.
The Kamin Science Center isn’t just for kids, adults will find themselves mesmerized by the exhibits as well. Learn the science and mechanics behind every day occurrences like weather phenomenons, robots, and even how our bodies function. There’s even the new Sports360 exhibit that contains 25 different challenges to put your body to the test and learn the science of sports.
Made up of gardens, art galleries, and the Henry Clay Frick house, The Frick Pittsburgh not only gives deep insight into the history of Pittsburgh and one of its most famous families, it also introduces visitors to a variety of rotating art exhibits. An extra bonus: the gardens are simply gorgeous. They’re filled with blooms for every warm season, as well as a renovated greenhouse for the cooler ones.
Did you know Pittsburgh has its own space museum? The Moonshot Museum takes visitors through the details of the 21st century space industry. Visitors can check out simulated lunar landings and rover missions and interactive VR taking you beyond Earth’s surface. You can also learn about real aerospace careers from professionals.
This tour-only museum takes you through the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates. This baseball star pushed past race and language barriers to be one of the best players in history. Now you can step through his childhood and his career days. And you can glimpse impact of his passing as you look through historical documents and artifacts.
Have you ever seen a musical instrument play itself? Well mark that off your bucket list! The Bayernhof Museum is the home of automated musical instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries. It also holds quite a few music boxes. You’ll have fun with the museum’s secret passages and hidden doors. Tours are by appointment only.
The odd, the strange, the macabre, it all awaits you at Trundle Manor in Swissvale. This private collection fills the manor with taxidermy, jarred specimens, medical implements, and bizarre weapons. The manor is also an artist’s residence. Each time you come in you’ll find new exhibits and projects to walk through.
Whether it’s American art from early historical centuries or modern American art from today, The Westmoreland Museum houses it all. Walk through some of the lesser known artists of Pittsburgh, expand your knowledge on early portraiture, and so much more. The museum also holds events practically daily. Check out their calendar and plan your visit around what intrigues you most.
It sounds odd to say a bicycle museum has to be on your must-do list in Pittsburgh. Rest assured: Bicycle Heaven is unlike anything else you’ve ever seen. Hanging from walls, ceilings, and all around, you sit racks of vintage bikes. There’s even Pee-wee Herman’s bike from the movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. Plus you can stop in to get your own bikes fixed, rent out one of theirs, or simply pick up a new accessory too.
The Claude Worthington Benedum Gallery at The August Wilson African American Cultural Center features talented African American artists from all walks of life. But if the gallery isn’t quite you’re thing, there’s also August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape, the permanent exhibition that walks you through the life and works of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. While you’re there, consider taking in one of their dance, art, or music performances.
A Tattoo Art Museum? Yes, it’s real and it’s your insider view of how the history of tattooing has changed over the years. Check out some of the first flash artwork and stencils from the 20th century, view old tattoo machines from some of the first days of tattooing, and you can even take a piece of history home by getting a tattoo done while you’re there.
Inside the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, the American Jewish Museum presents contemporary Jewish art in a variety of mediums. Whether it’s photography, painting, fabric-art, or a medium you might not know existed, the museum presents exhibits on a rotating basis promoting interfaith and intergenerational explorations.
Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Lantern Slides, Stereo Views as well as paper process photos line the cabinets and walls of the Museum of Photographic History. The museum’s archive give you a look at photographs from Pittsburgh, the Civil War, and Native American history. Not to mention they have over 2,000 cameras on display as well.
Mental Health Awareness Week, May 11–17, is dedicated to opening conversations around mental health and reminding people to prioritize their emotional well-being just as much as their physical health. The week serves as a chance to slow down, check in with ourselves, and recognize the importance of caring for our minds through both big and small habits. In a world that constantly asks us to keep moving, Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us that rest, reflection, and support are just as important as productivity.
Self care doesn’t always have to mean completely changing your life overnight. Sometimes it’s as simple as nourishing your body with foods that make you feel good, taking a quiet moment alone, going for a walk in the sunshine, or ending the night with your favorite sweet treat. Try one or all of the below as you show your self a bit of love this week.
How to Practice Self Care for Mental Health Awareness Week
Change Up What You Eat
While it’s so easy to lean towards fried and greasy comfort food as a way of self care, your body and your mind will thank you for eating something better. Our 15 Antidepressant Food Recipes take you through all the ingredients that can benefit your body and mind.
Photo by Kate Russell
A dish like Salmon Poke with Yuzu also provides you with EPA and DHA, two types of omega-3s in salmon which can lower levels of depression.
The key of Mental Health Awareness Week is to encourage ourselves to think more deeply about how we feel and acknowledge those emotions. One of the best ways to do this is to be one with yourself. Take time to be with yourself, alone, and get to know how you think a little better.
Photo by Matt Dayak
Our Self Care Rituals give you four different ways to connect deeper and reflect on your inner self. A routine check-in with a list of questions encourages you to confront how you’re feeling. A Self-Love Facial Steam is a comforting way to end the day with lavender and rose petals relaxing your thoughts.
Get Out and Active!
We’re sure you’ve heard it before but it is the truth: exercise and fresh air make you feel better inside and out. If you’re looking for support in starting a fitness journey or just simply looking for a new group of friends to walk the city with, Pittsburgh has plenty of running and walking clubs ready to join. Whether you’re looking for a group of girly-pops or somewhere to start becoming a runner, there’s a club for you.
Photo From Yinz Run Club
But, if you prefer to explore in solitude and enjoy the quiet away from the chaos of life, Pittsburgh’s trails are perfect for spotting spring flowers. There’s something about seeing a pop of color in the bushes or the green of the trees that instantly calms you to your bones. Plus if you’re especially a flower lover, there are places in the city you can take yourself on a date to pick-your-own flowers. Make yourself a bouquet to remind yourself how beautiful and deserving of love you are.
Photo by Jeff Swensen at Sol Patch Garden
And, if you simply need an escape from it all, spend this weekend on a short trip away from Pittsburgh. All these trips are under three hours away and immerse you in the woods, beaches, and spa resorts. Those in need of a massage or looking for a view that’s endlessly memorable will find that a weekend trip is just what the doctor ordered.
When in Doubt… ICE CREAM
Okay, we know what we said earlier about eating better for your mind and body, but ice cream gets a pass. This creamy, sweet, cooling treat brings us back to our childhood. Not to mention it’s the ultimate dessert for when you’re in your feels. Thankfully, Pittsburgh has plenty of contenders for some of the best homemade ice cream.
Photo From Millie’s
If you do nothing else on this list, we encourage you to at least get yourself a dish, cone, or pint of ice cream, turn on your favorite movie, podcast, or album, and let your mind take a rest from the chaos of daily life.
Now, with season two of Tucci in Italy premiering May 11, we’re doing it again. This time, Tucci travels through Naples and Campania, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto. Each of these five regions carry different distinct ingredients, techniques, and food traditions.
For each stop, we pair a recipe that connects directly to that region. So when season two drops on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu you can join in on the fun by making a recipe for each episode, joining Tucci in his own discoveries.
Recipes for Cooking Through Tucci in Italy Season Two
In Naples and across Campania, Pasta Fagioli is a part of everyday cooking. It comes out of the region’s cucina povera tradition, using beans, pasta, and aromatics to create something filling and practical at a low price. In Naples, it’s often made thicker than a soup and a bit closer to a stew. It’s a dish that’s less about a fixed recipe and more about the method itself. Oh: and the flavor too!
Sicily is home to Pasta alla Norma and you’ll find it all across the region. Eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta salata form the base, reflecting ingredients that are central to Sicilian agriculture. Even the name is specific to the place. Pasta alla Norma is believed to reference the operaNorma by Vincenzo Bellini, linking the dish back to one of Sicily’s major cultural figures.
In Le Marche, fresh egg pasta is a defining part of the food culture. In turn, tagliatelle is one of the most common shapes. It’s typically paired with a ragù that comes from beef and San Marzano tomatoes as well as a slow cooking technique. It’s a straightforward combination that reflects how central pasta-making is to the region.
Sardinia is where fregula, a small, toasted pasta, originates. This pasta’s texture and flavor come from the toasting process, which gives it a slightly nutty taste. You’ll see fregula in soups or alongside seafood like mussels and fish, tying it back to Sardinia’s geography as an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea.
In Veneto, Sarde in Saor is a traditional dish with roots in Venice. Sardines are paired with onions, vinegar, and raisins, a combination that reflects Venice’s long history as a trading center because it draws upon flavor influences from the Eastern Mediterranean. Originally used as a way to preserve fish, the dish remains a part of the region’s standard cooking repertoire.
If you haven’t seen the delightful trailer for The Sheep Detectives, the title may convince you this is an animated, family-friendly adventure. It’s certainly gentle enough — but, talking sheep aside, the film is actually a witty and even erudite murder-mystery satire.
Someone’s Been Very Baa-d in The Sheep Detectives
Hugh Jackman stars as the lonely but gentle shepherd George Hardy. He lives a simple life tending to his flock outside of a quaint English town. Each night, he reads to the appreciative sheep from his collection of pulpy whodunits. When he turns up dead, the local police are outmatched, and the townsfolk are bewildered.
Fortunately, these are no ordinary ungulates. The group of clever sheep and lambs — voiced by an enthusiastic cast including Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart and Regina Hall — have been taking notes on the plots of all those page-turners. Determined to do right by their fallen friend (and avoid being sold to a rival farmer’s slaughterhouse), the sheep set out to unravel the mystery.
In an era when too many comedies remain fundamentally mean-spirited, this one is pleasantly kind-hearted. That should not, however, suggest a lack of depth; these are barnyard animals with some serious concerns. I expected to laugh; I didn’t expect to consider whether the occasional memento mori was essential for a true appreciation of life. The Sheep Detectives has surprising power.
A Seasoned — and Multifaceted — Screenwriter
Much of the credit must go to screenwriter Craig Mazin. He made his name on broad comedies such as Identity Thiefand entries in the Scary Moviefranchise. But he also turns to prestige TV, writing the acclaimed HBO miniseries Chernobyland directing The Last of Us. A combination of wit and gravitas is a powerful thing; Mazin’s career has allowed that confluence to develop nicely.
The look of the film is less impressive. It’s sets are a watered-down repeat of last year’s Wake Up Dead Man, and Kyle Balda’s direction is presentational. Unfortunately, the sheep themselves recall the errors of Disney’s “live-action” animated animals, seen in the recent Lion Kinginstallments. There’s no good way to combine photorealistic animals and awkwardly moving CGI faces. You’ll be charmed enough to overlook the awkward appearance of these rams and ewes but not ignore it.
Otherwise, though, The Sheep Detectives is a rare thing: An all-ages film that will actually appeal to all ages.
Mortal Kombat II and More New at Theaters
The long-running video game series Mortal Kombatgave rise to a very bad movie in the ’90s, then a surprisingly entertaining one in the pandemic era. Now, a sequel to that film arrives, and it’s a serviceable affair. Mortal Kombat II, directed by rising Australian action helmer Simon McQuoid, has no delusions about it: Neither too tongue-in-cheek nor overly maudlin, it’s content to be a gory and vivid spectacle. The sets impressively recall the games; while the acting leaves something to be desired, the action will satisfy fans.
Happy 40th birthday to Top Gun, which was released to giant box office (and elevated Air Force recruiting, if you believe the legend) back in May of 1986. The Tony Scott film will be back in theaters this week.
Before its larger themes come into focus, the 59th Carnegie International draws attention to the act of looking itself. The works on view, sourced from 61 artists and collectives, frequently reveal themselves through delayed recognition: you glance up and realize you’ve missed something overhead; you pass beneath a threshold and only later register its weight. Details sit just out of view, or just out of focus, until they insist on being seen.
Before its larger themes come into focus, the 59th Carnegie International draws attention to the act of looking itself. The works on view, sourced from 61 artists and collectives, frequently reveal themselves through delayed recognition: you glance up and realize you’ve missed something overhead; you pass beneath a threshold and only later register its weight. Details sit just out of view, or just out of focus, until they insist on being seen.
The 59th Carnegie International Explores Attention, Visibility, and Collective Experience
Visitors are met on Carnegie Museum of Art’s outdoor plaza by Abraham González Pacheco’s weathered concrete murals, which read like remnants of a speculative archaeology, and by G. Peter Jemison’s recreation of a 1975 touring group exhibition of Haudenosaunee art (Jemison transported the works to Pittsburgh in a vintage Chevy van, now parked outside the museum with his painting Ganondagan Autumn stretched across its side). Inside, the exhibition continues to disperse. This expansion situates the International within a broader set of social and institutional spaces, where the “international” is understood as a set of relations moving through—and occasionally rooted in—Pittsburgh.
G. Peter Jemison (Native American, born 1945);Our Journey to Deyo:gê:h (between two rivers);2026;1968 Chevrolet Mini 90 van and vinyl;overall: 75 × 86 × 1668 in. (190.5 × 218.4 × 4236.7 cm);Courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, commissioned by Carnegie Museum of Art for the 59th Carnegie International;Installation view of G. Peter Jemison, Our Journey to Deyo:gê:h (between two rivers), 2026, in If the word we, the 59th Carnegie International, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (May 2, 2026–January 3, 2027);CI.2026.7.4
How the Carnegie International Uses Space and Architecture to Shape Viewer Attention
In the Hall of Sculpture, Cinthia Marcelle’s Green Hall Annex (2026) introduces a different kind of shift. The floor is full of green carpeting, echoing the interior of Brazil’s National Congress Building after its reconstruction following the January 8, 2023 attacks, an event widely understood in relation to the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Installed within a gallery modeled after the Parthenon, the gesture pulls these architectural and political histories into uneasy alignment.
The room’s symmetry holds, but its surface no longer feels stable. Standing within the structure, we look up to find a layer of digitally collaged material—screenshots of newspaper articles, images, historical documents, their overlaps and distortions left visible. Off to one side, a framed document records the artist’s request to register the work with the Brazilian government; a return slip stapled to its surface indicates that the request was denied. It opens onto questions of recognition and the limits of institutional acknowledgment.
Art You Walk Through
In Ana Raylander Mártis dos Anjos’s Justice (2026) in a connective hallway, 3,000 silhouetted “white weapons” suspend overhead in illuminated boxes. Visitors pass beneath them before realizing what is hanging above. Once recognized, the objects fundamentally alter the space. The work draws on the circulation of such objects within systems of policing and state power, where they may confiscate, plant, or repurpose the objects as evidence. The viewer’s awareness of the installation emerges belatedly, through the act of looking up and recognizing the conditions they are already moving through.
A similar dynamic animates Jasleen Kaur’s Supra (2026), where a lintel composed of weighty Encyclopedia Britannica volumes spans the entrance to the installation. It is easy to walk beneath it without noticing. Once recognized, it becomes difficult not to think about the weight it carries: knowledge assembled, sanctioned, and fixed into place.
Jasleen Kaur, Georges Adéagbo, and the Politics of Knowledge and Exchange
Will these heavy volumes fall? Will they crush us? The possibility is never confirmed, but it alters how I move. The installation opens into a space that suggests gathering but remains structured by the weight overhead. A simulated sun casts moving patterns through faux stained-glass windows onto a red carpet, cycling the room between day and night. On a windowsill sits a miniature reproduction of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India, demolished by Hindu nationalists in 1992; cast in uranium glass, it intermittently glows a vivid green. Nearby, a gold-plated cast of the artist’s teeth rests along the sill. Kaur describes the work as an engagement with “the systems and frameworks we live within and feel through,” with each instrumentalist representing a structure: border, nation-state, belief, body.
Questions of circulation and exchange come to the fore in Georges Adéagbo’s expansive installation Le Socialisme Africain (2001–04/2026). Composed of everyday objects collected by the artist, the work unfolds as a dense, associative environment (is it an archive? A marketplace? A social gathering?). For its presentation in Pittsburgh, Adéagbo incorporates items that index the city’s identity: a Terrible Towel, two jerseys bearing the names of familiar athletes. These objects operate as points of contact, linking disparate histories and geographies without smoothing over their differences. The installation invites viewers to move through it collectively, to read across its juxtapositions, and to situate themselves within its shifting coordinates.
Georges Adéagbo (1942);Le Socialisme Africain;2001–2004, version 2026 ;carpets, newspaper clippings, books, records, prints, found objects, painted portraits by Cotonou-based artists;Courtesy of the artist, commissioned by Carnegie Museum of Art for 59th Carnegie International;Installation view of Georges Adéagbo, Le Socialisme Africain, 2001–2004, version 2026, in If the word we, the 59th Carnegie International, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (May 2, 2026–January 3, 2027);CI.2026.28.1
Multimedia Installations and Sensory Experiences
In the Hall of Architecture, Wu Tsang’s on our way to the general strike (2026) draws on the long history of Carmen in performance and film. The work assembles a visual and sonic archive that moves across interpretations of the opera, from stage to screen and back again.
The massive screen sits low and wide, cutting across the open floor rather than rising to meet the surrounding architecture. Behind it, casts of monumental structures hold their ground—arched portals, columns, pediments—fixed in place and scaled for permanence. Tsang’s borrowed images move against the backdrop of monumental facades and classical structures. The work never fully resolves the tension between the moving image and the museum’s historical staging of culture and civilization.
Throughout the exhibition, material processes extend into other sensory registers. In Camara Taylor’s Permanent Futures (2026), the scent of Caribbean dark rum saturates the gallery as the liquid circulates through a system of pipes and containers. The work draws on the historical entanglements of rum production with the transatlantic slave trade, as well as its role in ritual contexts. Moving through the gallery with a colleague, I nearly missed a small detail in the wall label—Taylor’s birth date listed as 1625—until she pointed it out. At first glance, it reads as an error. A quick check suggests otherwise, linking the date to the early history of English colonial expansion and the emergence of the rum trade.
Historical Memory and Institutional Critique at Carnegie Museum of Art
Historical layering extends beyond the exhibition itself. Concurrent with the 59th International, the museum recently rehung one of its Scaife galleries with works acquired from previous iterations of the Carnegie International, charting more than 130 years of the exhibition’s history through a dense salon-style installation. Though not officially part of the 59th edition, the gallery inevitably reframes it. Installed among past acquisitions is a 1985 Guerrilla Girls poster declaring: “ONLY 4 OF THE 42 ARTISTS IN THE CARNEGIE INTERNATIONAL ARE WOMEN,” a reminder that the history of the International has always been shaped by disputes over visibility.
In this gallery, I found myself pausing before Pittsburgh-born Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha (ca. 1905), its figures emerging slowly from the surrounding dimness. Widely regarded as the first African American painter to receive international acclaim, Tanner occupies a complicated position within this history of visibility and exclusion. Light gathers around the table at the center of the scene while much of the room remains obscured, requiring us to spend time with the painting before its details fully register. Seen alongside the current International, Tanner’s work begins to echo the exhibition’s recurring concern with attention itself: what becomes visible, what remains difficult to perceive, and how the institution shapes those conditions of recognition.
The Meaning of “We” in the 59th Carnegie International Exhibition
What emerges across this International is a conception of “we” grounded in shared acts of attention. The exhibition avoids consensus. It asks something quieter: that viewers remain present to what unfolds around them, that they recognize the partiality of their own perspective, and that they allow for the possibility of connection without resolution.
This approach is not without its tensions. The exhibition’s language of collaboration and “thought partnership” suggests a level of cohesion that can be difficult to fully apprehend across its many sites and formats. No single visit can encompass the entirety of what is on offer. Yet this incompleteness feels less like a shortcoming than a structural condition. The “we” proposed here is necessarily provisional, shaped by what one encounters and what remains out of reach.
The exhibition’s conceptual scaffolding is laid out across three catalog essays by the curators, each of which takes up the question of collectivity from a distinct position. Their differences are productive. Taken together, they offer one of the more thoughtful and internally varied curatorial statements of today’s large-scale surveys, moving between questions of relation and institutional history without collapsing into a single voice.
Taking a Compassionate Viewpoint
That complexity, however, sits in tension with the smoother language that often accompanies large international art surveys—collaboration, partnership, openness—terms that risk becoming generic through repetition. Park addresses this directly. “I do not expect museums to be free of contradictions,” she writes, “but the paradoxes and at times outright hypocrisies do need to be acknowledged…” Her statement resists the idea of the museum as a seamless “meeting ground,” insisting instead on the uneven conditions that structure any encounter within it. Read in this light, the exhibition’s emphasis on “we” feels less like a unifying gesture than an invitation to sit with those tensions as they unfold.
This is where the conditional of the title—if—becomes central. It keeps these questions open, suspended across and beyond the galleries. Nothing resolves. What takes shape does so gradually, in passing, in fragments that accumulate and disperse. We leave with an altered sense of attention toward how meaning gathers, how it slips away, how it returns later, reframed. Whatever “we” exists here does not hold still. It asks you to look again—upward, closer—until something else comes into view.
Hello, May! This is the month that kicks off all of my favorite things: a new array of in-season produce and markets, Gemini season, and outdoor dining in Pittsburgh. My birthday always poses the question, “Where do I want to celebrate outside?”
While Pittsburgh isn’t a city of many rooftops, there are plenty of noteworthy spots for outdoor dining and drinking. Although it’s been cloudy and a bit chilly, I’m writing this article to manifest an ideal summertime forecast: 70 degrees, sunny, and the ultimate patio lineup.
Plus, if I’m being candid, one of the only things on my mind during a mid-workday daydream is, “I wish I were sipping a cold cocktail outside right now.”
Hungry Jess’ Favorite Pittsburgh Restaurants for Outdoor Dining
This is, by far, my favorite patio in the entire city of Pittsburgh, and you can quote me on it. As they’re in their seventeenth year of business, I’ve been coming here for a solid nine of them. In a full circle moment, they’re also now a client of mine, which only makes me love them more.
Classic Margarita
Cantina is doing everything exquisitely, from their cocktails to food. And the patio is no exception: it truly gives a sense of hanging out in your bestie’s backyard. You won’t want to leave… especially when a pitcher of their Classic Margaritas is involved.
For special occasions (or just because), you can book their cabana, an outdoor, cushioned space for ultimate chilling.
Café Du Jour is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the city. Every time I step through the doors, it’s a revolutionary experience from start to finish. It’s so treasured that, when I posted about it on Instagram, it made some people mad. While I understand not wanting your tried-and-true spot to blow up, I also want nothing more than for Paul and his team to thrive in the South Side.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Open Thursday through Saturday, the menu balances customer favorites, like the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, with innovative new dishes. The patio is like an urban garden, filled with greenery and a koi pond. They’ve seen proposals, birthdays, and even wedding receptions. I highly recommend calling weeks in advance to book your table!
While this list leans heavily into the Lawrenceville neighborhood, I can’t write an article about outdoor dining without including Pusedee’s. Much like Café Du Jour, this spot leans into fine dining, creating a setting where you can dress up and enjoy a meal under golden hour light. One of my favorite dishes is the Yellow Curry with Roti.
Yellow Curry with Roti
Reservations are tricky to come by, but if you take casual peeks at their reservation page, you may get lucky. Or, arrive early to line up for walk-in seats. To request seating in their garden, you must note it in your reservation, as Pittsburgh’s weather is unpredictable.
Continuing with the high-end dining theme, Hyeholde is known for its Chef Table experiences and castle-like ambiance. However, one thing they offer that is super unique and outside is their Picnic Series. Guests can book picnics for two on their lawn with a rotating menu and limited availability each month. This month’s menu includes Smoked Carolina Mustard Brisket Sandwiches, Cucumber Salad, Grilled Peaches, Orzo with Grilled Vegetables, and Olive Oil Cake with Sweet Balsamic Strawberries.
It’s the perfect way to experience the charm and character of Hyeholde, outside. Get the group chat together or win the best date award with a booking here! They’ll be announcing July and August dates soon.
I had to include a spot on Mount Washington in this piece; after all, what’s more Pittsburgh than enjoying nice weather with the views from The Overlook? They also have a front bar area with garage-door-style windows for some people-watching.
While Gordo’s doesn’t offer a view while dining, it’s still a great spot to sip on a margarita (their syrups are all made in-house), enjoy some apps, and take a stroll afterward. Plus, if you’re a big sports fan, they have televisions outside to catch the game with.
This is a new-to-me spot that caught my attention very quickly. Ippa is a woodfired sandwich truck that’s now permanently parked “on the green” next to Lolev in Lawrenceville, and it’s pretty new. AKA, there’s no better time to check ‘em out than now.
As breweries step into the more “semi-permanent” food space, this will be exciting to watch grow as Pittsburgh summer kicks off. Grab a beer, a sandwich, and chill. It’s really giving the ultimate ‘Sunday funday’ vibes.
Pittsburgh is blessed with so much outstanding pizza that Dan Gigler is pleased to report that his 2026 list has no repeats from the last few How to Pittsburgh issues. He’s found fresh sauce-and-dough options for us all to try ASAP.
Craving Cheesy, Crispy Crust and Sauce? Head to These Pizza Places Around Pittsburgh
At the risk of sounding provincial, the Yinzer lurking in my black-and-gold soul takes umbrage when locals lose their minds over some new shiny bauble that enters our market from out of town. To wit: I’m wholly unmoved by shacks that make shakes or the expense account crowd’s latest Downtown steakhouse-of-the-month. So I gave healthy skepticism to the much-hyped grand opening of F&F Pizza in Mount Lebanon, the Pittsburgh outpost of the famed New York City collaboration between Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo. The hairy eyeball isn’t necessary, though: this pizza is fantastic.
They do it New York-meets-Neapolitan style and manage to honor both pizza lineages with a micro-thin crust which positively crackles when you bite into it. That it’s served in a gorgeous renovation of the former Bado’s home on Beverly Road is poetic. These are the kind of new neighbors we’re happy to welcome to town.
It’s been 30 years since Ron Molinaro opened this temple to Neapolitan pizza and somehow it only manages to get better. You can’t go wrong here, but try the purist’s choice, the Margherita DOC with San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala, Parmigiano, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil. This is the truest pizza this side of the Spaccanapoli.
At a recent pop-up, Eric Grasso pulled a gorgeous Detroit-style square pizza out of the oven. After letting it rest, he slowly cut it with his rocker blade, unleashing a slow hissing CRONCH sound that could be the stuff of an ASMR video. Their guiding ethos, “everyone gets a corner slice” is the kind of pizza populism we can get behind. La Grassa has moved up and down Butler St. from pop-ups at The Vandal to a regular Tuesday residence at Field Day. Later this year, Mr. Grasso opens a permanent spot on the 5400 block of Butler in the former home of Cure.
The emergence of his fellow New Yorkers at F&F understandably garnered all the social media attention, but Chef Richie Sphatt Sr., a Brooklyn-native, opened La Vera with his sons Richie Jr., Matthew, and Thomas, further burnishing Mt. Lebanon’s embarrassment of Pizza riches. The elder Richie worked for years across the street at Il Pizzaiolo and is the executive chef at Mt. Washington’s Monterey Bay Fish Grotto. The slices are excellent, but the Sicilian pies are worth the visit – get the trio with vodka, pesto, and San Marzano tomato sauces, fresh mozzarella, and pecorino.
If this place didn’t exist you’d have to invent it: a combination cocktail and coffee bar with a wine shop and a colorful “modern German beer hall” that looks like it came out of a Wes Anderson movie. AND they also have stellar pizza – woodfired, as you might’ve guessed from the name. A ton of places do a sweet and spicy pie with pepperoni and hot honey but Woodfired kicks it up a notch with the addition of pickled jalapeños.
For over 15 years Rico Lunardi and his Slice on Broadway squad have turned out excellent “New York Style, Yinzer Made” pies with remarkable consistency at multiple locations around Allegheny County. His new Carnegie restaurant, named for his sons Luca and Santino, is an homage to the red sauce restaurant his parents owned and ran in Beechview when he was growing up, but with modern updates to the decor and especially the menu. Loud and bustling, it’s like walking in on a lively family dinner, but the only one in Pittsburgh that serves round Roman tavern pies called Scrocchiarella – an onomatopoeic Italian word for “crunchy,” as these flavor-packed pies practically shatter like glass when you bite into them. Try the white clam pie for something completely different.
Come for the wine and vibes, stay for the pizza. The wine library at the PA Market is as chill a hang as you can ask for in the Strip – a ton of space, lots of comfy seating, and a wine list as good as you’ll find anywhere – not to mention excellent beers and cocktails. Their thin crust New York-style pizzas make an excellent drinking partner. Pick a bold Italian red to pair with the rich and earthy White Oak – a white sauce base, with mushrooms, sautéed spinach, caramelized onion, and truffle oil.
This new pizza shop is such a recent addition to the scene that it opened the same week this article’s deadline came due, so details are scant except for one very important one: this is exceptional New York-style pizza. Chris Firman, owner of the South Side nightclub Enclave, opened this shop with his brother and his wife in a spot that’s been pretty much a revolving door location over the past few years. This place has the makings of a place that’s going to be around for quite a while.
WQED’s Rick Sebak shares a list of just a few of his favorite places to eat around Western Pennsylvania (Okay, well, maybe a little outside Western PA too, but there’s nothing wrong with trying something new!) He loves new surprises as well as tried-and-true stalwarts, and values the immigrant influences that enrich American foodways so beautifully and deliciously. Warning: Prepare to be hungry after reading this list!
Where Rick Sebak Eats in Western Pennsylvania (and Beyond)
I eat dinner at this neighborhood bar and restaurant almost every Wednesday night (after spinning vinyl records there in the bar for a couple of hours) and it’s consistently superb. Chef Dante Rau creates great bar foods like wings (get the Huli Huli sauce) and smash burgers, but unusual choices like Cucumber Salad and Street Noodles make meals here exciting and often spicy. All the classic and crazy cocktails from head bartender Madison Delia are worth a separate story. Get the Pittsburgh Handshake as a nightcap.
I met Kye-Won last year when she won Pittsburgh City Paper awards for her Korean foods and her glorious chicken wings. I’ve since found out that both honors were well deserved! Her restaurant, Pocha, shares a comfy space with Grist House Beer in one corner of the Sprankles Neighborhood Market in Saxonburg, and I’ll gladly drive there for her BiBimBop, her Bulgogi, or her family-made Mandu. However, her “Left-Handed Crab Cakes” may be among the best I’ve ever had. And there’s lots more on the menu (Dakdoritang!?) for me to try!
Assorted Chocolate Shops
Various locations
Across the Easter season last year, I learned that Western Pennsylvania is blessed with an outstanding number of local chocolate shops, making candies that have a smooth, rich taste that puts them in a different league from ordinary candy bars and national brands. I wholeheartedly recommend the chocolate-covered potato chips at Dorothy’s Candies in White Oak, the Himalayan Salt Caramel Truffles at Clark Candies in Tarentum, the Pecan Treats (aka Turtles) at Anderson’s in Baden, and the scrumptious Dubai Chocolate Bar at Pink House Chocolates in Finleyville. This list could go on for miles.
This is a summertime treat of astounding deliciousness created with whole chickens roasted over open fires every Wednesday by a battalion of mostly men who clean, season (with just salt and pepper), skewer, and cook some of the best poultry I’ve ever encountered. The scene on Wednesday evenings when folks come to feast at the Serbian Picnic Grounds in Weirton, WV is world class and reassuring. The hardest thing is getting on the list! Look for my WQED video on YouTube.
The HK stands for Hong Kong, and they say the dishes are carefully cooked with “authentic Cantonese soul.” I don’t have a lot of dim sum experience but this relatively new, beautiful Chinese restaurant in North Oakland has delighted me with delicious dumplings, lovely lunches, and even a tasty bowl of congee with sliced fish one afternoon. Great spices. Superb flavors and presentation. Fine friendly service. I’m quickly becoming a regular.
Anthony Badamo and his staff have been making great pizza since 2010 when they opened in Mount Lebanon, where I learned to love his bright little red peppers on top of his excellent slices. They’ve since moved that shop to Potomac Avenue in Dormont and opened another location on Federal Street on the North Side. You can get superb whole pies, either traditional round or rectangular Sicilian, but they also offer a beautiful array of slices with lots of toppings to choose from at both locations. And I can’t stop at either shop without getting a half dozen garlic knots for snacking in the car and on lots of other occasions. And if they have any of Anthony’s unpredictable focaccia sandwiches (mortadella? porchetta? Calabrian chiles? chimichurri?), grab a couple for lunch the next day.
The last time I visited this fabled Italian restaurant in McKeesport, I had their exclusive Parmioli entree: chicken parm baked with a cheese ravioli on top. Sublime. This is just one of those lovely places that can be instantly comfortable and totally delicious, almost like being at the home of a friendly family. Owner Angelo Teti — his mother Matilda was Tillie —has been helping to keep the kitchen and the service in top form since it opened in 1962. Homemade pastas. Great sauce. And next time I want to try the special Pork Palena because the bacon-and-artichoke-butter sauce sounds so good.
This family-owned-and-run farm near Avella in Washington County produces a variety of organic grains, grass-fed beef, beans, and eggs, but several years ago I first learned to love putting their rolled oats in my oatmeal-raisin cookies. Then one of the Tudor family — mom Marcy, dad Dale, or son Nigel — told me to consider einkorn flakes, and I’ve never looked back. Their ancient grains (spelt, emmer, and einkorn) add texture and flavors to all my baking now. They also make a startling variety of flours from rye to buckwheat to Appalachian bread flour. And you can order their products online then drive out there once a month to pick them up and chat with the Tudors. Weatherbury corn also led to Wigle Whiskey creating its very tasty Pennsylvania Wapsie Bourbon. All good.
This small Korean cafe is a favorite of mine after work. Easy parking nearby. Friendly staff. I love the crispy, spicy soy garlic wings, the pork gyoza, and also the soft and scrumptious Japanese fried octopus called takoyaki. One time a fellow patron told me, “Oh, get the taro milk tea with the tapioca bubbles here!” And I’ve added that “bubbly” to my order ever since. There are a few outdoor tables, or you can take the food next door to their brother business called Oishii Bento. I usually get it to go, sample some in my car, and reheat what’s left in my air fryer at home. Happy.
