Poodles & Pastries (and Other Important Matters)

What one may see as a still life of a tiered frou-frou confection in Barbie pink, artist Franco Mondini-Ruiz sees one of his latest works challenging stale notions of art – what is it for, and for whom. The San Antonio-born artist now lives in New York, but he draws from his Mexican and Italian heritage to create a unique installation of playful objects created with wit, irony and nostalgia. Sounds pleasant enough until you discover his works frequently have a point upon which the artist questions high versus low art, cultural biases and stereotypes. The fourth installment of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s New Frontiers Series of Contemporary Art includes performances, sculpture and paintings on display from Sept. 8-Dec. 31. You know you want to look. For more, go to www.okcmoa.com.