City life revealed

7 p.m., September 16

Season eight of Art in the Twenty-First Century makes its PBS debut this week but feel free to get out of the house and watch it among friends, strangers and other art experts at Verge Center for the Arts this Friday, September 16.

The show is hosted by actress Claire Danes and, for the first time, the series episodes don’t focus on a particular theme but rather a city with 16 artists in four locations.

The purpose: To show how each artist interacts with his or her culture. Episode one opens with Chicago, featured artists include Theaster Gates, a sculptor who works in clay and tar to make a statement about urban development. There’s also photographer and videographer Barbara Kasten who uses stationary objects (paper, Plexigrass, wire, etc.) challenge perceptions.

The episode also features Chris Ware—the comic book artist famed for his New Yorker covers and graphic novels such as Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth—and Nick Cave, whose “soundsuits” (pictured above) use fashion and sculpture to examine race, gender and class.

Cave’s soundsuits were initially inspired by the 1991 Rodney King beating and over the years have come to incorporate both static exhibitions and live, choreographed performances. Free; 7 p.m. at Verge Center for the Arts, 625 S Street; www.vergeart.org.