Gaming geeks, sci-fi nerds and music heads unite at Altered Esthetics' latest group show. Art inspired by fandom -- think characters, stories and icons in film, music and gaming culture -- is at the center of the exhibition. A preview promises iconography of Hunter S. Thompson by Dim Media, Sid Vicious by Amber Janey and Marilyn Manson by Andy Pollard, and a sculpture depicting imagery from the legendary geek game "Dungeons & Dragons." Judging by the lack of recognizable artist names and some of the previewed work, the results stand to be hit or miss, but a fun exercise in geekdom nonetheless. More event details.

Strolling through one of Italy's largest graveyards, Minneapolis photographer Howard Christopherson became fascinated by the portraits decorating many of the 18th- and 19th-century tombs. Images from the early 1800s were painted, while more recent memorials included photos, often casual, of the deceased at the beach or partying in happier days. It was the earlier, more somber images that inspired his new show, which includes 33 black-and-white portraits of the tomb pictures, many now faded, cracked and weathered by decades of exposure and neglect. His close-ups have the painterly look of images from an earlier age, an effect he sought to "preserve the dignity of the dead," he said. More event details.