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French-American artist Louise Bourgeois once said her art “deals with problems that are pre-gender.” Indeed, a big spider made of bronze, steel, and marble is absent most gendered markers – except, of course, the sculpture’s title: Maman. But what else would Bourgeois call an ode to her own mother, who passed when the artist was only 21? In an interview with the Tate Modern, who commissioned the piece, Bourgeois listed many reasons spiders reminded her of her mom: “Like a spider, my mother was a weaver … Like spiders, my mother was very clever … spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.” Kiddos can this week replicate this ode to Bourgeois’ mother in this Women’s History Month workshop. After all, who wouldn’t want a little wire spider to help, protect, and weave? It’s what all good mothers should do. – James Scott

Guggenheim Fellowship and Doris Duke Artist Award recipient Myra Melford mesmerizes audiences by herself. Backed by the Fire & Water Quintet, which includes MacArthur Fellowship recipient Mary Halvorson on guitar, cellist Tomeka Reid, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, and drummer Lesley Mok (all bandleaders themselves), the pianist’s music becomes part of the fabric of reality. With tunes inspired by the paintings of Cy Twombly, Melford and her all-stars envision free jazz as a composer’s medium, bringing visual art to life in a controlled flurry of improvisation (cf. their second LP Hear the Light Singing). Melford’s first Texas appearance arrives via the redoubtable Epistrophy Arts. – Michael Toland

“C’mon, James,” you say to me. “I like movies, but science? That’s for the birds!” Yes, I agree: Science is for The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic 1963 thriller about avian aggression. Austin Film Society pairs this screening with an expert panel to talk bird behavior and evolution. That includes associate professor in UT-Austin’s integrative biology department Carlos A. Botero, Ph.D., and research associate Dr. Lucas Legendre from UT-Austin’s Earth and planetary sciences department. Fun fact: In her memoir, Tippi Hedren says she experienced real injuries during The Birds’ filming due to a glass pane shattering on her when a mechanical crow hit it. Unsafe film set practices? Now that really is for the birds. – James Scott