Three Trippy Exhibits and New Orleans Cocktails

• The Connor Contemporary showcases the works of John Kirchner and Brandon Morse in a joint exhibit, "Unknowns" and "This Shape We're In," an exploration of decay and rebirth. Kirchner takes old oil paintings from unknown artists and adds commonplace things to them -- an apple, a shirt -- while Morse's videos show structures breaking down and forming new shapes. Until March 21. [ Connor Contemporary ]

• Bring your 3-D glasses or maybe a little stash of sumfin' sumfin' to the Curator Office's exhibit, "Lucid Dreaming," featuring the works of Simon Gouverneur, Jason Hughes and Paul Laffoley. The paintings are totally trippy, and provide the most bizarre inside look into the brain's subconscious. Until Feb. 14. [ Curator's Office ]

• If Tim Burton made an animated Nine Inch Nails music video, it would probably look like the work of Anthony Pontius. His painting, "The Dough-Eyed Killa" is particularly frightening, as is the rest of "Why on Earth?" at Project 4. Until March 7. [ Project 4 ]

Museum Events:

• Tuesday, Feb. 10: The National Museum of National History is hosting "History in a Glass: Famous New Orleans Cocktails," further proof that New Orleans is nothing but a booze town with bad weather. Cocktail historian Phil Greene and master mixologist Chris McMillian discuss the origins of several New Orleans cocktails, including the Hurricane, Ramos Gin Fizz and Mint Julep. $60, 6:45PM. [Smithsonian ]