Updating: Here’s What We Know Now About Texas Art Spaces and Harvey

by Glasstire August 29, 2017

The Rockport Center for the Arts doesn’t look like this anymore. (See below).

(Ed. note: we will continue to update this post as we receive more information.)

(If any readers have additional information on the status of these art spaces or others, please email us at [email protected].)

Go here to see a list of emergency resources for artists.

Update: September 5, 2017, 3 p.m.

Project Row Houses reports that “the art houses and studios are pretty good,” but their administrative office at 2521 Holman Street has some black mold infestation. According to curator Ryan Dennis, “We’re going to have to assess the damage and see what needs to be done.”

Update: September 1, 2017, 4 p.m.

The Asia Society Texas Center’s building and artworks are undamaged and the organization has resumed normal operating hours. The opening of it’s upcoming exhibition, Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place, has been delayed.

McClain Gallery is undamaged and will reopen on September 5.

Aerosol Warfare and The Graffiti and Street Art Museum did not sustain damage.

Nicole Longnecker Gallery is undamaged and will open their fall exhibition as scheduled on September 9.

Jonathan Hopson Gallery’s exhibition space is undamaged. The gallery will host a fundraiser for Hurricane Harvey relief on Saturday, September 16, 2017 from 1-5 p.m.

Update: September 1, 2017, 11 a.m.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston says that its “staff, buildings, and collections are safe.” The museum will reopen to the public on Tuesday, September 5, with free admission through Thursday, September 7. Bayou Bend and Rienzi remain closed to the public for now — “the gardens of both house museums flooded, but the houses and their collections remain secure.”

Update: August 31, 2017, 11 p.m

DiverseWorks and MATCH “sustained no significant damage.”

Art League Houston has sustained significant damage to its office spaces. The organization’s season opening exhibition, Texas: 1997-2017 by Trenton Doyle Hancock, will be postponed to Friday, September 22, 2017. Classes through the Art League School and outreach programming will continue as scheduled.

Update: August 31, 2017, 9 a.m.

Lamar University and the Dishman Art Museum will be closed until September 5 due to the City of Beaumont losing its water supply.

The Stark Museum will be closed until September 5.

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas “has many leaks and collapsed ceiling tiles coming down in the foyer and cafe area and flooded carpet in the lecture hall,” but no art has been damaged.

Project Row Houses‏’ buildings and row houses appear to be undamaged.

Update: August 30, 2017, 2:45 p.m.

The building and galleries at 4411 Montrose have sustained minor leaks, but nothing is damaged.

Update: August 30, 2017, 2:15 p.m.

FotoFest Headquarters and the buildings in the Washington Avenue Arts District (Silver Street Studios, Sawyer Yards) are undamaged.

Update: August 30, 2017, 11:30 a.m.

Houston Center for Photography (HCP) confirms no major damage. HCP is working to assemble a list of photographers impacted by Hurricane Harvey who need assistance. If you or someone you know was affected by the storm or subsequent flooding, please email [email protected]. HCP will be open today (August 30) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be collecting donations (baby food, baby formula, diapers, medical supplies, wheelchairs and toiletries). HCP’s galleries will be closed through September 7. Classes in its Learning Center will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, September 5th.

Update: August 30, 2017, 11 a.m.

The Art Center of Corpus Christi is offering to hold works by affected artists:

“We will hang your work for the month of September in a safe and dry gallery for FREE. The Art Center will only retain 10% of gallery sales, giving the 90% back to the artists in need. PLEASE SHARE with artists whose homes and studios have been damaged or lost. We will make arrangements to pick up artwork if needed.
Email [email protected] if you need to coordinate pick up.”

Lawndale Art Center released a statement that reads in part:

“Lawndale will be open this afternoon from 3-5pm today, August 30th, to receive works and will open throughout the week and weekend once we have determined the need of the artists and galleries in our community. For now, please send any questions to [email protected] and we will respond as soon as we can.”

Nick Barbee’s Art Lending Library Galveston made it through unscathed.

The Printing Museum made it through without flooding or damages.

Art League Houston has sustained some minor damage and hopes to re-open on Tuesday, September 5th.

Update: August 29, 2017, 9 p.m.

The Orange Show and Smither Park are “fine, without any damage.”

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont has not experienced major flooding. As of now, the museum only has minor leaks and no artwork has sustained damage.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017 at 7 p.m.

Many of these spaces implemented extensive preventative measures ahead of the storm. Here’s the information we have so far:

The Menil Collection: No damage reported; said to be intact as of yesterday.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: Collections are unscathed; very limited damage to some facilities.

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: Intact as of today.

DiverseWorks: Was reported intact as of Sunday.

Art spaces at Isabella Court: No damage or flooding.

Art Museum of South Texas: Lost power and took in some water on a lower floor. All artwork is safe.

K Space Contemporary: No damage. Lauren Moya Ford’s exhibition (set to open in September) is pushed back to January 2018.

Galveston Artist Residency: Reported to be intact as of this writing.

Galveston Arts Center: Curator Dennis Nance reports no damage as of this writing.

Bill’s Junk: No damage.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft: Stable; art not impacted; minor flooding in the Center’s public and exhibition spaces.

Cardoza Fine Art: Flooded during the first heavy rain of the storm, but most of the art undamaged.

The Blaffer Art Museum will be closed until 9/4, and no news on any damage as of this writing.

Houston Center for Photography (HCP): No visible damage to its space or artwork as of this writing.

William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and no news on damage as of this writing.

Lawndale Art Center: No information available.

The Alley Theatre has water in its lower levels, including a prop room and the Neuhaus Theatre.

The Houston Grand Opera sent out this update since yesterday’s report:

“The Wortham had water penetration into the front of house areas at a low level due to high water; that water has now receded and left residual dirt. In the back of house, water surged over the storm defense and some water went onto the Brown Theater stage. This was at a low level but has resulted in damage to the surface of the stage. The Cullen Theater stage has little water damage and the dressing room corridor had water, but also at a low level. The basement of the building is completely full of flood water. We want to thank Houston First, Theater District Inc. engineers, and Andy Frank Security for their great work in protecting the building from even worse damage. The Theater District garage is completely flooded and will undoubtedly be closed for some time for repairs and cleanup.  

Fortunately, HGO staff members had the foresight to move valuable instruments and many costumes, including those for our opening productions of La traviata and Julius Caesar, to higher floors in advance of the storm.  

Houston Grand Opera will be out of our offices until after Labor Day. Our website remains down.  We will provide another update on Thursday afternoon, August 31.”

And director Luis Purón at the Rockport Center for the Arts has sent out an update today (since yesterday’s report):

Yesterday, Taylor Hendrix entered the facility and was able to provide us with a visual account. The pictures are sobering and demonstrate that internal damage caused by the loss of a large portion of the roof is substantial. An overhead inspection of the roof structure has not yet been performed. 

This is what we know for certain:
  • Externally, most of the sculptures appear intact, except the Danville Chadbourne triptych (2016) which was toppled over by the wind. 
  •  A large portion of the roof has been lost and is scattered across the Sculpture Garden. 
  •  This has left the interior of the building exposed to the elements.
  • There is internal damage to the majority of the interior spaces- galleries, offices and classrooms and many of the contents.
  • The building located at 106 S. Austin St. has suffered some damage- a toppled air conditioning unit, broken windows and lost shed roof.

Remotely, we are working hard to return to a sense of normalcy, and leveraging our assets and contacts to restore operations as soon as possible. A top priority is to continue the visual arts and arts education programs that are huge community staples so they are in place for you when you return; as well as to continue forward with the last event of the calendar year- the Rockport Film Festival.”

Below are images of the Rockport Center for the Arts:

The Rockport Center for the Arts after Hurricane Harvey

The Rockport Center for the Arts after Hurricane Harvey

The Rockport Center for the Arts after Hurricane Harvey

The Rockport Center for the Arts after Hurricane Harvey

4 comments

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4 comments

David August 29, 2017 - 21:35

Devastating. Any updates from Orange Show and their team?

Reply
Celia Munoz August 31, 2017 - 15:05

Didn’t hear anything on The Station Museum. Hopefully, no news is good news!

Reply
Carlos Hernandez September 7, 2017 - 10:15

Burning Bones Press- no damage. Various printmaking projects pushed back a few weeks.

Reply
Ken Hoge September 8, 2017 - 15:50

Good to know! Glad the shop is Ok, and hope you and your team fared as well!

Reply

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