Brandon Zech and Christina Rees on a show that’s made for election season, a group show about artists’ take on nature, and the return of a native Texan artist who made his way home from Washington 100 years ago.
“There’s no reason to go back. You’re in Texas now.”
To watch last week’s Top Five in which Christopher Blay and Christina Reese talk about the best solo, two-person, and group shows opening across the state last week, please go here.
1. States of Mind: Art and American Democracy
September 18 – November 15, 2020
Moody Center for the Arts ( Houston)
For registration to the opening reception for this exhibition, go here.
From the Moody Center for the Arts:
“The Moody’s fall exhibition, States of Mind: Art and American Democracy, will open over two, socially distanced evenings with one-hour admission blocks each evening (September 18, 6-7pm and 7-8pm; September 19, 6-7pm; 7-8pm).
Music will be provided by DJ Sun outdoors on the Moody patio. Houston Poet Laureate Leslie Contreras Schwartz will perform the poem-sound piece “anthemic” composed in response to the exhibition during the 7-8 p.m. time slot on September 18.”
“Reflecting on some of the most pressing topics facing American democracy, States of Mind: Art and American Democracy is timed to coincide with the 2020 presidential election in order to encourage dialogue around current social and political issues. Many of the works on view examine the status of our country’s founding principles of freedom and equality, while others engage with questions of voting access, gun control, and immigration policies — three issues that are common throughout the United States and of particular concern to Texas.”
2. Latin American Popular Art
September 12 – April 27, 2023
San Antonio Museum of Art
An ongoing exhibition of Latin American Folk Art.
From the Museum:
“In the spring of 2017, there was a confined flood in the Latin American Folk Art gallery. This incident required a complete deinstallation in order to repair the gallery space. After being closed for three years, the gallery will reopen on September 12, with a new interpretation of our treasured collection.
“This installation features some of SAMA’s best-known works of folk art, and incorporates interpretive strategies and innovative programming that reflect contemporary discussions about Latin American folk art,” said Lucia Abramovich, Associate Curator of Latin American Art. “Our hope is that this installation will promote programmatic partnerships with regional, national, and international artists and scholars working with this material.”
3. Sine Sole Sileo
August 1 – September 19, 2020
Anya Tish Gallery (Houston)
A group exhibition in Houston featuring work from Adela Andea, Dmitri Koustov, Gao Hang, HJ Bott, Katja Loher, Orna Feistein, Pawel Dutkiewicz.
From the gallery:
“Oscar Wilde’s saying, ‘Nature imitates art,’ is a truism, for art is one of the ways through which human beings penetrate Nature. This exhibition, featuring a collection of works by the gallery artists, illustrates the immense influence Nature has on the inspiration of the artist, and enables the viewer to experience each artist’s unique aesthetic involvement with Nature.”
4. On Being Human
August 29 – October 31, 2020
Valley House Gallery (Dallas)
A group exhibition from Valley House Gallery. See a preview of the exhibition here.
From the gallery:
“On Being Human will be on view every Monday through Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm, from August 29 through October 31, except Labor Day.
“Artists include: Deborah Ballard, Vera Barnett, Lu Ann Barrow, Peter Bonner, Curt Brill, Lloyd Brown, Sean Cairns, Jeanne Campbell, Lindy Chambers, John Cobb, Brian Cobble, Robert D. Cocke, Carol A. Cook, Laurie Hickman Cox, Lee Baxter Davis, Laurence Edwards, David Everett, Barnaby Fitzgerald, Scott Gentling, Miles Cleveland Goodwin, Ira Greenberg, Otis Huband, Sedrick Huckaby, Anita Huffington, Kathryn Keller, Sirena LaBurn, Emily LaCour, Rudolf Sotelo Lailson, Jungeun Lee, Laurie Lipton, Jun-Cheng Liu, William B. Montgomery, Philip Morsberger, Fred Nagler, Trish Nickell, Gail Norfleet, Michael O’Keefe, Luke Sides, Hadar Sobol, Ellen Soderquist, Bob Stuth-Wade, James Surls, Chaco Terada, Valton Tyler, Mary Vernon, Donald S. Vogel, Amy Werntz, Jim Woodson, and Miguel Zapata.”
5. BASIL CLEMONS: Witness to a West Texas Boomtown
September 12 – January 30, 2021
Old Jail Art Center (Albany)
“At the age of 16, Basil Clemons (1887-1964) left Texas and headed to California. His restless nature led him to San Francisco, Hollywood, Alaska, and Seattle pursuing careers in the US Army, Tom Mix’s Wild West Show, photography, and a traveling circus. In 1919, while back in Texas with the circus, he learned that his Seattle photography studio had burned. With little reason to return, Clemons settled in Breckenridge, Texas to photograph the flourish of activity surrounding the discovery of oil.
“For three decades, Clemons tirelessly and passionately photographed most everything-the oil fields, the growing town and leisure life, as well as cultural and entertainment events. Selected from over 4,900 photographs in the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, these images epitomize life in and around Breckenridge-an American boomtown of the 1920s and 30s.”
1 comment
Basil Clemons was my great Uncle. It is so wonderful to see that he lives on through his photographs.