Summer is quickly approaching, and with it comes a slew of new exhibitions at Dallas and Fort Worth art institutions. Here is a preview of shows opening in the upcoming months at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, The Kimbell Art Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Nasher Sculpture Center.
K’in Lakam Chahk and Jun Nat Omootz (Maya sculptors, active late 8th century), “Panel with Royal Woman Usumacinta River region Guatemala or Mexico,” Late Classic period, c. 795 Limestone, 23 3/4 x 27 1/2 inches. Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1962.32
In early May, the Kimbell Art Museum presents Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art, an exhibition of nearly 100 masterpieces created from 250 to 900 A.D. The show features work from the areas currently known as Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Lives of the Gods is the first major exhibition to include the names of dozens of artists who were previously unknown but have recently been identified due to breakthroughs in the study of Maya hieroglyphs. The exhibition, which will be organized thematically following the lives of Maya gods, will include sculptures, vessels, ornaments, and paintings.
In a press release, Eric M. Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum, said, “Lives of the Gods offers an unprecedented view into the world of the ancient Maya and an exciting opportunity to expand our understanding and appreciation of Maya art. These impressive loans from our esteemed collaborators from Mexico, Guatemala and international museums showcase the awe-inspiring world where the earthly and divine intersect in powerful statements about the universal order.”
Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art will be on view at the Kimbell from May 7 through September 3, 2023.
In June, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth will present the first retrospective of Robert Motherwell’s work in more than 25 years. Robert Motherwell: Pure Painting is organized by guest curator Susan Davidson, who served as the Senior Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum in New York for over 15 years and held various curatorial positions at the Menil Collection for over 17 years. This exhibition comes on the heels of the Menil Drawing Institute’s show of Motherwell’s works on paper.
Robert Motherwell: Pure Painting will be on view at the Modern from June 4 through September 17, 2023.
Jammie Holmes, “I HAVE A DREAM,” 2021, acrylic and oil petals on canvas. Courtesy of the artist. Image courtesy of PD Rearick.
Later this summer, the Modern will also debut the first museum solo exhibition of Louisiana-born, Dallas-based self taught artist Jammie Holmes. Curated by María Elena Ortiz, the show presents large-scale paintings and new works by the artist. Mr. Holmes is known for his expressive figurative works that explore history and contemporary community related to Black life in the Deep South.
Ms. Ortiz told Glasstire, “Jamie Holmes creates enigmatic paintings showing important aspects of Black masculinity, childhood, and community. His works deal with universal aspects of the human experience. The significance of this first museum show for Jammie is that it celebrates his accomplishments, as well as recognizes his keen ability toward art.”
Jammie Holmes: Make the Revolution Irresistible will be on view at the Modern from August 13 through November 26, 2023.
Leonardo Drew. Photo by Christopher Garcia.
In mid-June, sculptor Leonardo Drew will transform a first-floor gallery at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art with a site-specific commission. Since 2019, the museum has been activating the long narrow corridor connecting its original 1961 building to its 2001 expansion. For his large-scale, layered installation, Mr. Drew will manipulate materials such as wood, cardboard, paper, and string through processes like oxidation, burning, and weathering.
Shirley Reece-Hughes, the Carter’s Curator of Paintings, Sculpture, and Works on Paper, and organizer of the show, stated, “Leonardo Drew is a critical voice in American art today. His work explores the contradictory nature of American life in a way few others can, exploring the balance between seemingly competing dichotomies — chaos and order, violence and beauty, and destruction and creation.”
Leonardo Drew will be on view at the Carter from June 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
Similar to the Carter’s use of a walkthrough space, later this summer the Dallas Museum of Art will open its next concourse mural. Since 2015, the DMA has invited contemporary artists to enliven the long hallway space with murals and installations. This sixth iteration of the initiative will feature Houston-based artist Tiffany Chung. According to the museum’s website, Ms. Chung’s work seeks to document and highlight the untold histories of everyday people “that counterbalance the grand narratives produced by the state.”
Ms. Chung’s multisensorial and immersive installation will incorporate poetry, sound, and visuals and will be carried out as a collaboration with 28 international participants, including Syrians living in exile who share about their experiences being forcefully uprooted from their homes.
Rise Into the Atmosphere will be on view from August 4, 2023 to August 3, 2025.
Thaddeus Mosley, “Opposing Parallels – Blues Up and Down for G. Ammons and S. Stitt,” 2015, walnut, 86 x 36 x 38 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Karma.
In mid-May, the Nasher Sculpture Center will present a solo show of works by Thaddeus Mosley. Based in Pittsburgh, Mr. Mosley uses felled trees near his home as the material for his abstract sculptures. His artistic process is a combination of woodworking techniques, such as hand-chiseling, carving, and jointing, which results in gracefully balanced wooden sculptures. Curated by Jessica Bell Brown, curator and department head of contemporary art at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the exhibition will showcase five large-scale pieces.
Thaddeus Mosley: Forest will be on view at the Nasher from May 13 through August 20, 2023.
