Glasstire counts down the top five art events in Texas.
For last week’s picks, please go here.
Shavon Aja Morris, “Cool as the jewels I would wear on bareskin for you,” 2024, photo collage Ebony Magazine May 1967 Vol 22 No 7 ripped and color corrected Piezo print on Baryta paper, 44 x 44 inches. Courtesy of the artist
1. The Talking Back of Miss Valentine Jones
Houston Museum of African American Culture
July 12 – September 14, 2024
From the Houston Museum of African American Culture:
“The Houston Museum of African American Culture is pleased to present The Talking Back of Miss Valentine Jones, a solo exhibition from Shavon Aja Morris, the 2024 Bert Long, Jr. Prize awardee. Morris was given a $3,000 cash award on April 12 and has planned a solo exhibition in the Bert Long, Jr. Gallery at HMAAC in coordination with our Chief Curator, Christopher Blay.
Inspired by the poignant poem ‘The Talking Back of Miss Valentine Jones,’ by June Jordan, Shavon Aja Morris presents a series of photographic collage works that repurpose found imagery to offer a renewed encounter with the Black American woman. Predominantly sourced from vintage issues of Ebony Magazine and spanning both the past and present, Morris invites us to reconsider our understanding of resilience. Additionally, she connects us to the theory of ‘genetic memory,’ a profound revelation suggesting that environmental memories persist in our genes and DNA for 14 generations.”
Installation view of “Alice Baber: Colors of the Rainbow”
2. Alice Baber: Colors of the Rainbow
Jody Klotz Fine Art (Abilene)
May 7 – August 15, 2024
From Jody Klotz:
“Jody Klotz is pleased to present Alice Baber: Colors of the Rainbow. This is the gallery’s first solo exhibition of the paintings of Alice Baber. The exhibition features oil paintings and works on paper dating from 1960 to 1981 offering an expansive view of her stylistic evolution and exciting use of color and form. The show highlights the range of Baber’s abstract images, which earned her a place in the permanent collections of dozens of museums, both in the United States and abroad. In New York City alone, Baber’s paintings are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Although Baber’s early death in 1982 at only fifty-four allowed her work to be eclipsed, the market has begun to respond energetically to her elegant and beautiful paintings. Her distinctive abstract visual language has been rediscovered, too, on the internet, where the power of her invention has been recognized by an increasing number of fans.”
A work by Taylor Cleveland from “Water Wars: Ro2”
3. Taylor Cleveland: Water Wars: Ro2
Ro2 Art (Dallas)
June 29 – August 3, 2024
From Ro2 Art:
“Dallas native, Taylor Cleveland, known for his innovative fusion of new media rendering and traditional art, is debuting his latest exhibition, Water Wars: Ro2. Influenced by Francis Bacon’s paintings, Cleveland’s technical mastery and artistic vision converge in an exploration of humanity’s relationship with technology, instant gratification, superficial beauty, and leisure. Water Wars unfolds against the backdrop of a futuristic narrative, where Cleveland skillfully integrates artificial intelligence and cutting-edge digital technologies to craft a mesmerizing setting. With themes that resonate with contemporary concerns surrounding technological advancement and environmental peril, the exhibition confronts audiences with the consequences of human indulgence in superficial beauty and leisure at the expense of ecological harmony.
Through the lens of AI and digital manipulation, Water Wars transcends audiences into landscapes of melted terrains and distorted figures, compelling them to confront the difficult juxtaposition between human ingenuity and environmental degradation. Yet, amidst the dystopian imagery, Cleveland’s work also encourages introspection, inviting viewers to reevaluate their place within the natural world and the transient nature of human existence. By challenging the reliance on technology for solace and advancement, Water Wars prompts a profound reconsideration of humanity’s potential within the environment.”
4. 2024 Summer Salon Series
Cloud Tree Studios (Austin)
July 6 – 27, 2024
From Cloud Tree Studios and Gallery:
“This exhibition transforms both galleries into 44 different exhibits, and nearly 30 artists participating. All artwork on display during Summer Salon is available for purchase, and 100% of sales go directly to the artist. Selected artists on display include: Alex Abbott, Zezilia Olson, Alex Duncan, Iliana Flores-DuMond, Linda Wandt, Christopher Hynes, Reagan Herber, Angel Certeza, Laura Lynn Johnson, Andrew Sakamoto, Anne Shackelford, Deba Swan, Travis Benton, Gabriel Sharp, SOMA, Peyton Hornberger, Corie Riddle, Carol Aaron, Amy Long, Chris Diraddo, Zari Etemadi, Kyle Anderson, April Garner, Jeff Worden, Meam Hartshorn.”
Shaun Roberts, “The Light That Binds,” 2023, oil on canvas 60 x 54 inches
5. Reflections and Omens
Gallery Main Street (Tyler)
July 13 – August 7, 2024
From Gallery Main Street:
“REFLECTIONS AND OMENS will feature the most recent paintings by Shaun Roberts, a Texas based artist. This will be Roberts first solo exhibit at the civic Gallery Main Street organized and curated by Dace Kidd.
Throughout the paintings, one can find themes of desperation, the enduring human spirit, and its capacity for redemption. Time and place are unmoored, conjuring a post-industrial society, perhaps depicting another era or universe altogether. My paintings attempt to unearth and understand mysteries and terrors about ourselves. The characters are in ambiguous settings, possibly post-war, ecological disasters, economic collapse, or what your imagination may conjure. Common symbols and allegories tie the works together, ranging from bells to divining rods in an almost ritualistic manner that could represent superstitions developed in an attempt to sustain life.”
