Top Five: August 8, 2024

Glasstire counts down the top five art events in Texas.

For last week’s picks, please go here.

1. Emily Peacock: Bruiser
Seven Sisters (Houston)
July 26 – August 24, 2024

From Seven Sisters:

“Emily Peacock’s solo show Bruiser spans the artist’s raw, intimate oeuvre, featuring recent photographic work, a 20-year self-portrait retrospective, and two new sculptures.

The work in Bruiser is inextricable from Peacock’s unique and wide-ranging background. As an artist, educator, and stand-up comedian, Peacock has pushed the boundaries of multiple media for decades while bringing crucial conversations about mental health, the body, and family to the fore. She combines these pressing topics with skillful investigations of her chosen media.

2. Antonio Lechuga: Street Views
Various Small Fires (Dallas)
July 27 – August 31, 2024

From Various Small Fires:

“Various Small Fires is pleased to present Street Views, a solo presentation by Dallas-based artist Antonio Lechuga. For Street Views, Lechuga pays homage to a community of small businesses in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood: Jefferson Boulevard. Jefferson lies at the heart of this historically Black and Brown neighborhood and is lined with jewel boxes of family-run storefronts. As rent increases and client preferences shift, Lechuga sheds light on the dedication and labor of the marginalized communities that are often affected first.”

3. Millicent Alvarado: Behind Four Eyes, Behind Four Walls
Presa House (San Antonio)
July 13 – August 17, 2024

From Presa House:

“Behind Four Eyes, Behind Four Walls features new artworks, including intricate paper and felt 3D sculptures and an immersive installation. Alvarado’s art draws inspiration from her encounters and personal experiences, often reflecting themes of sadness through cryptic and indistinguishable representations.

Alvarado’s work is rich with symbolism and deep emotions. She uses meticulous and repetitious paper and felt sculpting to navigate her thoughts and feelings, which is both meditative and therapeutic for her. Many of her works carry deep personal meanings, while others remain playful. Alvarado describes her process as ‘thinking in color,’ infusing her work with a vibrant, fairytale-like quality. This collection offers viewers a glimpse into her deeply personal yet colorful world.”

4. The West that Never Was
Davis Gallery (Austin)
August 3 – September 7, 2024

From Davis Gallery:

“In The West That Never Was, artist couple Felice House and Dana Younger take aim at the Western pulp genre, delving into a realm where high and low art converge. With its roots in dime novels, toys and sensationalist storytelling, the Western pulp genre provides fertile ground for reinterpretation through a contemporary lens. Drawing inspiration from its exaggerated aesthetics, House and Younger seek to deconstruct and reimagine these familiar tropes.

Felice House, Associate Professor of painting at Texas A&M University, uses bold colors and layered compositions in her paintings implying the narrative covers of dime store Western novels. Her heroes are women in roles historically reserved for men. Viewers can imagine the narratives suggested in her paintings, where women overcome adversity with cunning while looking amazing yet not being prey for the male gaze. Her work is playful and evokes a sense of nostalgia while inviting critical engagement with contemporary themes.”

5. The Edge of Memory
Rule Gallery (Marfa)
June 22 – August 10, 2024

“RULE Gallery is delighted to present a two-person exhibition, The Edge of Memory, featuring work by Azadeh Gholizadeh and Leslie Wilkes. The exhibition examines the rich interplay between memory, identity, and perception through distinct yet harmoniously resonant practices. Both artists delve into the transformative power of geometric abstraction and traditional techniques to evoke a deep sense of nostalgia and emotional reflection, creating a dialogue that spans cultural and personal landscapes.”