Glasstire counts down the top five art events in Texas.
For last week’s picks, please go here.
A view of “Whitfield Lovell: Passages”
1. Whitfield Lovell: Passages
McNay Art Museum (San Antonio)
October 23, 2024 – January 19, 2025
From the McNay Art Museum:
“The McNay Art Museum presents Whitfield Lovell: Passages, the most comprehensive exhibition of the contemporary artist to date. The exhibition, organized by the American Federation of Arts in collaboration with artist Whitfield Lovell, will be on view at the McNay in the Tobin Exhibition Galleries. Consisting of two immersive installations and approximately 30 additional works, Passages features Lovell’s hyperrealist Conté drawings based on found photos of unknown African Americans, in addition to expansive and emotionally stirring installations. Visitors are immersed in lesser-discussed aspects of Black history, which raise questions about the necessity of identity and memory, and meditate on the enduring tenuousness of American heritage.”
A work by Catherine Colangelo
2. Catherine Colangelo: Floaters
Koelsch Gallery (Houston)
November 23 – December 21, 2024
From Koelsch Gallery:
“Koelsch gallery is pleased to present Catherine Colangelo in her latest exhibition Floaters. In her upcoming debut, Colangelo continues to explore the intricate relationship between mother and child. As her daughter grew older, Colangelo became interested in the long tradition of using art to protect and heal a loved one from afar. Across time and civilization, she unifies various cultures through their historical practices of talismans and paper-cutting. By cutting her once-completed pieces, she grants a sense of breath to her powerful compositions. An incorporation of negative space ignites an illusion of movement, as ripples and vibrations pulsate among the patterns.
Through an intuitive process, Colangelo summons all-seeing eyes, geometric figures, and eight-point stars to fortify the protective powers of her talismanic paintings. With her use of spiritual imagery and ancient motifs, she draws a junction at the universal desire to protect a loved one.”
Installation view of “The Seeds We Plant Today”
3. The Seeds We Plant Today
Martha’s Contemporary (Austin)
November 9 – December 14, 2024
From Martha’s:
“In the group show The Seeds We Plant Today, presented at Martha’s, flowers constitute a metonym several times over — of affection, of community, of gardens, of the environment at large — offering the idea that ‘the seeds we plant today will bring about the future we want tomorrow.’
A flower takes time to grow, and so the planter needs to have patience: we plant flowers in the winter so they may grow in the spring and summer. It is a cycle of life of which we happily take part, the colorful blooms rewarding our efforts — and our waiting. We then tend to these rewards, pluck them to gift to loved ones, adding brightness to their days.
The works in The Seeds We Plant Today, which span painting, sculpture, drawing, and photography, take us through this cycle of life.”
Eliana Miranda, “Not a Drop to Spare”
4. Eliana Miranda: We’re Not Fine Here
Latino Cultural Center (Dallas)
December 7, 2024 – January 10, 2025
From the Latino Cultural Center:
“Eliana Miranda’s work examines the weaponization of the environment along the U.S./Mexico border, where climate-related disasters, such as drought and water scarcity, disproportionately affect the region’s poorest communities and drive migration. Miranda highlights how the changing climate intersects with the militarization of the border, where heat, land, and water are used as tools to harm immigrants and asylum seekers. Miranda’s exploration underscores the struggle for survival, not only in the face of environmental challenges but also within the complex social repercussions of being displaced from one’s homeland.”
A work from “Luis Guerra: Naturaleza Viva”
5. Luis Guerra: Naturaleza Viva
Laredo Center for the Arts
December 6, 2024 – January 18, 2025
From the Laredo Center for the Arts:
“Having grown up in Laredo, I am deeply honored by this opportunity to exhibit my work here. For this exhibition, I’ve selected some of my early works together with works of more recent vintage. Although my styles have varied widely over the years, the underlying themes or concepts have largely remained constant. Long ago, I discovered what I believe to be the true purpose of art: as prayer, and as a catalyst for a growing awareness. The title Naturaleza Viva is a play on words. It also points to my belief that true art is alive, capable of imparting energy to the viewer. And also that Mother Nature is a living being that should be revered and protected, and that this imperative is now more urgent than ever.”
