August 28 - October 11, 2020
“Discovery Green, the 12-acre park in the heart of downtown Houston, will unveil House of Cards presented by Bracewell on Friday, Aug., 28, 2020. House of Cards presented by Bracewell will be on view daily and illuminated nightly through Oct. 11, 2020. Timed, free reservations will be required for weekend viewing, and social distancing measures will be implemented.
The Discovery Green Conservancy’s Public Art Committee selected Israeli design studio OGE Group to display House of Cards, an astonishing structure consisting of 126 playing cards, many of which feature custom designs by 20 Houston based artists. Each individual card is a slim, double-sided 5’ tall light box stacked to dizzying height of 18’. During the day, the cards’ crisp white lines and colorful images will dazzle; at night, the structure will be animated to create the illusion of the house of cards rising and falling. Accompanying the visual splendor is an original soundtrack. Variations of the House of Cards installation have been exhibited around the world, displaying designs that are unique to each local arts community. As an added benefit, the Houston artists chosen to participate in Discovery Green’s installation will be featured in future iterations of the House of Cards all over the world. In its original state, a house of cards is a fragile creation. This House of Cards is monumental and stable. At this moment, which feels very fragile, we welcome a House of Cards that stands strong as an international collaboration.
The Houston artists are Daria Aksenova, Sharon Anderson, Debra Barrera, Vivienne Dang, Linh-Tran Do, Bill Ferenc, Vincent Fink, Moni Garcia, Nela Garzon , Sebastian Gomez de la Torre, Sherry Tseng Hill, Hedwige Jacobs , Patrick Joven, Heather Ohuabunwa, Zeus Paredes, Hugo Perez, Carra Sykes , Janice Tauro, David Tsai and Jasmine Zelaya. They were selected by a local jury through an open call which generated 188 submissions.
“OGE Group describes House of Cards as a societal structure that is built by people in a cooperative effort, much like the growth and development of Discovery Green,” said president and park director Barry Mandel. “The mesmerizing light installation features designs by more than 40 international artists along with 20 created by Houston from a rich variety of backgrounds, making this piece truly representative of our city’s diverse cultural makeup.”
“Bracewell has been a proud member of the Houston community since our founding here 75 years ago,” said Gregory M. Bopp, Bracewell Managing Partner. “Our firm has a long history of supporting Houston arts and cultural institutions, and we’re excited to be working with Discovery Green in bringing House of Cards to our community.”
House of Cards presented by Bracewell will be on view in the park’s Sarofim Picnic Lawn daily during park hours, and illuminated nightly from dusk to midnight through October 11, 2020. For public safety and optimal viewing, reservations to view the exhibit will be required on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Stanchions and social distancing indications, as well as park personnel will be onsite to direct the flow of traffic. Reservations can be booked on the Discovery Green website at discoverygreen.com/houseofcards. Admission is always free. Please join us for this mind-blowing experience. Visitors are invited to share their experiences using the hashtags #houseofcards and #discoverygreen.
More information is available at discoverygreen.com/houseofcards Discovery Green’s programming is made possible in part by generous contributions from park supporters. Professional services are provided by the Weingarten Art Group. House of Cards presented by Bracewell is part of Discovery Green’s Public Art Program—overseen by the Public Art Committee, chaired by Judy Nyquist—which has enriched visitor experience with numerous temporary exhibitions.”
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Houston, 77010 TX
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