March 15 - May 19, 2024
From Hogan Brown Gallery:
“The Hogan Brown Gallery is delighted to unveil its latest group exhibition, ELEVATION, curated in collaboration with Hogan Brown Gallery curator Robert Hodge and ART IS BOND. director Janice Bond. This immersive photo-based art exhibition is part of FotoFest’s Participating Spaces program for the FotoFest Biennial 2024.
ELEVATION is an immersive photo-based art exhibition that celebrates the rich tapestry of Houston through the lens of local artists spanning generations. The collection unveils a dynamic narrative, intertwining threads of place, pride, and peace that echo through the diverse neighborhoods of this vibrant city. Focusing exclusively on Houston lens-based artists, ELEVATION pays homage to the historic keepers of culture, acknowledging their profound influence on the artistic landscape. The exhibition serves as an archival journey, weaving through the city’s past and present, connecting generations, and capturing the essence of the ever-evolving Houstonian identity.
By sharing and anchoring some through lines in the artists’ work, ELEVATION becomes a testament to the endurance of cultural bearers and their significant contributions to Houston’s artistic legacy. The exhibition becomes a living archive, preserving the stories and perspectives that have shaped the city’s cultural narrative.
Moreover, ELEVATION extends its gaze toward the future, spotlighting key emerging voices in the local artistic scene. Through their work, these artists offer a glimpse into the evolving cultural landscape, injecting new perspectives and narratives that will continue to elevate Houston’s artistic discourse.
In essence, ELEVATION is a celebration of Houston’s cultural diversity, a reflection on its storied past, and a tribute to the artists who preserve and propel the city’s artistic spirit forward. This exhibition invites viewers to explore the multifaceted layers of Houston’s identity, fostering a sense of connection, pride, and peace within the community.
Participating Artists include Derrell “D.C.” Boson, Ray Carrington III, Evan Coleman in collaboration with Jesse Lott, Priscilla T. Graham, Earlie Hudnall, Jr., Darío De León, Jakayla Monay, Greg Noire, and Dennis “Snipes” Sullivan.
“I think this collaboration is important; Robert Hodge, as an artist and a curator, has been such an advocate for the Houston vision in the arts,” said Janice Bond of ART IS BOND. “The collaboration between the two galleries is an earnest extension of that, and I am proud to be a part of it.
“I am excited to continue our legacy of honoring multi-generational artists in the city,” said Hogan Brown Gallery curator Robert Hodge. It is amazing to see someone like Greg Noire and Earlie Hudnall Jr. in the same exhibit. Again, we are trying to foster the idea of real collaborations in the city. There is no reason to compete when we think globally, and we cannot wait for the community to see the exhibit.”
The exhibition will open to the public on Friday, March 15, and run through May 19 at the Hogan Brown Gallery (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004), located inside the historic Eldorado Ballroom. An Opening Reception with light bites and refreshments will occur on Friday, March 15, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
About Hogan Brown Gallery
The Hogan Brown Gallery seeks to provide community-centered education and commerce for burgeoning local artists. Operated by Lucille’s 1913 — the philanthropic arm of Lucille’s Hospitality Group — the gallery’s inception serves as an art-focused extension of the nonprofit’s mission to empower communities to discover a self-sustainable livelihood through cultural and culinary arts. Hogan Brown’s name pays homage to the surnames of LHG Founder Chris Williams’s grandparents, who persevered during the segregation era by succeeding at the “art” of entrepreneurship. Led by Houston-based artist Robert Hodge, the gallery channels that same spirit to empower working artists with community-embedded gallery space to exhibit and sell their works, provide business-centered education and resources to further their artistic enterprise, and devote art-driven educational opportunities to Third Ward’s next generation.
About ART IS BOND.:
ART IS BOND. is a premier contemporary art gallery and project space in Houston, Texas, dedicated to amplifying diverse creative voices and narratives. Through exhibitions, programming, and publications, ART IS BOND. challenges and expands the boundaries of art history and collection.
About the Fotofest Biennial 2024 and FotoFest’s Participating Spaces:
The FotoFest Biennial 2024 central exhibition, Critical Geography, reexamines traditional Western and historical understandings of geography while expanding these investigations to new realms. Borrowing its name from the subdiscipline of geography that questions and challenges power structures, inequality, and the dominant ideologies shaping physical space, Critical Geography explores how space, place, and communities are influenced by social, economic, ecological, and political forces.
FotoFest’s Participating Spaces program highlights Houston-based artists, photographers, curators, and organizers who present lens-based exhibitions, events, and public programs in conjunction with our Biennial program. The Participating Spaces program includes independently organized exhibitions and projects held at venues city-wide, ranging from public parks and alternative art spaces to established galleries and major museums. These projects offer Houston-area audiences and international guests an opportunity to experience the incredible local organizers, artists, and venues that are dedicated to examining historical, cultural, and political issues through the presentation of photography and lens-based media.”
2310 Elgin Street
Houston, 77004 Texas
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