Texas culture Archives - Page 2 of 4

ARTFUL ENDEAVORS

by societytexas | Feb 28, 2022 | 2022 March April, Exhibit

The best plays, musical performances, and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record-breaking crowds, with pandemic protocols in place, according to our cultural arts arbiter Leanne Raesener, who shares our favorite recommendations for what to enjoy this spring across the state.

AUSTIN

ENCHANTINGLY VIBRANT

In 1952, dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández founded the Ballet Folklórico de México to preserve the dancing traditions of her country. Her goal was to share the beauty of Mexican dance with the nation and the world. April 4. At TheLongCenter.org.

ON IMAGE: Photo by Página oficial del Ballet Folklórico de México

AUS Torbjørn Rødland, Eggs, 2019. Chromogenic print on Kodak Endura paper. Artwork © Torbjørn Rødland.Courtesy the artist and NILS STÆRK, Copenhagen

FANTASTICALLY FRENCH

French printmakers combined ancient decorative motifs with newly invented ones to create everything from jewelry to architectural façades. Drawing primarily from the Blanton’s extensive holdings, Fantastically French! invites visitors to look closely at these exquisite details. March 5‒August 14. At BlantonMuseum.org.

ON MAGE: Jean Le Pautre, two church façades, plate six from Italianate Church Façades, 1640, etching, Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, The Leo Steinberg Collection, 2002

REACH OUT AND BE THERE

This spring, two legendary Motown giants will co-headline an exclusive show at Bass Concert Hall for an evening of mega-hits, nostalgia, and fun. They were named one of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” by Rolling Stone Magazine. March 9. At TexasPerformingArts.org.

ON IMAGE: The Four Tops. Courtesy of Texas Performing Arts

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

DAL Anna, Paris 2017, Photo by Paolo Roversi_Courtesy of the Dallas Contemporary.

DELIGHT IS IN THE HEART

For a look at high fashion at its most fun, the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design presents Delight: Selections from the Texas Fashion Collection, which celebrates the curiosity, wonder, joy, and whimsy sparked by the collection’s unique artifacts. Through May 21. At TFC.CVAD.UNT.edu.

ON IMAGE: Designer, Patrick Kelly’s pinstripe skirt suit with novelty dice print and buttons (detail), Spring-Summer 1989, Museum Purchase, Texas Fashion Collection

DAL Photography is Art exhibition, Courtesy of Amon Carter Museum_ Alfred Stieglitz, A Wet Day on the Boulevard, Paris, Photogravure, 2013

THAT FLORAL FEELING

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Dallas Blooms, the largest annual floral festival in the Southwest. Expect over 500,000 blooming blossoms, thousands of azaleas, and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees. Through April 10. At DallasArboretum.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas, Texas

DAL Photo by Andy Nguyen. Courtesy of Galleria Dallas

TIMELESS TCHAIKOVSKY

Texas Ballet Theater presents a trio of ballets in Tchaikovsky Evening. Tchaikovsky’s music is showcased and Balanchine’s iconic Serenade, paired with two world premieres, Star Crossed by Ben Stevenson, and Violin Concerto in D by Texas Ballet Theater’s Associate Artistic Director Tim O’Keefe are featured. February 11‒February 20. At TexasBalletTheater.org.

ON IMAGE: Photograph by Steven Visneau

HOUSTON

HOUS Moooi Works, manufactured by Moooi, Mega Chandelier, 2018, mixed media and bulbs. © Moooi, New York

LIFE, LOVE, ART

Lighthouse Immersive, North America’s leading producer of ground-breaking, wildly successful, experiential exhibitions such as Immersive Van Gogh and Immersive Monet, along with Impact Museums, have set their sights on the art and life of Frida Kahlo with their newest art installation, FRIDA: Immersive Dream. Through April 17. At LighthouseImmersive.com.

ON IMAGE: Viva Frida Kahlo–Immersive Experience, Photographs by Andy Juchli

HOUS David Novros, Detail of right wall from Untitled, 1973–75. The Menil Collection, Houston jpg

SURREAL SWISS

Meret Oppenheim: My Exhibition is the first major transatlantic retrospective on the Swiss artist and the first in the U.S. in more than twenty-five years. For over fifty years, Meret Oppenheim (1913–1985) produced witty, unconventional bodies of work that remain largely unknown in the U.S. March 25‒September 18. At Menil.org.

ON IMAGE: Meret Oppenheim, New Stars (Neue Sterne), 1977–82. Kunstmuseum Bern. Meret Oppenheim Bequest. © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/Pro Litteris, Zurich

HOUS Signature Works, Courtesy of Ars Lyrica Houston

INCOMPARABLE IMPRESSIONS

For the first time, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is lending approximately 100 of the most significant paintings and works on paper from its renowned Impressionist collection. This exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the only U.S. venue. Through March 27. At MFAH.org.

ON IMAGE: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Woman with a Parasol and Small Child on a Sunlit Hillside, c. 1874–76, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

SAN ANTONIO

HOW OPERATIC

This spring, Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto will take over the Tobin Center stage featuring large-scale sets, costumes, lighting, and incredible design. It has often been called the greatest of all operas. The famed opera is an epic testament to the power humans can wield over each other. May 5 and May 7. At OperaSA.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of San Antonio Opera, San Antonio, Texas

SA Martine Gutierrez, Still from Clubbing, 2012. HD video. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, © Martine Gutierrez.

AMERICA’S MODERNISM

The beginning of the 20th century was a period of profound change for America, demonstrated in the artistic movement known as American Modernism. O’Keeffe blurred the natural and man-made, focusing on individual elements with a wash of vibrant color. Through May 8. At McNayArt.org.

ON IMAGE: Georgia O’Keeffe, Pink and Yellow Hollyhocks, 1952. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Helen Miller Jones. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

SA Gladys Roldan-De-Moras Memories From My Home, oil on linen

SHE LOVES ME NOT, SHE LOVES ME SO

Set in a 1930s European perfumery, shop clerks, Amalia, and Georg, often do not see eye to eye. After both respond to a “lonely hearts advertisement,” they now live for the love letters they exchange. All the while, their identities remain unknown. March 25‒April 16. At ThePublicSA.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of the Public Theater, San Antonio

ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS

by societytexas | Dec 30, 2021 | 2022 January February, Exhibit

The best plays, musical performances, and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record-breaking crowds, according to our cultural arts arbiter Leanne Raesener, who shares our favorite recommendations for what to enjoy this winter across the state.

AUSTIN

IF THEY COULD SEE ME NOW

The Actors Repertory of Texas presents a limited six-show engagement, Cindy Williams starring in Me, Myself & Shirley, a one-woman show at The Long Center. The legendary star of the iconic comedy series Laverne & Shirley will share memories of her career, the hilarious backstage tales, secrets, and the highs and lows of her life in entertainment. February 10-13. At TheLongCenter.org or MeMyselfandShirley.com.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Christopher Ameruoso

OLD WORLD TRADITIONS

The Bullock Museum’s latest exhibition, Mystery and Benevolence, Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art, from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, explores the fascinating symbolism and imagery associated with Masonic and Odd Fellows folk art. You’ll discover how fraternal societies used secretive iconography to communicate the core tenets of fraternal teachings. Through March 27. At TheStoryofTexas.com.

ON IMAGE: Chest Lid with Masonic Painting, Probably New England, 1825–1845. Courtesy American Folk Art Museum, New York, Gift of Kendra and Allan Daniel, 2015.1.28

WITH LOVE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

Grammy® Hall of Famer, acclaimed actress, and R&B icon Patti LaBelle returns for her first performance in Austin in five years with a show at Bass Concert Hall on Monday, February 14, 2022. The Godmother of Soul’s dynamic career spans seven decades, selling more than 50 million records worldwide. February 14. At TexasPerformingArts.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Texas Performing Arts

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

CELLULAR THEORY

CELL GRIDS, Peter Halley’s first exhibition in Texas showcases a surprising new way to engage with the artist’s work. Halley’s paintings, with their distinctive iconography and intensely colored rectilinear isolated “cells,” are arranged into syncopated grids. Through February 13. At DallasContemporary.org.

ON IMAGE: Peter Halley. Under the Light, 2021. acrylic, fluorescent acrylic, Flashe, and Roll-a-Tex on joined canvases. Collection of Robert S. Taubman, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. © Peter Halley.

LET’S FACE IT

Faceless portraits are everywhere these days, from our social media feeds on. At the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the newest exhibition Milton Avery showcases a 20^th-century artist who made faceless portraits cool―before they were cool. This exhibition features approximately 70 paintings from the 1910s to the mid-’60s that are among his most celebrated. Through January 30. At TheModern.org.

MAKE MINE A DOUBLE

Pink Martini Featuring China Forbes is a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure. The band draws inspiration from the romantic Hollywood musicals of the ’40s and ’50s…with a more global perspective. After almost 30 years, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras worldwide. January 13. At ATTPAC.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Autumn de Wilde

HOUSTON

INTO HIGH GEAR

Kicking off Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center’s new year, Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards®, including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, makes its Houston debut. It is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and holds you tight. January 4-9. At TheHobbyCenter.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of T. Charles Erickson

JEWEL TONES

Houston Ballet sparkles and enthralls with George Balanchine’s Jewels. Each of the three acts embodies their namesake jewels, Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds through the unique musical stylings of their corresponding composer. February 24 – March 6. At HoustonBallet.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Houston Ballet

BOSTON PROPER

For the first time, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) has received a rare loan of approximately 100 of the most significant paintings and works on paper from The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s (MFA), renowned Impressionist collection. The MFAH exhibition, Incomparable Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is the only U.S. venue for this show. Through March 27. At MFAH.org.

ON IMAGE: Edgar Degas, Racehorses at Longchamp, 1871, possibly reworked in 1874, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, S. A. Denio Collection—Sylvanus Adams Denio Fund and General Income. © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/All Rights Reserved

SAN ANTONIO

LATIN FLAIR

Making its United States debut at the Briscoe Museum, Vaqueros de la Cruz Del Diablo features celebrated photographer Werner Segarra as he invites audiences to peer into the world of the Northern Mexican Vaquero. It has almost 60 photographs that span more than 20 years of the lives of the vaqueros, Through January 25. At BriscoeMuseum.org.

ON IMAGE: ©WERNER SEGARRA_En que la milpa de Tony Ríos, Kenya Madrid y Ana Grethel Herrera Madrid. Socadeguachi, Huásabas, 2018

BUILDING BRIDGES

Claude Monet’s masterpiece Charing Cross Bridge, Brouillard travels from the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto to the McNay for this special presentation. Along with the Monet and Whistler works are prints by James Jacques Tissot, John Marin, and contemporary New York artist Yvonne Jacquette.Through January 23. At McNayArt.org.

ON IMAGE: Claude Monet. Charing Cross Bridge, brouillard, 1902. Collection of Art Gallery of Ontario. Gift of Ethel and Milton Harris, 1990. Photo© AGO

THE NEW REALISM

The San Antonio Museum of Art’s exhibition Wendy Red Star: A Scratch on the Earth explores how boundaries between cultural, racial, social, and gender lines are reinforced in America and how these lines blur across time and place. Museums across the country are featured in the show, including photography, textiles, and film and sound installations produced over twelve years. February 11―May 08. At SAMuseum.org.

ON IMAGE: Wendy Red Star, Indian Summer–Four Seasons, 2006, Archival pigment print on sunset fiber rag, Gift of Loren G. Lipson, M.D., 2016 2016.46.1.1, Collection of The Newark Museum of Art

MERRY ENDEAVORS

by societytexas | Oct 31, 2021 | 2021 November December, Exhibit

The best plays, musical performances, and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record-breaking crowds, according to our cultural arts maven Leanne Raesener, who shares our favorite recommendations for what to enjoy this fall across the state.

AUSTIN

TWINKLE TOES, MEET FAIRY DUST

Ballet Austin’s 59th annual production of The Nutcracker is one of Austin’s favorite holiday traditions. Hundreds of dancers perform Stephen Mills’ enchanting choreography in colorful costumes to Tchaikovsky’s magical score with live accompaniment from Austin Symphony Orchestra. Catch the Austin notables who play Mother Ginger each year…always a special treat. December 4‒23. At BalletAustin.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Ballet Austin

WELCOME TO AMERICA

Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre. This musical has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. Dec 7—19. At TexasPerformingArts.org.

ON IMAGE: The company of the touring version of the Broadway smash-hit, Hamilton. Photo by Joan Marcus].

POP’N POLITICS

The Blanton’s exhibition Pop Crítico/Political Pop: Expressive Figuration in the Americas, 1960s-1980s, features artists in the United States and Latin America, who increasingly manipulated Pop’s colorful and flashy representation of the familiar into a tool for social and political critique. Through January 16, 2022. At BlantonMuseum.org.

UNDER IMAGE: Beatriz González, Apuntes para la historia extensa, continuación [Notes for an Extensive History, Continuation], 1968, Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin, Gift of Judy and Charles W. Tate, 2016.104. © Beatriz González.

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

ARTISTIC MERIT

The Ilya+Emilia Kabakov: Paintings about Paintings exhibition at The Dallas Contemporary showcases works that remained in the studio until recently. They filled the artists with revulsion when dragged into the light of day because their light and energy had disappeared. As a result, the strangest method for injecting joy is employed—namely, flowers are sewn onto the artworks. Through February 13, 2022. At DallasContemporary.org.

UNDER IMAGE: Holiday #13, Courtesy of Ilya+Emilia Kabakov.

JOY? BEAUTY? YES, PLEASE

The Dallas Museum of Art’s exhibition Pursuit of Beauty: The May Family Collection looks at the definitive Dallas-based collection of American art built over nearly 60 years. Twenty-four works, whose dates span approximately a century, touch historical and aesthetic highpoints in American art and are united by a visual sense of harmony, tranquility, and beauty. Through January 9, 2022. At DMA.org.

ON IMAGE: John Singer Sargent, Sylvia Harrison, 1914, The Collection of Eleanor and C. Thomas May, Jr.

DIVINE SUBLIME REFINED

The Carter’s latest immersive contemporary exhibition, Anila Quayyum Agha: A Beautiful Despair, showcases Pakistani-American multidisciplinary artist Anila Quayyum Agha’s site-specific sculptural installation and related drawings informed by her multicultural experiences. Through January 9, 2022. At CarterMuseum.org.

ON IMAGE: A Beautiful Despair (Cube), ©Anila Agha.

HOUSTON

CHARMING AND CHILLY

Relive the joy and wonder of childhood with a story as fresh and lovely as a new coat of snow. In Ezra Jack Keats’s award-winning work from 1962, The Snowy Day, the story comes to life for the holidays in this much-anticipated world premiere opera from the brilliant creative duo of composer Joel Thompson and librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney. December 9—19. At HoustonGrandOpera.org.

ON IMAGE: Art ©The Snowy Day and A Poem for Peter by Erza Jack Keats with Librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney, Courtesy of the Houston Grand Opera.

OLD MASTERS ANEW

Light on Old Masters: European Art from Houston Collections, 1300–1700, denotes the artists then working in Europe. Works from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods are included in the show and drawn from the MFAH collections and through generous loans by private collectors in Houston. Through January 23, 2022. At MFAH.org.

UNDER IMAGE: Juan Carreño de Miranda and workshop, The Immaculate Conception, 17^th Century, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Rienzi Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Masterson, III.

HALLELUJAH LET’S REJOICE

The glorious holiday tradition of Handel’s Messiah returns to The Houston Symphony this season. Chorus and guest soloists fill Jones Hall with joyous refrains and exultant arias, including the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus, in this moving and powerful presentation of the most extraordinary story ever told. December 10—12. At HoustonSymphony.org.

ON IMAGE: Photo courtesy of Houston Symphony.

SAN ANTONIO

BIENNIAL BLOW OUT

The 2021 Texas Biennial, A New Landscape, A Possible Horizon is a geographically-led, independent survey of contemporary art in Texas. It’s the Biennial’s seventh iteration, and the first year it’s distributed across five Texas museums: Artpace, Fotofest, the McNay Art Museum, Ruby City, and the San Antonio Museum of Art. Through January 31, 2022. At TexasBiennial.org.

ON IMAGE: Steve Parker, Sirens, 2018, Brass, plastic, conduit, speakers, and recorded voices.Courtesy of Steve Parker.

A SHARP-DRESSED MAN

Steeped in memories, both personal and cultural, the art of Wayne Thiebaud is comfortingly familiar. It evokes reflection on our own experiences with the people, fashion, places, and foods we love. Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints, and Drawings celebrate the artist’s 100th birthday through 100 works. Through January 16. At McNayArt.org.

LET’S GET POTTED

Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience is a parody created by two-time Olivier Award-nominated and BBC actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner. The show takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books into 70 hilarious minutes. November 23—28. At MajesticEmpire.com.

ON IMAGE: Jefferson Turner and Daniel Clarkson in Potted Potter. Photo courtesy of Potted Potter.

CULTURE HERO

by societytexas | Aug 31, 2021 | 2021 September October, Exhibit

The best plays, musical performances, and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record-breaking crowds, according to our cultural arts maven Leanne Raesener, who shares our favorite recommendations for what to enjoy this fall across the state.

AUSTIN

GLOW MAKES THE EVENING FLOW

After having enormous success worldwide—in Paris, Barcelona, and New York—this creative, enchanting, and new concert series is known simply as “Candlelight.” Not to be missed are Candlelight: Beethoven’s Best Works and Candlelight: Otis Redding, Al Green & Southern Soul Legends, both

performed at the iconic Mansion, an intimate setting amidst walls flickering by soft candlelight. September 10 and October 3, respectively. At SecretAustin.com.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Secret Austin, Candlelight Series

SURF’S STILL UP

The Beach Boys have become synonymous with the California lifestyle, performed more concerts than any major rock band in history, and received numerous awards, including the 2001 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. So sport your Wayfarers and enjoy a hang-ten evening of fun.

October 24. At TexasPerformingArts.org.

ON IMAGE: The Beach Boys, with original members Mike Love, fifth from left, and Bruce Johnston, third from left. Courtesy of The Beach Boys, archival

FANTASY FAIRYTALE

Composer Stephen Sondheim’s fairytale masterpiece, Into The Woods, plays outdoors in a contemporary, reimagined interpretation. From the Topfer balcony, Rapunzel lets down her hair, Cinderella loses her slipper on the steps, and the Milky White cow sculpture moos to life with Jack and his Beanstalk. September 29―November 7. At ZachTheatre.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of ZACH Theatre

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

FASHION IS ART, BUT OF COURSE

A special exhibition, Canvas & Silk: Historic Fashion from Madrid’s Museo del Traje, from Madrid’s premier museum of historical dress, will be on view thanks to an unprecedented collaboration. In drawing examples from the Meadows’ collection of historical dress and pairing with the Museo del Traje’s, one may view these styles through the lens of Spanish art. September 19―January 9, 2022. At MeadowsMuseumDallas.org.

ON IMAGE: Manuel Piña (Spanish, 1944–1994) [designer], Alex Serna [painter]; Vestido (Dress), 1991. ©Museo del Traje, Spain. Centro de Investigación del Patrimonio Etnológico, Madrid, Spain; CE092707. Photo by Lucía Ybarra Zubiaga

MAGNIFICENT ALICE

As one of America’s most wildly creative and innovative dance companies, MOMIX DANCE/UNBOUND takes you on a walk through the Looking Glass in their reimagined and fantastical Alice. Don’t miss this triumph of imagination, illusions, and special effects in its U.S. premiere performance. September 17–18 at Winspear Opera House. At Titas.org.

ON IMAGE: Photo courtesy of MOMIX.

ICONIC & IRREVERENT

Jean-Michel Basquiat was one of the most important and celebrated American painters of the 1980s. Gifted to the DMA by the late Samuel and Helga Feldman, Sam F is the first work by the iconic artist to enter the museum’s collection. Basquiat painted the impressionistic portrait in oil on a door from the apartment complex where he stayed in 1985 during his visit to Dallas. Through February 13, 2022. At DMA.org.

ON IMAGE: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sam F, 1985, oil on the door, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Samuel N. and Helga A. Feldman, 2019.31, © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

HOUSTON

QUITE LOVERLY

From Lincoln Center Theater comes Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Prepare for a classic show-tune heaven in the sumptuous, thrilling revival that’s both opulent and daring. September 14―19. At TheHobbyCenter.org.

ON IMAGE: Leslie Alexander as Mrs. Higgins, Shereen Ahmed as Eliza Doolittle, and Kevin Pariseau as Colonel Pickering in The Lincoln Center Theater Production of Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Photo by Joan Marcus

MODERNIST LEANINGS

The Menil Collection and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego will debut of Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1960s, the first major U.S. exhibition to focus on the radical work of Niki de Saint Phalle—from the artist’s Tirs, or “shooting paintings,” to her exuberant and powerful Nanas, lively sculptures of the female form. September 10–January 2, 2022. At Menil.org.

ON IMAGE: Niki de Saint Phalle Pirodactyl over New York, 1962 98 Guggenheim Museum Abu Dhabi

FIREY OBSESSION

A tragedy of obsessive love, Bizet’s Carmen from 1875 is considered the most famous opera in the world. Camen captivates the soldier Don José with her beauty, confidence, and provocative lifestyle until his jealousy becomes their undoing. Expect striking costumes and gorgeous dancing in this acclaimed production. October 22―November 5. At HoustonGrandOpera.org.

ON IMAGE: Carmen. Photo by Lynn Lane

SAN ANTONIO

COMEDY, MEET TRAGEDY

Don Giovanni is sure to be a spectacular opening to a significant opera season. The classic tale balances comedy with tragedy as the Age of Enlightenment’s most notorious womanizer meets his demise. Filled with breathtaking arias and quicksilver ensembles, this is a must-see. October 7 and 9. At OperaSA.org.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Opera San Antonio

ONWARD WE GO

Ruby City celebrates its first anniversary with two new installations from its permanent collection, featuring works in diverse media. In the multi-screen installation, Western Union: Small Boats (2007), British multimedia artist Julien chronicles the global history of African migration and diaspora. Cabrera’s exhibition The Craft of Resistance (2008) comprises 1,500 copper monarch butterflies representing perseverance and persistence. September 25—2020. At RubyCity.org.

ON IMAGE: Isaac Julien Western Union Series No. 4 (Flight Towards Other Destinies 3), 2007. Photo courtesy of Isaac Julien Studio

ART’S RULE

The exhibition Nature, Power, and Maya Royals: Recent Discoveries from the Site of Buenavista del Cayo showcases objects discovered at this archeological site in Belize. The pieces, now being exhibited for the first time, were recovered from two royal tombs, one dating to (ca. AD 450) and another to (ca. AD 650–750). Vessels from the SAMA permanent collection are also on display. Through February 27, 2022. At SAMuseum.org.

Detail of jaguar and coatimundi way on Cylinder Vase with Animal Figures, Belize, AD 650–750, earthenware and mineral paint, Courtesy of The Mopan Valley Archaeology Project. Photo by Bernadette Cap

CELEBRATING CULTURE

by societytexas | Jun 30, 2021 | 2021 July August, Exhibit

The best plays, musical performances, and exhibits in Texas are enjoyed by record number crowds, according to our cultural adventurer Leanne Raesener, who shares our favorite recommendations for what to enjoy this summer across the state.

AUSTIN

HERE COMES THE SUMMER

Zachary Scott Theatre’s Summer Under the Stars: Summer Series brings to you Come Together: Beatles Redux featuring the timeless music of the legendary Beatles. ZACH greats perform iconic hits like Yesterday, Hey Jude, Let it Be, and more. July 8—25. At ZachTheatre.org.

ON IMAGE: Michael Valentine performs. Courtesy of Zachery Scott Theatre.

HARLEM RENAISSANCE

The Blanton Museum’s new exhibition, Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite, highlights his work in the late ’50s through ’60s. Brathwaite, a key figure of the second Harlem Renaissance, and his older brother, Elombe Brath, founded the African Jazz-Arts Society & Studios (AJASS) and Grandassa Models. June 27—September 19. At BlantonMuseum.org.

ON IMAGE: Kwame Brathwaite, Sikolo Brathwaite wearing a headpiece designed by Carolee Prince, African Jazz-Art Society&Studios (AJASS), Harlem, ca. 1968; from Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful (Aperture, 2019).

DANCING EXISTENTIALLY

ISHIDA Dance Company presents Faraway, so close, an evening of thought-provoking world premieres in contemporary dance: new works based on original poetic narratives that invite existential questions by Brett Ishida, a new work by former Batsheva dancer and USC Professor Bret Easterling, and a new creation by award-winning European choreographer Kristian Lever. In Austin August 13–14 at Dell Fine Arts Center at St. Andrew’s and in Houston August 19–21 at MATCH Midtown Arts & Theater Center. At IshidaDance.org

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of ISIDA Dance Company

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

JAPANESE AESTHETIC

Tokyo-based artist Tomoo Gokita’s first North American museum exhibition, Get Down, presented by The Dallas Contemporary, features Gokita’s large-scale paintings and never-before-seen pieces. These creations were all done during the pandemic. Through August 22. At DallasContemporary.org.

EXOTIC ALLURE

The Kimbell Museum’s new exhibit, Buddha, Shiva, Lotus, Dragon: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society, presents nearly 70 of the finest examples of Asian art in the United States. It highlights pieces collected by the couple between the ’40s and ’70s. Through September 5. At KimbellArt.org.

ON IMAGE: Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Shiva Nataraja). India, Tamil Nadu. Chola period, about 970. Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.20. Photograph by Synthescape

ABSTRACTION APPREAL

The Fort Worth Modern’s new exhibit, Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas, features the artist’s most significant works and examines his contribution to the development of abstraction over nearly five decades. Through October 10. At TheModern.org.

ON IMAGE: Sean Scully, Pale Fire, 1988, Collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth,
Museum purchase, Sid W. Richardson Foundation Endowment Fund©Sean Scully

HOUSTON

DEEP DIVE INTO AMERICA

Three Centuries of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston highlights more than 200 works from the private collection of Fayez S. Sarofim. The Houston-based collector has assembled an extraordinary representation of painting in America. His devotion to 19^th and 20^thcentury painting is at the center of his collection and this exhibition. Through September 6. At MFAH.org.

ON IMAGE: John Singer Sargent, Madame Ramón Subercaseaux, c. 1880–81 Fayez S. Sarofim Collection

LOVE. RESIST. DREAM.

These rallying cries echo throughout Los Angeles-based artist Cauleen Smith’s works, which remind us to nurture each other and the planet that sustains us. Her exhibition, Cauleen Smith: We Already Have What We Need, at The Contemporary Art Museum emphasizes acts of caring as antidotes to the injustices and inequities that shape our past and present, envisioning a better world. July 15—October 3. At CAMH.org.

ON IMAGE: Cauleen Smith, Light Up Your Life (For Sandra Bland), 2019. Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin. Commissioned and produced by Artpace San Antonio. Purchase through the generosity of an anonymous donor, 2020.

COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL

Color Factory is a collaborative and multisensory exhibit featuring participatory installations of colors and hues. A collection of artists, creatives, and designers have teamed up to tell their unique color stories inspired by the city and space, with NASA also being a collaborator. Through September 6. At ShowClix.com.

ON IMAGE: Photo courtesy of Color Factory

SAN ANTONIO

MEET ME AT THE FAIR

In 1998, the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art, a 30,000 square-foot wing, opened to display Latin American art from ancient to contemporary. On Permanent View—Latin America Galleries. At SAMuseum.org.

ON IMAGE: Roberto de la Selva (Nicaraguan, 1895-1957), At the Fair (En la Fería), 1934, Museum purchase, 59.19.5, Photograph by Peggy Tenison, Courtesy of San Antonio Museum of Art.

RENAISSANCE ROTTEN

Enjoy an evening of theatre as The Public presents Something Rotten. Brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom set out to write the first musical in the 1590s after a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting simultaneously. Fridays through Sundays, July 9—July 18. At CTXLiveTheatre.com.

ON IMAGE: Courtesy of Something Rotten national tour

HOME, HEART, AND HEARTH

Joanna Keane Lopez, a New Mexico native, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blurs the boundaries between contemporary sculpture and architecture through the medium of adobe mud. She creates work that seeks healing and reparation of fragmentation towards land, home, family, and community. July 1―September 5. At BlueStarContemporary.org.

ON IMAGE: Nine Ways to Say Hello Adobe bricks, mirror, lime wash, mica, cotton, cochineal insects, onion skins. Courtesy of Joanna Keane Lopez