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 Tré Arenz / One of Us: A Retrospective / WTW Nationally recognized and widely exhibited, Tré Arenz called Austin her home until her untimely death in May 2003. In tribute, Women & Their Work has organized Tré Arenz One Of Us: A Retrospective which opens February 21, at the Lavaca Street venue. Trained as a ceramist, Arenz took clay beyond the functional and decorative to the sculptural arena with work that ranges from small individual objects to large scale, mixed media installations. She championed playfulness using popular sources to engage the everyday viewer and adopted the blue and white glazes of the ancient Chinese as her signature striped pattern. Alongside the whimsy, she posed serious questions about the role of women and the basis of racial discrimination. Such questions define Sameness, a large scale blue and white striped ceramic installation which was first seen at Women & Their Work Gallery in Arenz's 1995 exhibit. In conjunction with the comprehensive exhibit at WTW, Austin Museum of Art has re-created Sameness in their downtown space as a homage to Arenz.
Priscilla Hoback / Gallery Shoal Creek Gallery Shoal Creek presents a collection of Priscilla Hoback's newest murals - works in clay, earthy texture, graceful movement, a magical hint of surprise - through March 6. Inspired by the timeless glyphs scattered throughout Northern New Mexico, Ms. Hoback's imagery crosses many boundaries blending old and new, embracing generations and cultures. Grounded in the earth itself, she is relentlessly drawn to the sanctity and rituals of traditions. From quarrying her own clay to tirelessly observing the animals she so aptly portrays, she is immersed in the land of the Galisteo Basin. The land here is simultaneously primal, rural and contemporary - words which provide commentary for the artist's work as well. |
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Between Fact and Fiction / Contemporary Art The where in Going West refers to the vast expanse of land known as the American West; the "unseen strings that pull people [westward] in search of excitement, success, fame" is the what, says curator Erin Keever. Arthouse's current exhibit, Going West, features ten artists working in a variety of media, each addressing the myth of the American West. The exhibition focuses on iconography from western mythology in relation to its people, history, landscape, architecture and lifestyles, being used and re-interpreted by many of today's artists. To one who embraced the adventure of going west at the age of six, the imagery is familiar yet fresh and spirited. From Kyle Wadsworth's larger than life pink murals to Bale Creek Allen's magnificent bronze tumbleweed, the exhibit is full of fun. Who hasn't noted the mile markers on a long road trip? Joel Ross' photography series recalls the restless question, how much further? Wadsworth's cacti on casters--the basic version in plaster and the more mod style in red translucent rubber--is certain to delight all! As curator, Keever poses the question: why would an artist "go west" in his or her artwork, why does this imagery continue to resonate with young artists? A survey of the work provides the answer as it illuminates the highly adventurous, personal, and for the most part, optimistic, artistic journeys of the individuals who created them. Their visual statements, individually and collectively, "walk that line between fact and fiction". This inviting exhibit focused westward makes us laugh--but more importantly, it encourages us to ask questions, the true sign of an engaging exhibit.
Another engaging visual experience is Mexic-Arte Museum's Crossing over: Photographs and New Video Installations by Willie Varela. The avant-garde filmmaker's interactive exhibit is composed of 4 new video installations using projections and video sets, which address life's most important values--commitment, purpose, and compassion. Varela's video work broadens both the meanings and implications of the medium which we all live with yet rarely investigate. The self-taught Varela utilizes popular culture, television, advertising media, and cemeteries along with his personal history to create film and video works as well as fine photography. In addition to the installations, Mexic-Arte's exhibit presents 18 photographs by Varela. Crossing Over is the first major exhibition of Varela's work to include both major video installations and large-format photographs. As an independent filmmaker, Varela has produced over 100 independent Super 8 films and videos. He has been widely exhibited and published and was the subject of a mid-career retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. A full color publication with essays by the co-curators William R.Thompson and Kate Bonansinga accompanies Crossing Over and attests to the significance of Varela's work and this multifaceted exhibit. Around town ...
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Objects of Love / Guadalupe Arts