First Playboy, now Prada. The Texas Department of Transportation has labeled a Prada storefront art installation in the Chihuahuan Desert, 35 miles northwest of Marfa, as "illegal outdoor advertising."
The Prada store, created by Scandinavian artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, has drawn thousands of tourists since opening in 2005 on land along Highway 90. (Beyoncé posted a photo of herself in front of the installation on Tumblr last summer.) But TxDot says it's in violation of the 1965 Highway Beautification Act and could be forcefully removed.
"If it really is against the regulations, they should have found out in 2005 when it was erected," said Prada Marfa co-creator Michael Elmgreen.
The department has not decided what action it will take.
The $80,000 project — which was not funded by Prada but by New York nonprofits Art Production Fund in collaboration with Ballroom Marfa — consists of a 15-by-25-foot adobe "store" featuring six bolted-down handbags and 20 shoes (the right shoe only, to discourage theft) from Prada's 2005 fall/winter collection. It is never open, and the items are not for sale. The artists intend for the building to degrade over time.
"It was meant as a critique of the luxury goods industry, to put a shop in the middle of the desert," Elmgreen told the New York Times. "If it really is against the regulations, they should have found out in 2005 when it was erected."
The legitimacy of the Prada installation was questioned only after TxDot determined in July that a 40-foot neon Playboy bunny sign erected next to an elevated 1972 Dodge Charger, on the same highway just a mile outside of Marfa, was an illegal outdoor advertisement. Titled Playboy Marfa, the installation was designed by artist Richard Phillips for Playboy.
Beyoncé posed in front of the Prada Marfa installation last summer.
I am Beyonce Tumblr
Beyoncé posed in front of the Prada Marfa installation last summer.
Austin PBS announced new seasons and programs for 2024-2025 at its second annual Made In Austin event.
There's plenty to see in Austin; Just take a walk around any older neighborhood and you'll find at least a few hidden gems. But sometimes discovery just feels better from the couch. Austin PBS is ready to help with a slate of new programming for 2024-2025, including both original shows and "local initiatives."
Also known as KLRU-TV, Austin PBS is best known for its widely renowned Austin City Limits music series, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It also airs other popular programs that aren't nationally famous, like Central Texas Gardener and Taco Mafia — both returning with new material this year.
Most notable in the mass announcement is the launch of a new multi-platform news show, airing weekly beginning later in 2024. Fans of Decibel, an existing hyperlocal, "community-led journalism project" that focuses on local social issues in historical context, will likely enjoy this new project, which according to the press release "build[s] upon" the former's reporting. It will cover topics within politics, education, economy, and culture, among other areas.
The CultureMap Austin team has also been looking forward to seeing Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience hit the schedule after watching the documentary at South by Southwest. This emotional story celebrates one of Austin's most eccentric cultural icons, the late KUTX radio host John Aielli. Clearly made with love, this documentary features Aielli's family and coworkers — many of whom are still working around town — and raises questions about how well Austin's current media landscape is living up to its weird past.
Trailer for Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience.Courtesy of Austin PBS
“Public broadcasting isn't just about what we do; it's about who we are as a community, and we are thrilled to be celebrating the second year of [the local premiere night] Made in Austin to share the exciting projects we’ve been working on,” said President and CEO of Austin PBS Luis Patiño via a release.
“It’s been incredible to see the support and excitement of original programming we launched last year," Patiño continued, "from the storytelling of our diverse community with Taco Mafia to in-depth interviews with public figures on Overheard With Evan Smith, and we are looking forward to another year of impactful content that enriches and transforms the communities we serve."
The following new programs (described in PBS's original language) also announced launches in 2024-2025:
Moon Shadow, a multi-platform educational project about the science and symbolism of eclipses
Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter, a documentary film about the journalist and vice-presidential adviser and her story of blazing professional trails while pushing forward an agenda for women’s rights
The Only Day We Have shares Allan Cole’s story of living day to day with young-onset Parkinson’s disease
Chasing the Tide, a six-part documentary series that follows wife and husband duo Chrissy and Jay Kleberg as they walk the entire length of Texas’ seven barrier islands, highlighting the beauty and complexity of the state’s coast
The Stones Are Speaking, focuses on one of the most significant cultural sites in the Western Hemisphere, The Gault Archaeological Site in Central Texas
Live From the LBJ Library With Mark Updegrove ... featuring interviews with preeminent thought leaders about issues vital to America’s future.
Existing shows with new seasons include:
Blackademics
On Story
Overheard With Evan Smith
Central Texas Gardener
Austin City Limits
Taco Mafia
Finally, Austin PBS invites community members to a special taping with Austin’s Christian Wiggs Big Band and special guest Benny Benack III. The taping takes place May 23 at 7:30 pm. at the Austin Media Center. RSVP here.
All programs will be available for viewing on KLRU-TV, AustinPBS.org, and the Austin PBS app. More information about the programs is available at austinpbs.org.