Art news

Texas museum hosts groundbreaking exhibition of 30 world-famous Black artists

A work by Kehinde Wiley will be part of the exhibition — but likely not his portrait of Barack Obama.

Image courtesy of Kehinde Wiley

The Arlington Museum of Art in North Texas is set to host the landmark traveling exhibition "30 Americans" this summer.

Described in a release as "showcasing works by 30 emerging and established African American artists of the last three decades," the list of artists on display includes marquee names like Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, Nick Cave, Mark Bradford, Glenn Ligon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Mickalene Thomas.

Perhaps the most noteworthy of all is Kehinde Wiley, who famously was chosen to paint the official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama. (The Obamas' portraits won't be in the Arlington exhibition, but they will be on view at a Houston museum in 2022.)

The exhibition is traveling to Arlington from the renowned Rubell Museum in Miami, Florida, which also loaned the museum "Keith Haring: Against All Odds," one of the most successful exhibits in AMA’s history. "30 Americans" has also traveled to museums in Albuquerque, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and more.

"We decided to bring this exhibit to Arlington to provide more individual access to art that will inspire and engage ever growing audiences," says AMA board president Christopher Hightower in a statement.

According to the release, "30 Americans" focuses on issues of race, sexuality, gender, and historical identity in contemporary culture while exploring the powerful influence of artistic legacy and community across generations. It features works from a variety of mediums: painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation.

“This is an important exhibit that will undoubtedly spark conversation about race in America," says Tonya Veasey, "30 Americans" Committee Chair and CEO for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, in the release. "It comes at a time when race and social justice issues are at the top of people's minds on a day-to-day basis."

The AMA's exhibition dates are still somewhat tentative due to COVID-19 considerations, a spokeswoman says, but they're penciling in May 22-August 29. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 55 and up, $5 for students, and children and military are free.

museums

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

museums galleries history texas