After major renovation and remodeling efforts, The Contemporary Austin's Jones Center is poised to reopen. This fall, the beloved downtown museum will celebrate by unveiling an anticipated exhibition, a large-scale outdoor sculpture, and exciting upgrades to the space.
On November 22, Jones Center galleries will reopen to the public alongside new exhibition Monika Sosnowska: Habitat. This is the Polish artist's largest solo exhibition in a U.S. museum.
"Sosnowska will fill the museum with large-scale sculptures and constructed spaces that transform the galleries into site-specific backdrops for her works, drawing on the artist's experience living and working among the post-Communist architectural detritus of Warsaw, where she has been based since 2000," notes a release. Museum admission will be free on opening day, and Monika Sosnowska: Habitat will be on view through February 26, 2017.
At the same time, the Jones Center will unveil Jim Hodges' With Liberty and Justice for All (A Work in Progress), a large-scale installation that will be prominently showcased along Congress Avenue and Seventh Street. The sculpture comprises 7-foot-high letters installed 51 feet above ground level. Coated in iridescent dichroic film and lit at night from within, the letters seem to shift colors with changes in light and the observer's location and angle.
A previous version was installed at the Aspen Art Museum in 2014, and the reconfigured version for The Contemporary Austin is on long-term loan.
The Jones Center closed earlier this year to undergo extensive renovations. With the help of a $1.3 million grant from The Moody Foundation and individual gifts, The Contemporary Austin has increased gallery space by approximately 2,000 square feet and updated the museum's cherished rooftop. Now called The Moody Rooftop, it will feature a permanent open-air canopy to enhance use of the space.
"The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center's rooftop has always been a favorite location for Austinites to enjoy the arts through programs such as our Rooftop Architecture & Design Film Series," said Andrea Mellard, director of public programs and community engagement. "I am so excited that these changes to the roof will enable more of our programming for adults, families, tours, teens, and more to take place in this beloved and inspiring space."
The museum will host a members-only party on December 16 to celebrate the reopening and new additions.
The Jones Center will reopen in November.
