Texas Medal of Awesome

Texas Medal of Arts unveils 2023 recipients, including 3 from Austin

Austin-born mixed media artist Deborah Roberts will be one of three Austinites to receive the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Awards.

Photo by Moyo Oyelola, courtesy of Texas Cultural Trust

After releasing initial details for next year's Texas Medal of the Arts Awards (TMAA), the Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT) has revealed the full lineup of 2023 honorees — and Austinites will recognize a few local names.

Taking place in venues across Austin, the two-day biannual event recognizes the creative contributions of Texans across multiple disciplines, from music to architecture, film, design, and beyond. Next year's honorees also span multiple geographical regions, with recipients representing Houston, El Paso, and everywhere in between.

“We are beyond thrilled to resume the TMAA celebration, after having to postpone and cancel in 2021 due to the pandemic, with an extraordinary lineup of talented Texans who have each inspired and captivated their communities, our state, and beyond,” says Texas Cultural Trust CEO Heidi Marquez Smith. “Our organization strives to spotlight the vital role the arts play in our state and our everyday lives. Texas has such a rich cultural heritage that deserves to be recognized, invested in, and celebrated.”

So, without further ado, the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Honorees are:

Arts/Health: Center for Performing Arts Medicine, Houston
Lifetime Achievement/Musical Theatre: Carole Cook, Abilene
Music: Christopher Cross, San Antonio
Music/Songwriter: Miranda Lambert, Lindale
Architecture: Miró Rivera Architects, Austin
Visual Arts: Deborah Roberts, Austin
Design: Lela Rose, Dallas
Literary Arts: Benjamin Alire Saenz, El Paso
Film/Producer: Taylor Sheridan, Weatherford
Dance: Septime Webre, Brownsville
Film/Actor: Luke Wilson, Dallas

“I was really moved to hear that I would be a recipient of the Texas Medal of Arts Award,” said 2023 TMAA Honoree (and Austinite) Deborah Roberts. “As a native Texan, I’m extremely proud.”

Austinites will recognize Roberts' work from multiple galleries across the city, but perhaps especially from her incredible mural Little man, little man, which graced the 7th Street wall of The Contemporary Austin Jones Center a few years ago. A mixed media artist, Roberts' work has been exhibited internationally across the U.S. and Europe, including the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, New York); LACMA (Los Angeles, California); the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, Virginia); and many more.

Austin-based architecture firm, Miró Rivera Architects, was founded by Miguel Rivera, FAIA and Juan Miró, FAIA. Born just a few days apart in Puerto Rico and Spain, respectively, the pair first crossed paths while working at Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects in New York City. Miró married Rivera's sister, Rosa, and moved to Austin in 1996, where Miró went on to teach at the University of Texas School of Architecture and serve as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs for four years. Miró Rivera Architects designs a wide range of projects, from residential to educational, and they have received more than 100 design awards in their decades-long practice, including 40 American Institute of Art (AIA) awards.

The TXCT's signature two-day event will begin on February 21, 2023, with the Arts Alive! Reception at Commodore Perry Estate, culminating with an Awards Show and Gala Dinner at the Long Center for Performing Arts on February 22, 2023. This year's events are co-chaired by Linda LaMantia, civic leader and artist dedicated to supporting and promoting the arts and education; Judy Robison, philanthropic advocate for prioritizing equity in access to the arts for all children; and world-renowned fashion designer and 2019 TMAA Honoree Brandon Maxwell.

Besides Maxwell, previous honorees have included Matthew McConaughey, Jamie Foxx, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Dan Rather, Neiman Marcus, H-E-B, Robert Rodriguez, Walter Cronkite, Lawrence Wright, Sandra Cisneros, Lyle Lovett, Texas Monthly, and many more. In total, the TMAA have celebrated 118 Texas leaders and luminaries since its inception in 2001.

Austin-born mixed media artist Deborah Roberts will be one of three Austinites to receive the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Awards.

Photo by Moyo Oyelola, courtesy of Texas Cultural Trust

Austin-born mixed media artist Deborah Roberts will be one of three Austinites to receive the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Awards.

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Movie Review

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are both funny and deep in A Real Pain

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.

Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners; relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.

The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.

Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.

But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.

The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.

Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.

The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.

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A Real Pain opens in theaters on November 15.

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