San Antonio Museum of Art’s American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection will close on January 7, 2024. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art
The San Antonio Museum of Art’s special exhibition American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection is set to close on January 7, 2024 after an acclaimed run. The exhibition features more than a hundred artworks depicting the American experience in striking landscapes, Colonial-era portraits, still lifes, impressionist paintings, abstractions, and bronze sculptures. Spanning over 250 years of American art, American Made features exemplary works by renowned artists, including Baby Charles Looking Over His Mother’s Shoulder (No.3) by Mary Cassatt, An American Landscape by Luigi Lucioni, Elsie Wagg by John Singer Sargent, Chow Choy by Robert Henri, Seated Woman by Elizabeth Catlett, and Paris le Soir by Loïs Mailou Jones. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2023)
American Made demonstrates not only how American art has changed stylistically, but also how the face of American art has changed — literally and figuratively. Though many objects from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection have been on view at museums around the country, American Made is the first exhibition to bring together highlights of this extensive private collection.
American Made was organized by The Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee.
San Antonio Museum of Art 200 W. Jones Ave. San Antonio, TX 78215
The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic former Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.
Thomas Moran (American,1837-1926), Moonlight in Venice,1898, Oil on wood board. Courtesy of the Thomas H. and Diane DeMell Jacobsen PhD Foundation. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
SAMA announces acquisition of two major gifts of ancient art from the Americas Museum as well as a selection of contemporary artworks. Photo: Google
The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) recently announced the acquisition of two extensive collections focused on the art of the Americas before 1500. The first is a gift from collectors and longtime SAMA supporters John M. and Kathi Oppenheimer and features nearly two hundred objects, primarily ceramic and stone figures and vessels, which represent societies that thrived in West and Central Mexico and Central America, including the Aztec, Mixtec, Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco, as well as objects made by the Maya, Zapotec, and Olmec cultures. The second collection comes from Lindsay and Lucy Duff and includes 110 objects, including ceramics and textiles and carved stone and wood objects, from early South American cultures, such as the Moche, Nasca, Wari, Chimu, and Inca and spanning from around 500 BC to AD 1500. Several of the works in the Duff Collection are currently on loan to SAMA, including a large gold beaker and a ceramic portrait vessel. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2023)
As part of SAMA’s acquisitions, the Museum also acquired a range of objects across its Contemporary, American, Latin American, Asian, and Ancient Mediterranean collections. Some of the highlights include a photograph by Stuart Allen, titled Shadow No. 10, 9 Pixels (2005), which reflects the artist’s interest in examining abstract composition through digital photographic pixelation; two Transport Amphorae (Roman-Byzantine, 5th–7th century AD), which were likely used to ship commodities like wine across the Mediterranean; ten ceramic works by modern and contemporary Japanese artists, including Nakamura Takuo, Koie Ryoji, Takiguchi Kazuo, Ito Motohiko, and Seto Hiroshi; the oil on metal work Emma Tenayuca Retablo (1993) by Santa Barraza, a major figure in Chicana/o art and the Chicano Art Movement in South Texas; the mixed-media sculpture Space In Between: Nopal (Candelaria Cabrera) (2010) by Margarita Cabrera, which continues the artist’s ongoing explorations of cultural identity, migration, labor, violence, and empowerment through sculpture, craft, and social practice; and the large-scale portrait Yemayá, one of the three paintings in the Goddess Triptych, a set of paintings by San Antonio artist Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz that celebrates the beauty, confidence, and power of women of color. Rodríguez-Díaz’s three large-scale nude portraits will be featured in the focus exhibition Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz: The Goddess Triptych Reunited, which will be on view from January 27, 2024, through January 26, 2025.
The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly thirty thousand works representing five thousand years of history and is particularly strong in arts of the Americas, ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art, Asian art, and modern and contemporary art.
Amphora (jar) with Dionysos and satyrs, Greek (Attic), ca. 530–510B.C., Attributed to the circle of the Antimenes Painter, Terracotta, black-figure technique; h. 15 3/16 in., Purchased with the Grace Fortner Rider Fund, 2023.6 Photo: SAMA, used with permission.
Ofrenda: Juan O’Gorman and a Legacy of Muralism will be on view through November 30, 2023. Photo: UNAM San Antonio.
In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) is delighted to announce a special collaboration with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México San Antonio (UNAM San Antonio) to present Ofrenda: Juan O’Gorman and a Legacy of Muralism. The ofrenda, or altar, will pay homage to the remarkable Mexican artist and architect known for Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas, the iconic mosaic mural he created for Hemisfair ’68. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2023)
The ofrenda will be on view in SAMA’s Great Hall from Thursday, October 26 to Thursday, November 30.
Five UNAM students—Jhosep Bonillas, Rodrigo Gael Martínez, Pabel Erubey Medina, Diana Valeria Nápoles, and Mariana Tovar de Alba—were part of the team that submitted the winning proposal to build an altar at the UNAM San Antonio campus in a competition at the School of Architecture at UNAM in Mexico City. SAMA then invited them to build a complementary altar at the Museum. The altar will be placed next to Carlos Rosales-Silva’s mural Pase Usted, as his practice is greatly influenced by Mexican Muralism and O’Gorman.
The students built the altar with assistance from the Museum’s staff using traditional flowers such as cempashúchil (marigolds) and incorporate beer bottles as a nod to SAMA’s history as the old Lone Star Brewery. They also created an elaborate tapete (tapestry) using traditional materials.
Juan O’Gorman’s artistic contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of muralism and architecture. In his mural work, O’Gorman depicted various pre-Hispanic and Mesoamerican cultures, as well as elements of popular culture and everyday life in Mexico. A masterpiece, Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas celebrated the historical and cultural ties between Mexico and the United States. Today, the 2,600 square foot mural adorns the façade of the Lila Cockrell Theatre at the Henry B. González Convention Center.
The UNAM San Antonio will host a series of programs to commemorate O’Gorman’s legacy, including the Altar de Muertos dedicado a la vida de Juan O’Gorman on view from October 26 to November 30 at UNAM San Antonio: 600 Hemisfair Park. San Antonio, TX 78205 (210) 222-8626.
The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.
Public opening for the Summer 2023 exhibitions will be on First Friday, July 7 from 6p.m. to 9p.m. Photo: Contemporary at Blue Star, used with permission.
Contemporary at Blue Star, San Antonio’s first and longest running exhibition space for contemporary art, proudly announces the opening of three solo exhibitions on July 7, 2023. These exhibitions feature new work by Brittany Ham, Adam Schreiber, and Michael Velliquette, three artists with strong ties to the San Antonio community. Ham and Schreiber are alumni of the Contemporary’s Berlin Residency Program and Velliquette is a former San Antonio resident, now based in Madison, WI. This year marks the 20-year anniversary since his first solo exhibition at the Contemporary. These exhibitions offer unique perspectives on self-portraiture, urban landscapes, and intricate paper sculptures, captivating audiences with their distinct artistic visions. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2023)
Brittany Ham: Unmooringreaches into the exploration of interior and exterior spaces, both architecturally and psychologically. Through oil paintings, Ham chronicles her personal experiences with lockdown, social distancing, and the challenges of early motherhood. The seemingly longing subjects in her artworks often escape claustrophobia through imagined landscapes. Her works draw inspiration from sculptures, woodcuts, and paintings of exhausted women, including the Virgin Mary which she researched during her time at Künstlerhaus Bethanien International Studio Program as a grantee of Contemporary’s Berlin Residency Program. Ham’s works employ line and value to create molded planes that provide multidimensional perspectives. The curious contortions and collapsing of space in her pieces evoke a melancholic humor, inviting viewers to reflect on challenging times and the unknown horizons ahead.
Adam Schreiber: Stadtwald showcases photographs created during and since his residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien as part of Contemporary’s Berlin Residency Program. Employing large format film cameras, he adopts the role of a photographic surveyor to document the city’s quiet and suspended scenes devoid of action. Schreiber’s images of isolated and decontextualized objects ignite viewers’ curiosity. Some of Schreiber’s photographs are visually dense with textural descriptions of the subject, yet they leave the viewer to decipher what exactly the subject is and what its significance might be. Grids, recurring in his work, hint at the artist’s camera lens and reflect the meticulous process of inspection. By presenting his subjects as unknown and encouraging active observation, Schreiber’s work engages viewers in a delightful game of curiosity and concentration.
Michael Velliquette: The Direct Path features an extraordinary display of intricate paper sculptures, making it the most comprehensive exhibition of these works to date. Velliquette’s installations create intimate spaces that invite viewers into these structural collages. Through layering, complexity, and vibrant colors, his works communicate a sense of ornate preciousness. However, their material and meditative creation process—meticulously measuring, cutting, composing, and gluing paper—reveal a delicate yet ordinary quality. This convergence of methods symbolizes transformation, showcasing unexpected metamorphoses of materials and offering moments of reflection to viewers as they visually enter these temple-like constructions.
As an artist-centric organization, the Contemporary is delighted to showcase the work of these talented artists and to nurture their creative practices. This commitment to supporting artists highlights the vital role that accessible spaces play in fostering a vibrant and dynamic art scene, encouraging artistic growth, and amplifying the diverse voices and perspectives that contribute to the richness of our cultural landscape.
Events include a Father’s Day celebration and other art events. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
Hands-on fun, free family activities and saddling up with sci-fi fill the summer with art and adventure at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. The Briscoe is hosting an array of programming to explore the Southwest influence on Western art during Southwest Rising: Contemporary Artand the Legacy of ElaineHorwitch Now through September 4. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2023)
The summer exhibition celebrates one of the most powerful and influential art dealers in the Southwest. Horwitch was responsible for launching the careers of hundreds of artists and was a leader in fostering “new Western art” or “Southwest pop.” During the exhibition, Southwest Rising artists will demonstrate their techniques and lead sessions where everyone can create a masterpiece of their own. Along with artist talks, monthly hands-on learning, free Locals Days and the museum’s annual National Day of the Cowboy celebration on July 22, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
The summer line-up includes:
Celebrate the opening of Southwest Rising by exploring the way light and color interact with one another. In the exhibition’s interactive gallery, visitors can construct a display that will allow them to experiment with how light can change the way our eyes see color. This hands-on program is family-friendly, and all ages are welcome. Children 12 and under always receive free admission to the Briscoe.
Southwest Rising with Mark McDowell – Saturday, July 8, 1p.m. – 3p.m. $25 for non-members, $20 for museum members
Southwest Rising artist Mark McDowell leads guests in creating a work of art with colored pencils on wood, his preferred technique. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, McDowell has been featured in more than 40 one-man shows and numerous group exhibitions in museums, art centers and galleries across the United States and Europe. His work is in many public, corporate, and private collections. Class size is limited, so register today to ensure your spot. All skill levels are welcome and supplies are included with registration.
Art-FULL Summer: Painting Sessions
Enjoy painting sessions led by energetic and charismatic international artist Gio DiZurita. Based in San Antonio, DiZurita tells stories through her art, an everlasting transformation of life experiences.
Two summer dates include:
Father’s Day Fun: Painting with Gio – Saturday, June 17, 10a.m. – Noon, 2p.m. – 4p.m.
Bring your dad jokes and have some hands-on fun. Fathers and their children (5 years or older) can enjoy a creative and fun family painting adventure, creating a Western scene in acrylic on an 11 x 14 canvas. Tickets are $45, or $35 for museum members. Registration is needed for each participant over the age of 12 and includes all supplies. The class size is limited, so register early to ensure your space.
Create Together: Painting with Gio Date Night at the Briscoe – Thursday, July 13, 6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m.
Let love and creativity bloom during a hands-on date night under the stars. Create a work of art during a relaxing evening sipping beer and wine in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden. Couples will enjoy a creative painting adventure creating a Western scene in acrylic on an 11 x 14 canvas. Tickets are $45, or $35 for museum members. Registration is per person and includes beer, wine, and all supplies. The class size is limited, so register today to ensure your spot.
Add Some STEAM to Your Summer: Hands-on Learning
The Briscoe’s free monthly education series “Full STEAM Ahead” sprinkles educational fun into the summer the first Sunday of each month. Learners of all ages work together and learn about the American West by engaging in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) learning experiences. Full STEAM Ahead is designed for all ages to enjoy, making it a terrific family activity. Enjoy STEAMing with your family 1p.m. – 3p.m. on the first Sunday of every month at the Briscoe – the same day that locals are welcome to enjoy the museum for free.
Summer 2023 Full Steam Ahead dates and topics include:
August 6: Full STEAM Ahead – Gone for the Winter
Learn more about wildlife and the fall migration of hummingbirds. After a short presentation, families will have the opportunity to create a hummingbird feeder using found and recyclable materials.
September 3: Full STEAM Ahead – Art in the Sky
Study the night sky through Kim Wiggins’ “Colonel Crockett’s Return to Cibolo Creek.” After a short study of the painting, everyone will create a bedroom planetarium to take home.
Free Cowboy Fun: National Day of the Cowboy Celebration
Tippin’ its hat and celebrating the legacy of the cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero, the Briscoe Western Art Museum presents its annual National Day of the Cowboy celebration on Saturday, July 22, 10a.m. – 4p.m. at the Briscoe. The free community event, which includes free admission to the museum and its exhibitions, features indoor and outdoor activities for cowpokes of all ages. Saddle up with your family and head west for a day you will not forget.
Lhora Amira, IRMANDADE: The Shape of Water in Pindorama, 2018-2020, HD video, single channel sound, film still. Image courtesy of SMAC Gallery, copyright Lhora Amira.
Blue Star Contemporary announces Actions for the Earth: Art, Care & Ecology, an exhibition curated by Sharmila Wood and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI) on view from June 2 through September 3, 2023.Actions for the Earth is a traveling exhibition that considers how artistic practices use kinship, healing, and restorative intervention to foster a deeper consciousness of our interconnectedness with the earth. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2023)
This exhibition turns to a group of interdisciplinary artists to engage with the overlapping, worldwide crises of our time. Ongoing climate change, entrenched social inequity, and renewed concerns over public health have all underscored the need for approaches that take on global responsibilities while caring for our local environment. For decades, artists have sought to find new antidotes to oppressive structures of power, and promoted greater understanding of the many ways that nature, health, and sustainability are intertwined.
Actions for the Earth presents the work of eighteen intergenerational artists and collectives who place action, instruction, reciprocity, and exchange at the forefront of their practices. By sharing their participatory artistic interventions and healing strategies alongside research in ecology, science, and ancient beliefs, these artists remind us that we are connected within a constellation of living networks, inseparable from the planet and its environments. Artworks on view create space for the honoring of ancestors, foreground the significance of Indigenous knowledges, and engage in speculative imaginings through science fiction and network sciences—organic, digital, and spiritual.
In its curatorial approach, Actions for the Earth acts as a resource for studying our current times. The works on view not only emphasize themes of learning, care, and intimacy, but offer concrete knowledge by inviting the public to participate in actions such as instruction-based meditation and deep listening activities. The life of these works, and the interventions they propose, extends far beyond the scope of the exhibition to engage people in their personal contexts.
Artists: Ackroyd and Harvey, Lhola Amira, Arahmaiani, Sayan Chanda, Hylozoic/Desires (Himali Singh Soin & David Soin Tappeser), lololol, Ana Mendieta, Zarina Muhammad, Patrina Mununggurr, Pauline Oliveros, Yoko Ono, Tabita Rezaire, Eric-Paul Riege, Cecilia Vicuña, Katie West, and Zheng Bo
Contemporary at Blue Star presents exhibitions with artists from San Antonio and around the world sharing their global perspectives that encourage understanding, empathy, change, and action, fulfilling our mission to inspire, nurture, and innovate. Like most non-collecting contemporary art spaces, the Contemporary contributes fresh insights and perspectives on larger issues affecting society and culture by highlighting trends, movements, and conversations happening in art. Admission to the Contemporary is always free.
The dog walk will be held this Thursday, April 20. Image: Hiromi Stringer, Dog (Germany)19 2022 gouache and sumi ink on oriental paper, 9 ½ x 13 in. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Attention all dog lovers. The Contemporary at Blue Star is hosting a social dog walk on Thursday, April 20, from 5p.m. to 7 p.m. with exhibiting artist Hiromi Stringer. The event is free and open to all dog owners who want to join in on the fun. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2023)
The walk is through The King William neighborhood and starts with an hour of socializing with fellow dogs and their humans. Local shops, including the SouthPaw Waggery will be in attendance with goodies and swag. Attendees can screen print matching Contemporary bandanas for themselves and their furry friends, or park their dogs at our hosted dog parking station while they explore the exhibitions inside the galleries, such as Hiromi Stringer’s The Dog Show.
At 6 p.m., Hiromi will lead the dog walk through the neighborhood, which will conclude at the Contemporary for a viewing of the exhibition The Dog Show. To participate, complete the registration form. Do not miss out on this exciting event.
About the exhibition: The Dog Show: Time Traveler Umeyama’s Drawings from the 21st Century, Hiromi Stringer March 3 – June 4, 2023
Inspired by a chance encounter almost 30 years ago, when artist Hiromi Stringer saw someone walking a Siberian Husky dog on a busy street in Bangkok, Thailand, an incident that made her wonder about globalization and mundane objects in our life.
In The Dog Show, Stringer revisits her ongoing project UmeyamaReports, which chronicles the travels and observations of ShoeiUmeyama, Stringer’s fictional character. Umeyama is a Japanese man from the mid-1800s using time-teleportation to visit today’s modern world. This time, Umeyama reports on a variety of dogs and their owners, making observations, not only on the traits of each breed, but on the mundane objects that connect them with their owners, such as collars, leashes, and bowls, among others. Writings in Japanese—which visitors can translate using Google Translate on their personal devices—offer further insights into Umeyama’s particular point of view. Umeyama’s drawings, artifacts, and observations are displayed in the imagined Umeyama Time Teleportation Museum (UTTM) showcasing Umeyama’s achievements and the legacy of his history as a time traveler. Ink paintings/reports serve as his record of what he observed as he made sense of the modern-day U.S. Stringer’s exhibition and Umeyama’s imaginary findings represent an alternate perspective and reflection on today’s contemporary society.
Drawing on her personal paradigm shift, which included cultural and language differences, Stringer’s work reflects her curiosity about the world in which she lives. Using a micro perspective borrowed from Umeyama’s view, whose base point is Japan 170 years ago, a time when the country was under governmental enforced national isolation.
Stringer sees parallels between one’s process of knowing and living with very limited information about other countries and her own experience in a foreign land. By using Umeyama as a lens, Stringer provides a more objective view of the world while acknowledging her own subjectivity in her works.
Stringer is a 2019 alum of Contemporary’s Berlin Residency Program. During the three months that she lived and worked at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien as a residency awardee, she continued her UTTM work which took on new meaning in a new foreign home. Through her art, Stringer invites viewers to explore the mundane objects of our times and consider how they inform our current existence. Her approach to art is an extension of her curiosity about the broader world, and her latest work offers a unique perspective on globalization that is sure to spark conversations and inspire contemplation.
The Briscoe Western Art Museum’s annual exhibition and sale proves once again the strength of the genre. Opening weekend events take place March 24 – 25. Photo: Google
If you imagine Western art as dusty, historic relics of the past, you need to set your sights for San Antonio and the Biscoe Western Art Museum’s 2023 Night of Artists Exhibition and Sale, March 24-25. With the opportunity to view and purchase nearly 300 new works of painting, sculpture, and mixed media by 80 of the country’s leading contemporary Western artists, Night of Artists draws artists, collectors and art enthusiasts to the banks of the San Antonio River Walk for two days of unforgettable festivities kicking off one of the premier Western art exhibitions and sales in the world. Beyond the opening celebration, Night of Artists is a public exhibition and sale that spans six weeks at the Briscoe, March 26 – May 7, and is included with general admission to the museum. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2023)
The wide range of artwork reflect the vastness of the great American West. From scenic landscapes and inspired Native Americans, classic cowboys, and dazzling vaqueros, to stunning wildlife and detailed portraiture, Night of Artists features something for every art enthusiast. Some of the featured artists include Billy Schenck, Don Oelze, Z.S. Liang, C. Michael Dudash, George Hallmark, Kim Wiggins, Bonnie Marris, Michael Ome Untiedt, Teresa Elliot, and Jan Mapes.
Notable new artists participating this year include Jeremy Lipking, Eric Bowman, Glenn Dean, Dustin Van Wechel, Bob Guelich, Kevin Red Star and Tony Pro.
The Briscoe’s signature event and a must for any collector, Night of Artists, serves as the primary fundraiser for the museum, benefiting the Briscoe’s full array of exhibitions and programs throughout the year. The event’s two-day opening weekend kicks off with the annual Briscoe Bison Society Collectors Summit, where artists, collectors and gallery owners gather to share their insights during panel discussions and conversations exploring the Western art market and trends. Intended for everyone from the novice to the seasoned art collector, the panels feature nationally recognized Western artists, experts and gallery owners. The two-part summit takes place March 24 and March 25 at The Westin Riverwalk.
The Exhibition Preview, Dinner and Live Auction taking place in the Briscoe’s Jack Guenther Pavilion on the banks of the San Antonio River Walk unfolds on March 24 with an evening of cocktails in the Night of Artists exhibition, an elegant, seated dinner, and a spirited live auction. Conducted by Troy Black, the live auction features 35 separate works.
The Night of Artists Awards Luncheon takes place March 25, honoring the artists in this year’s exhibition and recognizing the annual award winners.
Night of Artists’ signature event, the Exhibition Opening, Art Sale and Reception, takes place March 25. This memorable evening includes the “Luck of the Draw” Art Sale, where works of art are available for purchase at a fixed price established by the artist. Attendees receive a ballot book and place an intent to purchase slip in the box next to a work of art they would like to purchase. When time expires, two slips are randomly drawn, allowing the first drawee the opportunity to purchase the piece or pass it along to the second drawee. All the excitement happens to the tune of live music under the stars in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden.
Tickets for all Night of Artists events are available online or by calling 210.299.4499. The Night of Artists public exhibition will be on display during regular museum hours March 26 – May 7 and is included in museum admission. Unsold works during opening weekend will be available for purchase both in-person and online.
The San Antonio Museum of Art’s latest exhibition Roman Landscapes: Visions of Nature and Myth from Rome and Pompeii runs through May 21, 2023. Photo: Google
The San Antonio Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, Roman Landscapes: Visions of Nature and Myth from Rome and Pompeii, opened February 24 and continues through May 21, 2023. During its run, the Museum will offer a variety of related programming in collaboration with community partners including lectures in conjunction with Trinity University, a performance by OPERA San Antonio, a fashion show with custom clothier Limatus Bespoke, inspired menu items at Tre Trattoria, and a tasting with the San Antonio Botanical Garden. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2023)
Self-Guided Audio Tours Exhibition visitors will have the opportunity to take a self-guided audio tour that offers in-depth knowledge of landscapes and their impact and importance to the community. Audio will be provided by local experts in environmental issues, indigeneity, geology, flora and fauna, and more.
Tre TrattoriaExhibition-Inspired Menu Items Inspired by Tuscan hillsides, Tre Trattoria – housed inside SAMA – will offer a special menu throughout the exhibition. Offerings will include Deviled Eggs “Carbonara,” consisting of Kewpie mayo, Parmigiano-Reggiano, black pepper, crispy guanciale and white truffle oil; Gnocchi Cacio y Pepe; Spaghetti All’Amatriciana; and a refreshing Strawberry Campari Spritz.
Limatus Bespoke x SAMA Fashion Show Thursday, March 2, 2023 | 6p.m. – 8p.m. | Tickets: $35 | Front Row VIP: $60
Fashion meets art at this exclusive showing of Limatus Bespoke’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection inspired by the exhibition. Attendees can enjoy sips, art, music by Steven Lee Moya, and a one-night-only fashion show.
Evening for Educators: Reimagining the World Around Us Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | 4:30p.m. – 6:30p.m. | Free Enjoy a guided gallery experience with Dr. Leticia Rodriguez, visiting assistant professor of classical archaeology at Trinity University, connect with colleagues from throughout the city, and experiment with hands-on art activities to share in your teaching practice.
Free Spring Break Family Day: Roman Landscapes Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | Free Museum and Exhibition Admission 10a.m. – 7p.m. Art activities: 10a.m. – 3p.m. Explore art-making experiences, story times, food vendors, performances, and more as part of SAMA’s Spring Break Family Day celebrating Roman Landscapes.
Concert with the Yale Whiffenpoofs Sunday, March 19, 2023 | 11a.m. – Noon | Free with Museum Admission Join the Yale Whiffenpoofs for a morning of music at SAMA. Every year, fourteen senior Yale students are selected to be in the Whiffenpoofs – the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group. Singing a mixture of old Yale tunes, jazz standards, and other hits from across the decades, the Whiffenpoofs perform more than 200 concerts across six continents each year.
Landscapes by Boat with San Antonio RiverFoundation’s Frates Seeligson Sunday, March 26, 2023 | 1p.m. – 2p.m. | Members: $25 | Non-Members: $35 In celebration of Roman Landscapes, SAMA has partnered with the San Antonio River Foundation for a special river boat tour. Frates Seeligson, executive director of the foundation, will lead an hour-long excursion focusing on the San Antonio River and how the natural landscape has shaped our community. Arrive early to experience Roman Landscapes before the tour and make connections between the ancient Romans’ relationship with the environment and our relationship with the South Texas landscape.
Lennox Seminar Lecture Series The Lennox Seminar Lecture Series brings nationally recognized speakers to Trinity University’s campus for a variety of topics. This year, the series has partnered with SAMA and will feature lectures focusing on art, nature, and myth in Roman landscapes.
Lectures include: Beyond the Picturesque: Personification as Landscape in Roman Visual Culture Friday, March 31, 2023 | 6p.m. – 7p.m. Members, Educators, and Students: Free | Non-Members: $5
Join Jaś Elsner, professor of late antique art at Oxford University, for a lecture examining the place of personification in Roman landscape imagery.
Additional Lennox Lectures at Trinity University: Bettina Bergmann, Professor Emeritus of Art History at Mount Holyoke College Caitlín Barrett, Archaeologist and Associate Professor of Classics at Cornell University Rachel Foulk, Professor of Art History at Ferris State University
Ancient Roman Recipeswith the San Antonio Botanical Garden Sunday, April 16, 2023 | 2p.m. – 3:30p.m. Museum and Garden Members: $40 | Non-Members: $45 San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place
Learn about the flora and fauna featured in the works in the special exhibition Roman Landscapes and partake in dishes that bring together true Roman ingredients and a local spread of foraged greens, jams, winter pickles, meats, breads, and luxury desserts. Adult beverage included. Ages 21+.
Texas Scholars Dig Roman Villas Tuesday, April 18, 2023 | 6p.m. – 7p.m. Members, Educators, and Students: Free | Non-Members: $5
Join scholars John R. Clarke (University of Texas at Austin) and Thomas Noble Howe (Southwestern University) for a presentation about their work exploring, documenting, and preserving luxurious Roman villas destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
SongScapes of Opera Friday, May 12, 2023 | 7p.m. | Members: $15 | Non-Members: $20 The performance will highlight pieces from the standard classical repertoire as well as songs by composers from traditionally underrepresented populations. Opera singer and recitalist Bronwyn White will provide a short lecture about each piece before it is performed, including a brief translation, an interesting aspect of its history, musicality, subject, or place in the composer’s life, and how each song ties into the theme of SongScapes.
Free festival highlights the animals and natural beauty of the West. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
From the heart of San Antonio, the museum known for spotlighting the art and beauty of the American West, the Briscoe Western Art Museum, is starting the year in a wild way with its free Wild West Wildlife Festival, as well as a weekend of beastly programming that features the most famous bear in the world to close out the fantastic Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life In The Wild exhibition. Go “Full STEAM Ahead” into 2023 with free hands-on educational programming, free locals days and the amazing art of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2023)
Calendar highlights include:
Get Wild with Your Family: Free Wild West Wildlife Festival
January 21, 10a.m. – 3p.m.
Highlighting the animals and natural beauty that put the “wild” in the wild West, the Wild West Wildlife Festival celebrates the flora and fauna that define the West and inspire Western art. The Briscoe hosts a beastly day of animal fun, education and hands-on crafts for all ages. Activities highlight the wildlife that calls the West home, with a focus on Texas habitats and creatures great and small. The free festival features art, storytelling and more to inspire everyone to explore the nature all around them and includes free admission to the museum.
See the Beasts of the West at Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life In The Wild
Through January 29
Western Art celebrates the American West, including the wild places and wildlife that grace the land. Through January 29, the Briscoe features 40 of the renowned nature photographer’s most resonant photographs in Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In TheWild, taking viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen is an award-winning photographer whose images have been exhibited internationally and published in iconic mediums such as “National Geographic,” “Good Morning America,” and “60 Minutes.”
Spend an Evening with a Famous Bear: Meet Jackson Hole Grizzly Bear 399
January 27, 6:30p.m.
Join us as Todd Wilkinson, author of “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek: An Intimate Portrait of 399, the Most Famous Bear of Greater Yellowstone,” talks about the most famous bear in the world, Bear 399. One of the oldest grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Bear 399 is the world’s most famous brown bear mother. Wilkinson will also discuss the iconic Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The event is free for museum members. Tickets are $14 and are available online.
San Antonio DreamWeek: The Briscoe Presents Art In The Wild & Write In The Wild
January 29, 1p.m. – 4p.m.
Discover nature in the heart of San Antonio with San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea Vocab Sanderson in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden. Everyone will commune with nature and work hands-on with clay sculpting, sketch drawing or watercolor painting to explore DreamWeek’s themes of representation and identification. Guests will then be immersed in Thomas D.Mangelsen: A Life In The Wild for the last day of the exhibition. After presenting original poetry inspired by Mangelsen’s images, Sanderson will invite guests to choose an animal for their own poetic inspiration. The event is free with museum admission.
The Art of the Rodeo: Student Western Art Competition Exhibit
On display January 5 – February 5, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo’s Student Western Art Competition Exhibition fills the Clingman Education Gallery and is included with general admission. Featuring the 12 winning entries in the 2023 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo’s Western Art Competition, the pop-up exhibit showcases the best work from the annual contest that includes 183 South Texas school districts across 54 counties, as well as those attending a private school or homeschooled in one of the eligible counties. Each of the works showcases an appreciation of western heritage, which the Briscoe and the Rodeo happily share. “Horse Talk” a colored pencil drawing by Katherine Ferno, a student at Dripping Springs High School, is featured as “Best in Show.” Enjoy the rodeo exhibition during regular museum hours and be sure to stop by when you are downtown for the Rodeo’s Western Heritage Weekend, February 4.
Howdy Neighbors: First Sundays Free for Local Residents
To show how friendly the West is and to thank the San Antonio community for its continued support, the Briscoe Western Art Museum makes the first Sunday of each month “Locals Day,” greeting locals with free general admission. Bexar County residents can enjoy the Briscoe’s Locals Days through 2023, with free admission on February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2,August 6, September 3, October 8, November 5, and December 3. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission to the Briscoe every day, as do active duty members of the military, making the Briscoe a terrific spot for local families to enjoy any time.
Full STEAM Ahead: Free Education Series Offers Hands-on Learning Fun
Families and visitors of all ages can learn about the American West in the Briscoe’s free monthly education series, “Full STEAM Ahead.” Learners of all ages work together and learn about the American West by engaging in hands-on, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) learning experiences. Each activity ties back to the Briscoe’s art and artifacts, bringing the West to life in a new way. From transportation and weather to animals, astronomy and engineering, each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning. Full STEAM Ahead is included with general admission and is free for museum members.
2023 Full Steam Ahead dates include:
January 21 (Wild West Wildlife Festival)
February 18
March 18 (Part of the Briscoe’s Spring Break Roundup)
SA Examiner 