Artist Sandra Gonzalez’ mural at Tony G’s Soul Food. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.
On Friday, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) unveiled one of three community murals during a press conference at Tony G’s Soul Food. Three local artists completed the mural series as part of a generous grant awarded to SAMA by the Art Bridges Foundation earlier this year. The purpose of the three community-inspired murals is to celebrate the vibrancy and people of San Antonio. The murals are now on display at Tony G’s Soul Food (915 S. Hackberry), Wicho’s Mexican Deli (1110 N. Zarzamora St.), and SAMA (200 W. Jones). (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)
Designed by artists Suzy González, Victor Zarazua, and Sandra Gonzalez, and in partnership with San Anto Cultural Arts, the initiative celebrates the importance of community through the arts, connecting San Antonio’s culturally diverse neighborhoods and their traditions through a creative framework.
Artist Suzy González created the mural installed on-campus at SAMA. Painted on wood panels that were then drilled into the brick wall, the mural features the Yanaguana river surrounded by local artists, poets, and musicians that progress the community.
Artist Victor Zarazua represents San Antonio’s Westside at Wicho’s Mexican Deli. Victor planned his mural to be include several types of paint, including spray paint. His design represents the landscape in the area.
Artist Sandra Gonzalez created San Antonio’s Eastside mural at Tony G’s Soul Food. Sandra created her mural, which features portraits of Miles Davis and Etta James, using polytab. During a community painting day, volunteers participated in the mural creation.
Judge Nelson Wolff, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Commissioner Rebecca Clay-Flores, and Judge William “Cruz” Shaw attended the press conference and each shared remarks on the impact of art on our community and the hope that murals will continue to populate the Alamo city.
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 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 enriches the cultural life of the city and the region and to supports its creative community.
Art Bridges is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that expand access to American art in all regions across the nation. The foundation strives to bring great works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of 150 museums of all sizes and locations, providing financial and strategic support for exhibition development, collection loans and programs designed to engage new audiences. Art Bridges funds projects that inspire deeper relationships between arts organizations and their communities, develop expanded relationships built on inclusivity and respect, and encourage meaningful personal connections that lead to stronger, more vibrant cities and towns.
The organizations are calling for community volunteers to help restore the “Leyendas Aztecas” mural in San Antonio’s Westside. Photo: google
Local arts nonprofit SAY Sí is teaming up with San Anto Cultural Arts and community volunteers to restore the “Leyendas Aztecas” mural on San Antonio’s Westside. Located directly across from SAY Sí’s new campus at 1310 S. Brazos, San Anto Cultural Arts artists, a staple arts organization of the Westside that has historically created San Antonio’s murals that vibrantly tell the story of the community, created the mural. (SAY Sí, 2021)
A team of lead muralists and assistants from San Anto Cultural Arts will direct the volunteers and no previous painting experience is required. SAY Sí students, parents, family members, alumni, and San Antonio residents at large are welcome to join forces to help repair this Westside relic.
Participants are welcome to volunteer for multiple time slots and should dress in comfortable clothes that can get paint on them. Volunteers will receive water, sunscreen, and bug spray. To sign up to volunteer or for more information, complete the Google Form.
Volunteer dates include:
Saturday August 14 from 11a.m. to 2p.m.
Tuesday August 17 – Thursday August 19 from 5p.m. to 7p.m
Saturday August 21 from 11a.m. to 2p.m.
Tuesday August 24 – Thursday August 26 from 5p.m. to 7p.m.
Saturday August 28 from 11a.m. to 2p.m.
Founded in 1994, SAY Sí is a national award-winning, art-based nonprofit youth development program located in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the organization is to provide San Antonio area students in grades 6-12 with the opportunity to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and career building. SAY Sí programs serve over two hundred students from all of San Antonio’s school districts – in addition to serving 4,000 youth in community programs. SAY Sí’s unique approach to education has placed the organization on the national stage, with recognition as one of the top out-of-school-time organizations in the country by The Wallace Foundation, as well as serving as one of seven international youth arts organizations chosen to receive an inaugural Creative Catalyst Award by Adobe Project 1324 in 2016.
Leyendas Aztecas on San Antonio’s Westside. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Detail of jaguar and coatimundi way on Cylinder Vase with Animal Figures, Belize, AD 650-750, earthenware and mineral paint. Photo: The Mopan Valley Archaeology Project, Bernadette Cap, used with permission.
Nature, Power, and Maya Royals, an exhibition of thirty-four artworks and objects discovered by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) researchers in two royal Maya burials at the ancient city of Buenavista del Cayo, Belize, is now on view at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA). This exhibition is the first time the selection of works will appear for public viewing. This exhibition is an exciting collaboration between UTSA, SAMA, and the Belize Institute of Archaeology. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)
Nature, Power, and Maya Royals: Recent Discoveries from the Site of Buenavista del Cayo,Belizewill be on view through February 27, 2022. It was organized by the San Antonio Museum of Art in collaboration with the Belize National Institute of Culture and History’s Institute of Archaeology and scholars in the University of Texas at San Antonio Department of Anthropology. It is supported by the Gloria Galt Endowment Fund, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and UTSA Maya Archaeology Excellence Endowment. The UTSA excavations that recovered the objects were conducted with the permission of the Belize Institute of Archaeology and funding from the Alphawood Foundation and Termini Endowment for Maya Archaeology.
In 2014 and 2019, a team of UTSA archaeologists led by Jason Yaeger, President’s Endowed Professor of Anthropology at UTSA and Senior Associate Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts found finely painted ceramic vessels that display kings and symbols of authority as well as shell pendants, earrings, and bracelets worn by a king. “The objects in the exhibition are priceless to us and to the government of Belize for what they tell us about the ancient Maya. This show presents a wonderful opportunity to grow connections with institutions across San Antonio and Belize,” Yaeger said.
The discovery is particularly extraordinary because looters had previously trenched the building in which one of the royal burials was located, missing it by just a few inches. Finding the site and objects following the looters’ destructive actions is incredibly lucky and makes the discovery particularly special. “We are delighted to share these beautiful and precious artworks. Visitors will also be able to view images taken during our excavation in Belize. The recovery of the objects such as these from known, well documented locations provides essential information for interpreting similar Maya art held by museums,” said Bernadette Cap, Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Postdoctoral Fellow at SAMA and curator of the exhibition.
The artworks date between AD 450 and 800, a period when Maya kings and queens reigned over large populations and lived in elaborately designed cities. The exhibition highlights how two Maya rulers commissioned artwork that featured commanding iconography to express and legitimate their power. For example, a common theme in rulers’ art was the portrayal of jaguar pelts worn as clothing and used as decorative elements of royal palaces. The Maya admired the jaguar for its strength and skills as an apex predator, and rulers retained exclusive rights over jaguar imagery and products.
One of the most outstanding pieces in the exhibition is a large, elaborately carved pendant made of marine shell. Incised Maya glyphs appear on it and have been deciphered to read, “This is the pendant of Naah Uti’ K’ab, king of Komkom.” The discovery of the pendant confirms that the buried individual is a king. Given the context of recovery, Komkom is likely the original name of the site we now call Buenavista del Cayo. Maya texts at nearby sites state that Komkom had been attacked and conquered in the AD 600s and 700s. The shell pendant dates to around AD 450, however, and thus provides the earliest reference to the site of Komkom.
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.
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a Hispanic Serving University specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic development. With more than 34,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property—for Texas, the nation and the world.
Yesterday the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) announced the acquisition of important historic Chinese artworks, including a gilt openwork crown and a gilt plaque decorated with a standing lion, both from the Liao dynasty (907–1125); a set of jade belt plaques from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and a set of gilt silver hairpins embellished with kingfisher feathers from the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). These new artworks expand SAMA’s stellar collection of Chinese art, which has particular strengths in ceramics from the dawn of Chinese civilization to modern time. The new acquisitions are part of an ongoing effort to enhance under-represented areas within the Museum’s wider Asian art collection such as metal work and jade. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)
“The artworks announced today capture the incredible artistry and skill of Chinese craftsman from across history, while also illuminating the importance of these objects—and the imagery and material they hold—to Chinese culture and society,” said Shawn Yuan, Associate Curator of Asian Art. “We are delighted to enhance the Museum’s Chinese art holdings with these stunning works, which further our ability to share narratives and develop understanding of Chinese material culture through time.”
Crown China, Liao dynasty (907-1125) Gilt bronze H. 11 7/16” Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.1
The magnificent gilt crown is a mortuary item for a noblewoman of the semi-nomadic Khitan people, who lived in today’s northern China and Mongolia in the 11th to 12th century. The domed cap is covered with chased floral scrolls and surmounted by a lotus flower and a now-missing deity. On each of the attached standing “wings,” two glorious phoenixes, with wide spreading wings and long tails, are positioned among scudding clouds. This crown is an example of the luxurious lifestyle of the Khitan elite, who established the powerful Liao dynasty and controlled an enormous landmass bordering Korea to the east and central Asia to the west. Acquiring this crown helps the Museum to present a more complete image of the rich Liao dynasty material culture, along with the Museum’s expansive collection of Liao ceramics.
Plaque with a Standing Lion China, Liao dynasty (907-1125) Gilt bronze L. 8 3/8” W. 4 7/8” Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.2
The gilt bronze plaque decorated with a standing lion is an example of the impressive craftsmanship of the Liao dynasty. The energetic lion, hammered in low relief, stands on his left hind leg while thrusting the other forward. The lion’s broad chest rises, and his massive head turns backward as his flamboyant mane sweeps upward. Under the bushy eyebrows, the lion’s eyes focus intensely on a flaming pearl. The imagery has a Buddhist origin: the lion guards the Buddha’s teaching while the flaming pearl represents the Buddha’s wisdom. The images of a lion with protective power are rarely seen on other Liao works in the Museum’s collection.
Belt Plaques China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644) Jade Elongated tab: 3.5”x1.4”; rectangular: 3.1”x1.4”, 2.2”x1.4”, 1.4”x0.7”; tear-drop: 1.4”x1.3” Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.3.a-r
The set of eighteen jade plaques is the first important jade work to enter the Chinese collection. Jade has been China’s most valued gemstone since the dawn of its civilization. These plaques were once attached to belts worn by noblemen. The rectangular plaques are carved in high relief with lively scenes of male figures teasing frolicking lions with ribbons—an auspicious subject with a long history in Chinese art. The hardness of jade is second only to that of diamonds. The delicate carvings on these plaques present the impressive craftsmanship of the jade carver.
Hairpins China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) Silver and kingfisher feather 5 ¾” to 5 ¼”x3 ¼” by 3 1/8” Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.4.a-c
The set of three gilt silver hair pins is an exciting addition to SAMA’s collection of Chinese dragon robes, embroidered brocade, shoes, and jewelry—all items from the wardrobes of upper-class families. All three hairpins are inlaid with kingfisher feathers, whose colors are as brilliant as azurite, lapis, cobalt, and turquoise. They were iridescent under the sunlight, creating a dazzling visual effect. Kingfisher feathers were a luxury material used on hair ornaments and crowns for thousands of years. The dominant image on each hairpin is a stylized bat with foliate wings outlined in thin silver. Bats are considered auspicious because the word bat is pronounced the same as luck and blessing.
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.
Plaque with a Standing Lion China, Liao dynasty (907-1125) Gilt Bronze L. 8 3/8″ W. 4 7/8″ Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.2 Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Blue Star Contemporary presents the work of Doerte Weber, Joanna Keane Lopez, and Terran Last Gun. Photo: google
Blue Star Contemporary (BSC), San Antonio’s first and longest-running contemporary art nonprofit, announces the opening of three new summer 2021 exhibitions, opening to the public on Thursday July 1, 2021. The solo exhibitions feature the work of Doerte Weber, Joanna Keane Lopez, and Terran Last Gun. (Blue Star Contemporary, 2021)
Doerte Weber presents Shed, a collection of weavings reflecting on COVID-19, everyday life during the pandemic, and climate issues. Joanna Keane Lopez is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blurs boundaries between contemporary sculpture and architecture through the medium of adobe mud. Her BSC presentation will include a newly commissioned sculptural work. Terran Last Gun presents an exhibition of ledger drawings, a form which rose to prominence among Native American artists in the mid-1800s and continues today.
In her work, Doerte Weber reflects on the emotions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic as she worked on more than 45 handwoven towels. As Weber worked on the loom, she experimented with patterns, colors, designs, and inscriptions. The resulting work is a direct reflection on the feelings of frustration, worry, and acceptance.
Joanna Keane Lopez is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blurs the boundaries between contemporary sculpture and architecture through the medium of adobe mud. By working with materials of adobe architecture, earthen plaster, and alíz (a clay slip paint) her work addresses sculpture’s relationship with land. Through the passing down of knowledge of the vernacular architecture techniques of the greater Southwest, Joanna creates work that seeks healing and reparation of fragmentation towards land, home, family, and community that is connected to her own multi-generational roots in New Mexico.
Terran LastGun creates a visual interpretation of nature, the cosmos, cultural narratives, and recollections in reduced geometric aesthetics and vibrant energetic color harmonies. Often referencing Piikani painted lodges and visual iconographic vocabulary, his work explores the varying relationships between color, shape, nature, and sky. Piikani or Blackfoot painted lodges are visual masterpieces of the Great Plains and are pre-European invasion classic art. Through various art making approaches, Terran Last Gun seeks to connect the ancient to the contemporary while creating visual color stimulation. His presentation at BSC, features ledger drawings which explore and visually dissect the three visual tiers of most Piikani painted lodges with a focus on the top and bottom zones, and the various narratives that accompany them and make connections to the land and sky.
For the first time at Blue Star contemporary, the exhibitions are accompanied by an interactive app featuring in-depth exploration through gallery texts, visitor prompts, and information aimed at giving visitors a broader context to engage with the works of art. The newly launched app is free to download and available at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
“Last month, we saw great energy and excitement in our galleries as people enjoy their new freedom and venture off to see art in person. This app has allowed our visitors to have an enhanced on-site experience, but it has also allowed them to spend more time with the exhibition content once they are back home and take time to reflect on the work they saw.”
Mary Heathcott, Executive Director
All BSC’s summer exhibitions will be on view through September 5, 2021. Terran Last Gun’s exhibition was made possible in part by First Peoples Fund. Blue Star Contemporary’s exhibitions are supported in part by the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Blue Star Contemporary (BSC) is the first and longest-running nonprofit space for contemporary art in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by artists and grown from a grassroots art exhibition in 1986, BSC arose from the need to provide a platform for the work and ideas of contemporary artists. As an artist-centric, educational, forward-thinking, inclusive institution that strives to exceed expectations, BSC welcomes 30,000 residents and cultural tourists each year to experience contemporary art through its exhibitions, public art projects, and education programs. In 2016, BSC became the first San Antonio arts organization to be W.A.G.E.-certified, solidifying its commitment to fair compensation of artists and creative professionals.
Blue Star Contemporary is collaborating with Darmstädter Sezession to support the global contemporary art community and strengthen ties between San Antonio and Darmstadt, Germany. Photo: google
Blue Star Contemporary (BSC) is delighted to announce its partnership with The Darmstädter Sezession (das), one of the oldest artist associations in Germany, for its 2021 Prize for Young Artists. Founded in 1919, The Darmstädter Sezession of Darmstadt, Germany is an organization whose promotion of young artists is an integral part of its activities. Every year, the artist association awards an outstanding young contemporary artist recipient as part of an open competition and exhibits their work. Projection/Projektion, this year’s program, will be presented in partnership with Blue Star Contemporary and includes video exhibition screenings in both cities and three monetary prizes. For the 2021 award, both organizations invite video artists to submit works for consideration. (Blue Star Contemporary, 2021)
San Antonio and Darmstadt have been sister cities since 2017. As an extension of their Sister Cities International partnership, BSC and das are excited to collaborate on this competition supporting the work of international contemporary artists. Like BSC, the das has a long-standing history of supporting artists, and particularly of promoting the careers of emerging artists.
The title Projection/Projektion refers not only to this year’s presentation format of video works, but also to the nature of the collaboration and the general need to develop new visions of the future. Projections, whether understood artistically, economically, politically, or psychologically, always have something to do with expectations. They can be a means of exploring paths into the near future and are thus an important tool in the navigation of societies.
This year’s awards are divided into three categories: Projection San Antonio, Projektion Darmstadt, and the Carlo-Mierendorff-Prize:
Projection San Antonio Blue Star Contemporary’s call for artist entries invites San Antonio-based artists who work with the camera. Applicants are invited to submit up to one video work of no more than 10 minutes in length through the online open call. A selection of up to 12 works will be chosen for the shortlist by a jury of curatorial professionals and screened at multiple sites in San Antonio. The shortlist works will be screened alongside audiovisual works by Darmstädter Sezession members and the Projection/Projektion Darmstadt winner. The San Antonio open air screenings will be presented in partnership with the City of San Antonio World Heritage Office during the 6th annual World Heritage Festival and are scheduled for presentation at the historic Mission Marquee Plaza on Wednesday, September 8 and Thursday, September 9. From this selection, a San Antonio artist will be chosen as the winner of the Projection San Antonio prize and will receive $6,000 USD. The prize-winning and shortlisted films will be presented as part of the open-air cinema in Darmstadt.
The Projection/Projektion San Antonio screenings and award are made possible by the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture and Office of Global Engagement. Information on the screenings is available online.
Projektion Darmstadt Each year, the Darmstädter Sezession hosts a competition for contemporary artists. This year, for the first time, the Darmstädter Sezession’s call for artist entries exclusively invites young artists who work with the camera. Open to all artists everywhere born after January 1, 1981, applicants are invited to submit up to one video work of no more than 10 minutes in length through their online platform. A selection of up to 12 works will be presented during a two-week open-air screening in Darmstadt. From this selection, a jury will choose the winner. The winner of the category Projektion Darmstadt will receive 5000€. The winning work will be shown alongside a selection of video works by members of the Darmstädter Sezession at screenings in San Antonio.
Carlo-Mierendorff-Prize For the first time, the Darmstädter Sezession will offer a prize for people who reflect on art through language. Whether this reflection takes place in writing, in the form of a podcast, or as a video contribution on the Internet is completely open. The Darmstädter Sezession seeks people who offer new approaches and perspectives on contemporary art. The competition is open to all applicants born after January 1, 1981, regardless of their nationality or place of residence. However, submissions must be in German or include a German translation. The call is directed at all persons who regularly publish texts, audio contributions, or videos about art. The winner will be selected by a jury of experts and will receive 1500€. The prize money includes the assignment to write an article about the winning artwork from Projektion Darmstadt.
Contributions for all categories can be submitted via the online CuratorSpace platform. Only applications that have been submitted completely and on time via this platform will be admitted to the competition. Information about how and what to submit can be found online.
The open calls are live now through July 16, 2021. Shortlists will be announced on August 16, 2021.
“After several months of facing a world-wide health crisis and the resulting isolation between nations, we could not be more proud to participate in a program that supports artists and reminds us we are still part of a global arts community. It’s truly special to find an organization whose values and goals align with ours, especially when it’s on the other side of the world and in one of San Antonio’s sister cities.”
Mary Heathcott, Executive Director of Blue Star Contemporary
Blue Star Contemporary (BSC) is the first and longest-running nonprofit space for contemporary art in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by artists and grown from a grassroots art exhibition in 1986, BSC arose from the need to provide a platform for the work and ideas of contemporary artists. As an artist-centric, educational, forward-thinking, inclusive institution that strives to exceed expectations, BSC welcomes 30,000 residents and cultural tourists each year to experience contemporary art through its exhibitions, public art projects, and education programs. In 2016, BSC became the first San Antonio arts organization to be W.A.G.E.-certified, solidifying its commitment to fair compensation of artists and creative professionals.
Jenelle Esparza, Continent. Photo: Jenelle Esparza, used with permission.
The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) announced yesterday that it has acquired eight artworks by seven San Antonio-based artists, including Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Jenelle Esparza, Joe Harjo, Jon Lee, Ethel Shipton, Chris Sauter, and Liz Ward. The acquisitions are part of the Museum’s Initiative to Acquire Art by Contemporary San Antonio Artists, which was developed to enhance the Museum’s commitment to support the city’s visual artists by acquiring works for its collection. The artists were chosen with the support of an Advisory Committee comprised of San Antonio-based visual artists, professors, collectors, arts leaders, and Museum staff and Trustees, who have also made recommendations for additional artists whose work could be purchased in the future. The Committee was Co-Chaired by SAMA Trustees Katherine Moore McAllen, PhD, and Dacia Napier, MD. All of the artworks, which include textiles, painting, photography, prints, and sculpture, mark first entries by the artists to SAMA’s collection. The new acquisitions are scheduled to go on view at the Museum in late fall, with more details about the presentation to follow. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)
Over the past several years, as part of its vision to diversify its collection and best represent its community, SAMA has placed a particular emphasis on acquiring works by artists from San Antonio as well as from across Texas. Recent acquisition announcements have included works by Texas-based artists Ana Fernandez, Kirk Hayes, Earlie Hudnall Jr., Michael Menchaca, Marcelyn McNeil, Daniel Rios Rodriguez, and Liz Trosper. In 2020, SAMA also presented Texas Women: A New History of Abstract Art, which focused on women artists from across the state that have and continue to contribute to the development of abstract art—a subject that previously had not been explored in depth. Artist Liz Ward, whose acquisition was announced today, was among the artists featured in the exhibition.
More details on each of the artist and artworks below:
Jennifer Ling Datchuk (American, born 1980) Enter the Dragon, 2020 Porcelain, ceramic decals from Jingdezhen, China, wood, gold mirrors 65 × 16 × 5 in. (165.1 × 40.6 × 12.7 cm) San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.2
Trained as a ceramicist, Jennifer Ling Datchuk’s practice is grounded in explorations of identity, beauty, and femininity—drawing from her own experience as an Asian American woman. Utilizing found and handmade ceramics and porcelain motifs in her sculptures, installations, performances, and photographs, Datchuk calls attention to both historic and contemporary cultural appropriation, while also blurring the boundaries between craft and fine art. Datchuk was named 2021 Texas State Three-Dimensional Artist by the Texas State Legislature.
Jenelle Esparza (American, born 1985) Continent, 2017 72 × 100 in. (182.9 × 254 cm) Handmade quilt, recycled fabric and clothing, embroidered blocks, batting, cotton blends San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Zoe A. Diaz, 2021.8
Jenelle Esparza’s multidisciplinary practice examines the connections between agriculture, gender, race, and bodily experience. Through photography, textiles, and installations, Esparza uncovers the history of cotton farming in South Texas and its principally Mexican American labor force.
Joe Harjo (Muscogee Creek, born 1973) The Only Certain Way: Faith, 2019 24 Pendleton beach towels, 24 custom memorial flag cases 78 × 104 × 4 in. (198.1 × 264.2 × 10.2 cm) San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.3
Joe Harjo is a multidisciplinary artist from the Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma. His practice redresses the historic erasure of Native American art, culture, and people. Through photography, sculpture, performance, and installation, Harjo explores Native American identity, debunks stereotypes and myths surrounding Indigenous People, and asserts the vibrant, contemporary presence of Native communities.
Jon Lee (American, born South Korea, 1968) O1701, 2017 and O1702, 2017 Woodcut 17 × 12 in. (43.2 × 30.5 cm), each San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.4.1-2
Jon Lee’s woodcuts explore the poetic subtleties of color and line, reinventing traditional printmaking processes and materials. Born in Seoul, he draws on his native Korea’s rich and long history of printmaking, which includes the implementation of moveable type predating Gutenberg’s fifteenth-century printing press. For over ten years, his practice has focused on a traditional Japanese woodcut technique called mokuhanga that he honed during residencies at the Mokuhanga Innovation Lab in Japan, where O1701 and O1702 were printed.
Chris Sauter (American, born 1971) Shape of the Universe, Kandariya Mahadeva, 2013 Cut acrylic mounted photography, Sintra 60 × 30 in. (152.4 × 76.2 cm) San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.5
Chris Sauter is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores connections between biology and culture, science and religion, the personal and the universal, and the past and the present. He often deconstructs materials in order to reconstruct them in new ways that challenge viewers’ perceptions.
Ethel Shipton (American, born 1963) The Valley – RGV, 2021 Archival digital prints on Hahnemühle German Etching Matte paper Series of 6 prints, Edition 1/8 24 × 36 in. (61 × 91.4 cm), each San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.6.a-f
Ethel Shipton is a conceptual artist, who works across painting, installation, printmaking, photography, and text. She grew up in Laredo, TX, and her experience of a fluid US-Mexico border informs her practice, which focuses in particular on place, space, language, time, and movement. Her focus on signage observed along Texas roadways is an ongoing body of photo-based works on paper that began in 2014.
Liz Ward (American, born 1959) Ghosts of the Old Mississippi: Dismal Swamp/Northern Lights, 2015 Watercolor, gesso, silverpoint, pastel, and collage on paper 71 5/8 × 31 7/8 in. (181.9 × 81 cm) San Antonio Museum of Art, Purchased with The Brown Foundation Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund and funds provided by Dr. Katherine Moore McAllen, Dr. Dacia Napier, Edward E. (Sonny) Collins III, and The Sheerin Family, 2021.7
Liz Ward’s practice—which includes paintings, drawings, and prints—is informed by natural history and our current environmental crisis. Ghosts of the Old Mississippi, a series of fifteen large-scale drawings, is based on maps of the ancient courses of the Mississippi River and reflects on society’s relationship to the environment.
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.
New cocktails at the Hopscotch Lounge: the Fiesta Frozen and the Pride Paloma. Photo: Hopscotch, used with permission.
Hopscotch, the new immersive art gallery in downtown San Antonio, is excited to announce a variety of programming, specials, and more for the month of June including new drinks and events for a cause. The gallery will also be opening its interactive LED ball pit for guests to enjoy later this month. See below for more information on what to expect from Hopscotch in June. (Hopscotch, 2021)
Hopscotch’s June 2021 offerings include:
New Cocktails at the Hopscotch Lounge In celebration of Fiesta’s return to San Antonio and Pride Month, Hopscotch is introducing two new cocktails to its bar menu during the month of June. The Fiesta Frozen, Hopscotch’s take on the beloved Mangonada, will be available for guests to enjoy while they partake in the festivities, while the Pride Paloma, with a rainbow gummy bear garnish, celebrates Pride Month. Portions of the proceeds for both specialty cocktails will be donated to Pride Center San Antonio. Both cocktails retail for $12.
Hopscotch Live Sundays – Live Music on the Patio every Sunday Guests can visit Hopscotch to hear various live music acts each weekend such as the musical stylings of Jose Amador, Denise Ramirez, Brass Tacs, and more. Visitors to Hopscotch can listen to Latin Jazz and other local favorites on the Hopscotch patio while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying food from the Backwoods BBQ & Tacos food truck and fan favorite ChipKabobs. There is no cover charge to attend. Jose will be performing at Hopscotch on the following dates: • Sunday, June 13, 2021- Jose Amador & TERRA NOVA • Sunday, June 20, 2021 – Brass Tacs Father’s Day Set • Sunday, June 27th, 2021 – Denise Ramirez Pride Set
Movies by Moonlight in Travis Park – Tuesday, June 15 Pre-Movie Happy Hour at Hopscotch from 5p.m. to 9p.m. After a COVID hiatus last year, Movies by Moonlight return to Travis Park. These free family-friendly films screen every Tuesday in June and July. Downtown Tuesday parking is free in COSA facilities (parking map) and food trucks will be onsite. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets.
Hopscotch is teaming up with Tito’s Handmade Vodka to provide a lively happy hour atmosphere in the Hopscotch Lounge for guests before they watch their favorite movies. Guests can be on the lookout for fun spiked and nonalcoholic drink specials, sno-cones, popcorn, live music, and more.
June: 15 – The Sandlot 22 – Onward 29 – SING (Sing Along)
July: 6 – Aquaman 13 – The Goonies 20 – Raya and the Last Dragon 27 – Moana (Sing Along)
The Future is Freedom – Thursday, June 17 at 6:30p.m. Black Freedom Factory is hosting a Juneteenth celebration at Hopscotch that recognizes the organizations that help build avenues toward freedom. The event will feature food and drinks from Tony G’s Soul Food Restaurant and Chef Robbie Rodgers, as well as live music and more. All proceeds from the event will help fund The Texas Heat Wave Project & Corazon San Antonio.
Ball Pit Opening – Friday, June 18 Hopscotch will officially open its crowd-favorite LED ball pit starting Friday, June 18. Guests to the gallery can embrace their inner child by wading through the giant ball pit while enjoying the constantly changing colors. The ball pit is one of a few installations that were a part of the original Hopscotch popup in Austin in 2019.
Parents Rock! – Sundays in June 2021 In celebration of Father’s Day (June 20), Hopscotch is recognizing parents for all their hard work. Dads and moms can use the code PARENTSROCK at checkout to receive 20% off their ticket order for the gallery every Sunday in June. Parents can also enjoy live music from Brass Tacs, complimentary Pop Rocks candy and drink specials on June 20. The 20% off tickets offer is valid on Sundays in June of 2021 only.
Saint City Supper Club – Awkward Prom 2 – Thursday, June 24 at 7p.m. Hopscotch is partnering with Saint City Supper Club to host Awkward Prom 2 at the gallery, which will feature dancing, drinks, and food from Chef Mark Garcia. The event is an opportunity to relive prom as an adult while benefiting the Saint City Culinary Foundation, an organization that provides support to people working in the culinary industry. Tickets to the event are $50 per person and can be purchased here.
Third Eye Awakening – Every 4th Saturday in May – August at 8:30a.m. Guests are invited to make their way down the Hopscotch rabbit hole and unroll their mat in a consciously curated yoga and art experience designed to awaken the mind and body while inspiring the soul with the immersive masterpieces at the gallery. Inspired by the mural Conscious by local artist Los Otros, the yoga class led by Mobile Om will interweave breath, mindful movement, and meditation into a holistic experience aimed to unlock guests’ connections to their third eye consciousness, the home of their intuition and imagination. After a blissful savasana, guests can awaken their taste buds with a refreshing Rabbit Hole Rita to sip while they enjoy exclusive access to browse the Hopscotch gallery. Mobile Om Yoga will set up at Hopscotch every fourth Saturday over the summer. The yoga sessions begin at 8:30a.m. and space is limited. Guests are required to bring their own mats. Dates for Third Eye Awakening include: • Saturday, June 26, 2021 – Pride Edition • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Saturday, August 28, 2021
Tickets for Third Eye Awakening are $45 and are available online.
Hopscotch is an immersive and experiential brand that brings together artists in collaborative environments to create distinctive shared experiences. Co-founded by entrepreneurs Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman, Hopscotch provides distinct experiences through the curation of local-centric, immersive, and experiential art. Hopscotch creates platforms for local, national, and international artists to experiment with a wide spectrum of mediums and technology. Hopscotch’s aim is to elicit a sense of joy and wonder in the curated spaces, where guests may explore beyond their day to day reality. Hopscotch strongly believes in cultivating lasting relationships and a synergy with artists and their communities.
SAY Sí will offer an online film series with a Q&A and a writing workshop. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
SAY Sí is thrilled to announce their LGBTQ+ Pride Month Event Series, “Youth Voice, Youth Pride,” that will take place this June. The local nonprofit is committed to supporting and amplifying the voices of young artists and also recognizes the importance of highlighting the voices of the LGBTQ+ community. “Youth Voice, Youth Pride ” will feature an online film series and discussion, as well as a writing workshop. Both will be held virtually later this month. (SAY Sí,2021)
The online film series will be held on Tuesday, June 22 via Zoom, with a live discussion to follow that will be streamed live on SAY Sí’s Facebook and YouTube channels. The film series will feature three LGBTQ+ youth films created by SAY Sí alumni Carlo Rodriguez, Alejandro Peña and Yoomi Park. Links to the films will be provided to participants to watch before the livestreamed Q&A with the filmmakers at 6p.m. that evening. Students will have the opportunity to ask SAY Sí alumni questions about their roles in the film industry, the inspiration behind their films and their experiences with the LGBTQ+ community. Summaries of each film can be found below. To register for the event, visit SAY Sí online.
Featured films include:
PEDAZOS – Alejandro Peña
After a garish and violent ceremony, two lovers are thrown into a mysterious cave inhabited by flying creatures. A reflection on the beautifully loud dress of the ancients, a meltdown of repressed romance and a hyper vision of a fantastical world. PEDAZOS is a series of technical video-art experiments strung together by a narrative about restrained, intimate feelings between two friends.
Skye – Yoomi Park
Skye is a semi-autobiographical short film about a young teenage girl who starts to question her sexual orientation after yet another break up with a boy. The film follows Skye as she talks things out with her friends, has discussions with her church youth group, and even as she comes out to her mom through an email. The biggest hurdle for Skye is if and how she will ever tell her best friend that she is gay, and whether or not she is ready for her reaction, good or bad.
Ty – Carlo Rodriguez
Ty was being homeschooled by Claudia when he was diagnosed with Asperger’s. Although hesitant, she was persuaded to let him experience his last year of high school. On Ty’s first day, he experiences ableist comments from both staff and classmates. However, Austin, a classmate, befriends him. As weeks pass, Ty and Austin become good friends, to the point where Austin invites Ty over, and kisses him. Unable to process this, Ty stays home for a couple of weeks to sort out his emotions. After a needed conversation with Claudia, he returns to school.
On Tuesday, June 29 from 6p.m. to 8p.m., SAY Sí will present a virtual writing workshop, “Documenting Joy,” with acclaimed poet and public speaker Yosimar Reyes. Open to high school and college students 14-22 years of age, the two-hour virtual workshop will give participants an opportunity to take inventory of the rich cultures they come from and build narratives of strength. The goal is to honor the powerful legacies everyone comes from and envision futures in which each individual and collective thrives. Registration is required to participate and can be done online.
Yosimar Reyes is a nationally-acclaimed poet and public speaker. Born in Guerrero, Mexico and raised in Eastside San Jose, Reyes explores the themes of migration and sexuality in his work. Reyes was named one of “13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World” by The Advocate and Remezcla previously included Reyes on their list of “10 Up And Coming Latinx Poets You Need To Know.” His first collection of poetry, For Colored Boys Who Speak Softly…, was self-published after a collaboration with the legendary Carlos Santana
“As a young queer person growing up in San Antonio, I desperately searched for community spaces that accepted me. Now, as a leader at SAY Sí, I am able to contribute to a community that welcomes and empowers all marginalized groups, including our LGBTQ+ community. It’s important for us to amplify voices that have historically been silenced and celebrate creative youth exploring their identities. We invite the community to join us in celebrating LGBTQ+ youth voices who can show us how to be a more inclusive and equitable society.” – Stephen Garza-Guzman, SAY Sí Co-Executive Director
Alejandro Peña is an LA-based experimental artist. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, he first began making short films at the age of 17. Ranging from handmade animation to special effects, his short films mix acting with distorted narrative structures and vibrant, fever-dream textures and colors. His body of film work from 2012 to 2016 includes a music video and four short films, two of which screened at festivals around the world. Currently, Alejandro is primarily a painter and photographer, hoping to start making short films again.
After graduating from Texas with degrees in Radio-Television-Film and Sport Management, Yoomi Park worked as a set PA for a few years before moving to NYC, then worked at Instagram in content and policy review. They serendipitously landed at HBO’s Creative Services department as an editing PA in 2019, contributing to campaigns for shows such as Westworld, Room 104, Legendary, and the upcoming reboot of Gossip Girl. At WarnerMedia, Yoomi continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ employees and other marginalized groups in the workplace while also focusing on connecting fellow creatives to each other to continue telling new and personal stories.
Say Si Alumni, Carlo Antonio Rodriguez, was born in San Antonio, Texas. Carlo’s art focuses on how personal experiences influence human connection. He utilizes his own experiences as a gay man to portray the obstacles that prevented him from making human connections with others. He hopes that anyone who encounters his work will reflect and break down any borders that they placed around themselves. Carlo believes that once people rid themselves completely of these borders, it would allow them to establish deep, strong, and powerful connections with others and themselves, allowing the world to become a more unified and accepting place.
Founded in 1994, SAY Sí is a national award-winning, art-based nonprofit youth development program located in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the organization is to provide San Antonio area students in grades 6-12 with the opportunity to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and career building. SAY Sí programs serve over 200 students from all of San Antonio’s school districts – in addition to serving 4,000 youth in community programs. SAY Sí’s unique approach to education has placed the organization on the national stage, with recognition as one of the top out-of-school-time organizations in the country by The Wallace Foundation, as well as serving as one of seven international youth arts organizations chosen to receive an inaugural Creative Catalyst Award by Adobe Project 1324 in 2016.
SAY Sí will be providing the community with free art supplies. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
With the start of summer upon us, SAY Sí has once again partnered with Alamo Colleges District to provide community members with free art supplies for kids. Free art supply bags will be available for curbside pickup for parents with elementary- and middle school-aged children on a first come, first served basis while supplies last; limit two kits per car. Those interested in receiving an art supply bag can complete the interest form online. (SAY Sí, 2021)
Kits will be available for pickup this Friday, June 4 from 10a.m. to 1p.m. at the ACD District Support Operations building, located at 2222 N. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX, 78215.
Founded in 1994, SAY Sí is a national award-winning, art-based nonprofit youth development program located in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the organization is to provide San Antonio area students in grades 6-12 with the opportunity to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and career building. SAY Sí programs serve over 200 students from all of San Antonio’s school districts – in addition to serving 4,000 youth in community programs. SAY Sí’s unique approach to education has placed the organization on the national stage, with recognition as one of the top out-of-school-time organizations in the country by The Wallace Foundation, as well as serving as one of seven international youth arts organizations chosen to receive an inaugural Creative Catalyst Award by Adobe Project 1324 in 2016.
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