Category: Museum News

‘Behind the Screen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas’ at the McNay

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‘Behind the Screen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas’ opens at the McNay Art Museum on Thursday September 28 and will be on display through Sunday December 31, 2017. Photo: McNay Art Museum, used with permission.

This week the McNay Art Museum is unveiling an exhibit that is both scary and heartwarming. Behind the Screen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas returns to the McNay for the first time since 2013 and features puppets and set pieces filmed for the 1993 cult classic stop-animation movie that has delighted generations of Halloween and Christmas fans around the world. It will be on display in the main Theatre Arts gallery and the puppets and pieces will be staged more theatrically to help take visitors on a journey. The exhibit opens on Thursday September 28 and will be on display through Sunday December 31. (McNay Art Museum, 2017)

San Antonio native Robert LB Tobin acquired the pieces from a Southeby’s auction in New York City two months after the movie opened in theaters. The movie tells the story of Jack Skellington, King of Halloween Town and his heartfelt yet misguided attempt to take the place of Santa Claus in Christmas Town. It became a surprise hit and has evolved into a holiday movie-watching tradition from Halloween through New Year’s Day. The exhibit will give visitors a rare opportunity to discover how camera crews shot 24 stills for each second of film. The trick-or-treating Lock, Shock, and Barrel have removable heads for different expressions. Holes in the Clubhouse floor indicate the positions of the bathtub that carries the three on a mission to kidnap “Sandy Claws.” Puppets of Jack Skellington, his faithful ghost dog Zero, and his Halloween Town rival Oogie Boogie also are among the collection.

Two other McNay exhibitions with similar themes complement this exhibit. One is Stage Frights, Madness, Monsters, Mayhem which will be on display from Thursday September 28 through Sunday December 31 and features scene and costume designs for plays, operas, and ballets by writers and composers from Shakespeare to Lorca to Anne Rice’s adaptations and from Wagner to Stravinsky to Scott Joplin. Drawing on diverse folklore traditions and popular-culture forms, scene and costume designs entice both adults and children to explore the dark side of their imaginations and the world. The other consists of two large murals by renowned muralist and Blue Star Contemporary’s Artist-in-Residence Alex Rubio with a Dia de los Muertos theme.

McNay Art Museum
6000 N New Braunfels Ave
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 824-5368

New James Bowie exhibition at The Alamo

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Ribbon cutting ceremony at the new James Bowie exhibition at The Alamo.  Photo: Sandra Cruz

Sunday March 26 was the official opening of ‘James Bowie: Man, Knife, Legend,’ the new exhibition hall at The Alamo. This new exhibition presents the life of the legendary Alamo defender and his famous knife. The ribbon cutting ceremony consisted of speeches by Bryan Preston, Dr Bruce Winders and others and after welcoming visitors to the grounds the ribbon was cut and it was officially opened to the public. This impressive exhibition includes displays of the various Bowie knives and their history. Visitors can learn more through translucent video touch screen technology that includes interactive video and text.

James Bowie was born in Kentucky and played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He is a legendary figure in Texas history and a folk hero of American culture. His transformation from normal citizen to a legend began ten years before his death at the Alamo. The legendary knife has deep roots throughout American history and culture throughout the years. Guests are able to learn about Bowie’s story and the history of the iconic knives that bear his family name. They can also learn about the frontier blacksmithing process and discover the many ways that the Bowie knife has appeared in contemporary culture, including movies. This exhibit is now part of the Alamo experience and is free and open to the public.

The Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 225-139

Free admission to San Antonio Museum of Art for Spring Break

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The San Antonio Museum of Art is offering free general admission on Tuesday March 14, 2017.  Photo: google

Spring break is coming up soon and the San Antonio Museum of Art is making it easy for families to spend time together. On Tuesday March 14 from 10a.m. to 9p.m. the Museum is having free general admission with planned fun activities throughout the day. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2017)

Guests will be able to take part in Pattern Palooza, a festival of art activities with painting, drawing and collage from noon to 4p.m. Children can spin records and learn more about digital music with the AM Project Bass Bus, an arts and digital program for children. At 5:30p.m. there will be a guided tour of the exhibition Of Country and Culture: The Lam Collection of Contemporary Aboriginal Art where visitors can learn more about Aboriginal people’s culture and art. There is a $10 surcharge for adults 18 years and up to see this exhibition. Local artist Terry Ybanez will be in the Museum galleries from 6p.m. to 8p.m. and guests will be able to join in the fun and sketch along with him for $10. To finish off the day there will be a sundown screening of Rabbit-Proof Fence (PG), a 2002 Australian drama film about the Stolen Generation. Throughout the day guests will be able to enjoy food from on-site food trucks including Cajun specialties from Cajun on da Geaux, tacos from Hot Burras and festival food from Drake’s Fun Food Truck.

San Antonio Museum of Art
200 W Jones Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 978-8100

Of Country and Culture exhibit at San Antonio Museum of Art

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Of Country and Culture: The Lam Collection of Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art exhibit opens Friday February 24 at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

This Friday February 24 the San Antonio Museum of Art will open its newest exhibit to the public. Titled Of Country and Culture: The Lam Collection of Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art this exhibit comes from a collection gifted to the Museum by longtime supporters May and Victor Lam. It is generously supported by the Robert J Kleberg, Jr and Helen C Kleberg Foundation, the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation and May and Victor Lam and will be on view through May 14, 2017. There is a $10 surcharge for this exhibit. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2017)

Of Country and Culture includes approximately 75 works on view and it explores the contemporary application of Aboriginal artistic traditions. It features everything from sand paintings to body paintings and grave poles used as a way to connect cultural ties to land, heritage and visual communication. The Aboriginal people have inhabited Australia for thousands of years and are one of the earliest civilizations. Art has always played a significant role in their culture with the oldest surviving examples of Aboriginal art being  cave paintings and rock engravings that are 40,000 years old. They predate the cave paintings at Lascaux in present-day France and Altamira in present day Spain. The Lams’ enthusiasm for contemporary Aboriginal art began when they visited the Spirit Country exhibit at the Museum in 2000. Inspired by the works, May Lam and her daughter Dorothy traveled to Australia and during their trip they collected an impressive representation of contemporary indigenous art that ranges from the mid-1990s to 2007.

San Antonio Museum of Art
200 West Jones Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 978-8100

30th Annual Asian Festival

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The 30th Annual Asian Festival takes place this Saturday February 4 at the Institute of Texan Cultures. Photo: google

Saturday January 28 was the Chinese New Year and The Institute of Texan Cultures is celebrating the year of the rooster with the 30th Annual Asian Festival on Saturday February 4, 2017 from 10a.m. to 5p.m. This festival not only celebrates the New Year but it also honors the many Asian cultures who call Texas home. It began as a small family gathering to celebrate the Chinese New Year and has since grown into a city wide celebration that includes other Asian communities as they get together to share their unique culture and traditions. Advance tickets are available online and at The Institute of Texan Cultures store for $8 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets will also be available at the gate.

The festival usually starts with a Lion Dance to greet the Chinese New Year and chase away evil spirits. This family friendly event includes music, food and cultural performances to create a fun, multi-cultural celebration. Authentic Asian American food vendors will offer food from Japan, Korea, Laos and others and guests will be able to enjoy traditional Asian dance and musical performances on three different stages. There will be demonstrations of martial arts, henna painting, palm readings and cooking as well as vendors selling crafts including dolls, artwork, clothing and other gifts.

The Institute of Texan Cultures
801 E Cesar E Chavez Blvd
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 458-2300