Tag: Art News

Actions for the Earth opens at Contemporary at Blue Star

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.

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Night of Artists showcases the best of today’s western art

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.