Looking Back at 2014, a couple of things stood out in Texas art:
2014 was the year of Texas Modernism, or, rather, another year of Texas Modernism, in which the semi-recent history of Texas art and artists was further canonized with the publication of Katie Robinson Edwards’ Midcentury Modern Art in Texas and several exhibitions, including George Grammer at the Old Jail Art Center in Albany.
2014 saw an uptick in the alternative-to-the-alternative art scene. In 2014 Glasstire’s listings editors were kept on their toes by a steady stream of fly-by-night events in all kinds of underutilized buildings and spaces organized by Texas artists. DB14, VBB, Alabama Song, Suplex, Deep Ellum Windows, The Black Guys, and others supplied alterna-action to the Texas art scene last year.
Temporary public art in Houston surged forward last year with Art League Houston and Gus Kopriva of Redbud Gallery’s True North exhibition pioneering new, more flexible ways of inserting art into the Houston landscape. Sparked by Patrick Renner’s 2013 Funnel Tunnel (still up at the end of 2014!), the Art League’s Art on The Esplanade project may have opened a door to grassroots public art.
The Glasstire crew all had different picks for important shows of 2014:
Bill Davenport enjoyed seeing some instututional retrospectives for Texas artists like Trenton Doyle Hancock at CAMH, Michael Sieben at UT Austin, and Chris Sauter‘s multi-venue anthology in San Antionio, and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s triple threat show of emerging local artists.
It was the Amarillo Ramp’s 40th anniversary, with a commemorative exhibitions at the DMA, and a conservation project in Amarillo.
Both Rainey and Bill hated Richard Phillips’ show at the Dallas Contemporary last year, but Rainey hated hated it, Bill loved hating it. We both agreed it was vile, which is different from bad. (just watch the video!)
Christina Rees wasn’t a fan either, as you might have read here earlier this year. And though she was too hoarse with bronchitis to make an appearance on video this week, she phoned in her 2014 picks:
“DB14 in a warehouse in Trinity Groves in April. 23 artists. My favorite single artwork in Dallas this year was probably Darryl Lauster‘s disco ball in that show. I also really liked Greg Ruppe‘s contribution to Deep Ellum Windows. I really did love Draftsmen of the Apocalypse. I liked Margaret Meehan’s golems a lot, too. They were great. I enjoyed many things in the Urban Theater show, especially the Longos and the Kenny Scharf room. I loved the Dog and Cat show at the Blanton in Austin and the Hubbard and Birchler series in Marfa.”
Glasstire itself passed a few milestones: we were fortunate enought to add Christina Rees as Senior Texas Editor, at last gaining a permanent presence in the booming Dallas art scene. In 2014 Glasstire finally became important enough to hack, and we began shooting videos like this one, which, despite their woeful acting and primitive production, people thankfully, still watch!
3 comments
Always enjoy your take on Texas art and happenings. Don’t forget to say hey next time your in S.D.
Happy New Year Art People
What’s wrong with Abstract Expressionism?…after all, it is the origin of URBAN EXPRESSIONISM-(C)2002