First impressions of a gift to Houston that will keep on giving.
Molly Glentzer December 30, 2020Updated: January 4, 2021, 11:27 am
Aristide Maillol s La Riviere (The River) rests atop a gently trickling reflection pond between the new Kinder Building and the Cullen Sculpture Garden at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which director Gary Tinterow refers to as the hinge of the campus. Photo: Molly Glentzer / Houston Chronicle
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s new Kinder Building promises to be a gift that gives for decades.
Except for light-sensitive works on paper and photographs, most of the permanent collection artworks installed throughout its galleries will be in place for a year. Taking it all in during one trip could be overwhelming. Knowing each trip back will be a treat, I am looking forward to a slower savor, planning to pace myself later.
An exhibit called The Marzio Years charts the institution s explosive growth under his stewardship
Molly Glentzer December 29, 2020Updated: December 29, 2020, 8:30 pm
Peter C. Marzio served as director of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts from 1982 until his death of cancer in 2010. In this photograph from early in his career, he stands next to Walter Ufer’s painting “Anna.” Photo: Timothy Bullard / Houston Chronicle
The late Peter Marzio used to answer humbly when people asked what drove his acquisition choices for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
“Well, you know, you can do the usual this is quality, this is provenance, this work is the right size, it addresses a gap or builds on strengths in the collection,” he might say. “But in the end, what really matters is, if a work of art makes me want to tap someone on the shoulder and say, ‘Look at that.’”
Behind the scenes at Seismique, Houston’s new interactive playground
Now you don t have to travel to Meow Wolf in New Mexico to see a large space to immerse yourself in an interactive, multimedia fairgrounds.
Molly Glentzer December 21, 2020Updated: December 23, 2020, 9:18 am
Seismique’s guides Felicia Berrios, left, 28, and Sara Ludwig, right, 36, stands surrounded by projections that change to the beat of music, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, in Houston. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Experiences such as Houston’s new Seismique, which opens Dec. 26, are the most dynamic Instagrammable locations of the 21st century.
Built into the shell of a former Bed, Bath & Beyond big box on Houston’s far west side, the 40,000-square-foot sci-fi fantasy playground is opening with 33 rooms. More are coming, say co-founders Steve Kopelman and Josh Corley. They commissioned the immersive, interactive environments from about 50 artists.
An abridged Nutcracker is the highlight of the company s virtual holiday program
Molly Glentzer December 21, 2020Updated: December 22, 2020, 11:10 am
Houston Ballet s Naazir Muhammad brings some Nutcracker acrobatics to one of the dances of the company s on-demand Nutcracker Sweets performance. Photo: Lawrence Elizabeth Knox / Lawrence Elizabeth Knox
The best thing about “Nutcracker Sweets,” Houston Ballet’s on-demand virtual holiday program, turns out to be the element I least expected to enjoy: An abridged video of artistic director Stanton Welch’s “The Nutcracker.”
Archival films of big ballets have not been a satisfying replacement for live dance this year. They are typically shot from a distance, with a stationary camera or two, because that’s all the dancers’ unions used to allow.
You can now take a gander to see Meander and Yellow Glow
Molly Glentzer December 15, 2020Updated: December 21, 2020, 11:22 am
A cyclist rides on the White Oak trail through Francesca Fuchs’ “Yellow Glow,” an artwork commissioned by the MKT developers for the underpass at N. Shepherd and 6th Street. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Public art serves many good purposes, but heading into a somber winter, projects that lift moods are especially welcome.
Francesca Fuchs’ “Yellow Glow” and Falon Mihalic’s “Meander” cheer up those who encounter them while mirroring the landscape in intriguing ways. Unrelated yet complementary, both new works also embrace Houston’s relationship with concrete and can be seen during a bike ride or a hike around the Heights and downtown.