The end of December brought more than just holiday cheer.
The Save Our Stages Act, which is geared toward benefitting the live music industry, passed as part of the COVID-19 Relief Bill. The act will offer financial assistance to live music venues across the country and to local venues like the Heights Theater, 339 W. 19th St., and White Oak Music Hall (WOMH), 2915 N. Main St.
The Save Our Stages Act was supported by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), which began lobbying for the legislation in August of last year, and was headed up by U.S. Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
In a discussion presented by Blaffer Art Museum, Asia Society Texas Center, and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, four artists addressed the multiplicity of identities and communities they navigate in their individual practices.
Antonius-Tín Bui,
Matt Manalo (moderator), the webcast was held in conjunction with
Stephanie Syjuco: The Visible Invisible, on view at Blaffer Art Museum from October 17, 2020 – January 10, 2021.
Through an hour and a half of discussion, responding to one another s questions as well as those of the audience, the four spent time discussing how they situate their individual practices in the current political and institutional climates, as well as addressing the multiplicity of identities and communities they navigate as they create work that reflects their current realities.
We have transcribed the conversation, which you can access or download below.
Please note that while the transcript has been reviewed for accuracy, it was originally produced by an automated service and may still contain small inaccuracies.
About the Moderator
Matt Manalo is an artist and community organizer. He was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and has called Houston, Texas, home since 2004. He received his BFA in Painting at the University of Houston. He runs a community-based alternative art space called the Alief Art House and founded Filipinx Artists of Houston.
Matt Manalo creates work which involves elements of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Being a first generation immigrant, Manalo discusses his experiences navigating around the physical and social structures of society while exploring social issues like erasure, colorism, and colonial mentality in his work.
Ashley deHoyos and
Bridget Bray.
During the project, the two artists have been using the Asia Society galleries as public-facing studio spaces, and each artist will share their findings from the experience.
About the Artists
Laura Drey is a visual artist, writer, and educator, who lives in Houston, Texas, where she was born and raised. She graduated with her MFA, in Studio, from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2018, and she holds an (Honors) BA, in Studio Arts, from the University of St. Thomas, Houston in 2015. She has exhibited and performed her art nationally and internationally. Awards include a grant from The Warhol Foundation’s Idea Fund through Diverseworks for her project,