While Understanding Art: Hidden Lives of Masterpieces (Athena, 6/18) sounds like a pedantic affair the result is actually the opposite. Not exactly threading on CSI territory yet with an unmistakable taste for mystery and forensic investigation this five-part British series (259-minutes on 2 DVDs) shows you the paintings of five great artists in a manner not readily available to the average bear. Shot over a period of five years (2006 – 2010), filmmakers Stan Neumann and Juliette Garcias attended a yearly pow-wow at the Musée du Louvre where art experts view the work of a single artist. Only for this ... Read More »

By Laura Coburn From the Houston Ballet to the Houston Grand Opera to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston prides itself on the arts. However, not every city in the world has access to renowned performing and visual arts companies— and that is why the “Cargo Space” came into being. The Cargo Space is art itself on wheels. The new creative project by Christopher Sperandio and Simon Grennan is a way for people across the Southwest and across the world to experience all forms of art and for artists to engage in creative exchanges. According to the project leads, the ... Read More »

The James Turrell exhibit at the MFAH is all about light. James Turrell: The Light Inside, currently on display until September 22, creates a space where art impacts the viewer’s psyche. Working with neon, fluorescent, projected, LED, and natural light Turrell designs a series of rooms where time and space exist only to define the light on display. Speaking at the media preview Turrell recalled how in the ‘60s, when there were just three or four different broadcasting stations period, he could walk down the street and tell from the ambient light of television screens bouncing against the walls and ... Read More »

By Laura Coburn Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop. June 2- Aug 25, 2013 We have all learned about how the celebrities, runway models, and political leaders sporting a gleaming smile and a perfectly contoured body on the front covers of Sport Illustrated, People, Cosmopolitan, and Time Magazine do not actually look as spectacular in reality. Nearly every image has been digitally retouched, airbrushed, reconstructed or edited in some form. However, what many do not already know is that this process is not a new concept. Manipulated photography existed long before Adobe Photoshop was invented and has always had the ... Read More »

By Laura Coburn The Art Affair @ Winter Street Studios Thursday, June 13, 2013 from 6 PM to 11 PM (CDT) The Houston Art Affair will take place on Thursday, June 13th at Winter Street Studios.  The event will provide complimentary wine and cocktails, as well as live music performances. All proceeds from the Art Affair will benefit Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts Houston (MECA).  MECA describes itself as a “community-based nonprofit organization committed to the healthy development of underserved youth and adults through arts and cultural programming, academic excellence, support services and community building.” MECA was founded ... Read More »

  The Menil Collection is now exhibiting a comprehensive collection of American painter Forrest Bess’ artwork. The exhibit is open every day from April 12- August 18 and displays 48 of the artist’s visionary paintings that range from 1946 to 1970. Forrest Bess lived in a fishing camp outside of Bay City, TX for most of his career, earning his living as a fisherman and selling bate. He served in the army for a short period of time, where he suffered from a head injury. After his time serving the US, he lived essentially isolated on a fishing camp only ... Read More »

In the movie The Usual Suspects the character that turns out to be Keyser Söze says, “The greatest trick the Devil pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Actually that line is historically credited to 19th-century French writer Charles Baudelaire. Nonetheless the phrase popped into my head as I looked at a series of photos depicting Josef Stalin and three of his posse. All the photos are the same. In the original photo Stalin and three his staff, or fellow officers in the ruling Communist government, stand side by side smiling, all buddy-buddy and rosy cheeks. The next two ... Read More »

By Space City Sarah Photo courtesy of Peter Lee Festival art is anything that is built purely for the enjoyment of experiencing it. Ideally, it serves the purpose of enhancing some aspect or area of the festival, but it can also enthrall the viewer to the point where it becomes an attraction in and of itself.  Successful festival art matches the vibe and scale of its surroundings because this is the furthest from a quiet gallery space. This art needs to find attention and purpose in a giant outdoor party. Festival art can take shape in a number of different ... Read More »

By Shelby Hohl The words “concert poster” are fucking magical, often evoking images from artists such as Coop, Jermaine Rogers, Frank Kozik, and Art Chantry. Creating art for a band, show or music festival is a really different experience compared to other types of commissioned work. Artists have to transform their creative vision into a piece of artwork that conveys both their personal style and the aesthetic and sound of the band or event. The ability to meld two such distinct styles into one image is no easy feat and it’s for that exact reason that concert posters resonate so ... Read More »

By Mills-McCoin Photo courtesy of Bob Biggerstaff The number of years Bob Biggerstaff has been a stand-up comedian is irrelevant.  What matters is that he’s funny and, BY GOD, if he wants to excuse himself in the middle of an interview to take a shit because maybe ordering coffee and a chili frito pie at 59 Diner was a bad idea, then Bob Biggerstaff is going to do that very damn thing. Which he did. And it was hilarious. Bob Biggerstaff has been hilarious since before he got a job as the doorman at the old gristmill on West Gray ... Read More »