Have you heard the theory that December 21 came, went, and we’re all stuck in some alternate reality while our physical vessels burns with the heat of a thousand suns? Good, because that theory is about to blow a hole in your temporal universe at the art showcase “we’re all dead now,” brought to Houston by Hardy & Nance Street Studios. The showcase is a selection of post-apocalyptic art curated by Carl Lockstedt and Brandy Black, featuring the work of over 20 local artists. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true end-of-the-world scenario without booze and snacks, St. Arnold’s will ... Read More »

It is a theme so oft-repeated as to either cause eye-rolls or nausea depending on your level of exasperation and how often you’ve seen (and enjoyed) The Notebook. Nevertheless, love (or, “Love,” if you’re really eager) is a concept artists and musicians return to time and time again in various formats and forms, with success depending largely on the approach and originality given to the subject matter. In this, The Menil Collection’s exhibition “The Progress of Love,” is, if retreading old ground, still an intriguing analysis of the evolution of the most-talked-about emotion the world over. It’s meta in a way, instead ... Read More »

Free Press Houston was saddened to learn of the passing of NEKST, one of Houston’s more well known artists and a prolific graffiti writer worldwide. His work has appeared across the map, from Australia to Los Angeles, and is defined by its savage style, brash use of color, and sheer bravado of the high-profile spots he chose to tag. To celebrate his life we scoured the internet for remembrances of the artist. To get a full scope of NEKST’s art, Juxtapoz has put together 100 photos documenting his work, and there’s an ripnekst tag on Instagram with dedications for the ... Read More »

When you get down to the root of Charles Schulz’ Peanuts you see a child plagued by deep insecurities, a skeptical outlook on life, and extreme early-onset male pattern baldness. It’s reflective of humanity’s ethos that some of the most popular fictional characters are those damaged, beaten heroes that refuse to give in. In a twisted way, that’s what makes ComedySportz rendition of A Charlie Brown Christmas: Unscripted! so appealing. Marrying the social mores of adolescence and Charlie’s negative outlook to the absurdity and off-the-wall humor of improv is a surefire recipe for a unique holiday experience, or at least ... Read More »

Here at FPH, we don’t believe in the NSFW tag on principle. Our vague understanding of the term goes as far as acknowledging what’s suitable or not on sight, leaning toward the former judgement in most cases. Unfortunately, in the age of perpetual memes and gifs and Gawker, NSFW has reached a point where it’s an almost meaningless label. Big Head Productions’ NSFW: The Office Plays, an irreverent look at the dynamics of every workplace, has gone ahead and highlighted the vagueness of the tag through theatric interpretation. A marriage of Dilbert and Workaholics, the collection of short plays was ... Read More »

With only three days to go til the (supposed) end of existence as we know it, we’ve still got a few things to cross off our list. Canoeing down Buffalo Bayou, scaling Memorial City Medical Center to find out what’s on top, and visiting Zone D Erotica, the Galleria area adult shop, all rank near the top. With limited time, we will unfortunately have to cherry pick. The performers at Houston Improv Festival have simplified their last rites to doing what they do best. This Friday they’ll be hosting “The End of Improv” show at the Midtown Arts Center, a ... Read More »

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee is in the midst of contemplating whether or not to sign a letter holding the Transportation Security Administration accountable for racial profiling and discrimination at the airport. Brought forward by collaboration between The Sikh Coalition and the US Congress, the letter is the first step towards fair treatment of all nationalities and ethnicities. Call Jackson’s office within the next hour at (202) 225-3816 to voice your support and share experiences at Houston-area airports. Read More »

Longtime Houston artist Joseph Havel’s latest show, Hope and Desire at the Hiram Gallery, consists of just two pieces that highlight his his paradoxical inclination towards simple demonstrations through complex processes. The namesake installation is a wall of ten flat, plexiglass boxes filled with over 40,000 clothing labels with either “hope” or “desire” embroidered on each one. Dense yet simple, the piece is an effort to contain the chaos of human existence into easy-to-digest objects, achieved through neatly lining up the labels horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The second piece is the historically-minded Architecture, a not-so-subtle love letter to Sigmund Freud ... Read More »