Internationally recognized FotoFest brings an elegant presentation of photography By Meghan Hendley ‘What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time.’ –John Berger The invention of photography is now one of the staples in our daily lives. Instagram takes the ordinary to a sense of extraordinary, filters and all. With the saturation of, well, every saturation, our vision is constantly taking in a piece of someone’s life with a snapshot of a scene. Looking beyond the screen of the cell phone, one can wander down hallways in order to gain an appreciation of ... Read More »

The image that your brain matter pieces together whenever someone says “back alley” is typically anything but romantic. You probably think of shady drug deals, illicit car sex, and Italian mobsters performing activities with baseball bats that never quite  made it into the MLB’s official handbook. But back alley’s have served purposes other than providing cozy spaces for people to get their hands red without getting caught. Artists throughout the decades have saturated these urban canvases with their creativity. Back alley murals become a part of a city’s culture and society. But some residents who occupy the urban buildings pushed together on sidewalks, think of ... Read More »

You are 23 years old. You are sitting on an airplane, anxiously waiting to be jet-streamed away from the godforsaken place you call home. You’ve spent your whole life here, only wanting to spend it there. Wherever there is, doesn’t matter. But there isn’t here. You peer out the window, impatiently massage the stained upholstery of your armchair. A middle-aged flight attendant wobbles past you and stumbles into a passenger. You think she’s drunk. She’s probably drunk. You nearly regret what you’re about to do. Will you end up like her in 20 years? Lonely, drunk, working a job below your “credentials.” Stacking empty bottles in ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer In 1969, Houston art catalysts John and Dominique de Menil founded the Rice Media Center and the Rice Museum, known as the “Art Barn,” both of which still remain an important and inspirational part of the university’s campus. Upon formation of the Media Center and Museum, the de Menil couple worked with a goal to unite the community by way of education, collaboration, and communication between people of different backgrounds and varying circumstances. Rice University now proudly presents Raid the Archive: The de Menil Days at Rice. This exhibition, curated by John Sparagana and Katia Zavistovski, is ... Read More »

By: Meghan Hendley Photos by Mason Rankin Living in a concrete jungle means one is always scaling miles of gray highways, constantly soaring over sky high ramps, and as usual tapping our fingers on the steering wheel while we are stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. Glazed over from these perpetual sites, drivers may not notice the subtle shadows and lines that mimic contemporary art that can be found from freeways and major interstate intersections. Artist Mason Rankin, born and raised in Baytown Texas, was struck by the curves and twists of these massive road structures and decided to develop ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer War’Hous Visual Studios in Houston’s Museum District will host the opening reception for an art show this Saturday that will feature the works of late local Houston artist, Aric McDaniel. On April 25, 2012, McDaniel was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident that took his life the next day. The opening reception of the show will be on Saturday, August 11, at 6:30PM, and will serve as an opportunity for friends, family, and the community to join together in in remembrance of Aric’s life as they view his numerous pieces on canvas, in sculpture, photography, and various ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer At a young age, photographer Alvin Baltrop (1948-2004) was given a twin-lens Yashica camera, and in turn, the opportunity to create journalistic still pictures of his experiences, as well as an intimate visual diary. The gift of a camera was what kick started his career as a photographer. His projects commenced amongst an atmosphere of social, cultural, and political chaos in the 1960s. Baltrop witnessed firsthand the Countercultural Revolution and a sexual liberation movement that upended an era of social conformity for both heterosexual and homosexuals alike. A bisexual, Baltrop was conscious of this movement and the ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer Poverty is present when someone lacks the means to satisfy their basic needs. Sadly, poverty itself is seen all too often walking down the streets of Houston. I see the same two or three homeless people on my daily route from home to work, and back again. The struggles and hardships that these people face every day are unreal. Native Houstonian Photographer Ben Tecumseh DeSoto has created a beautiful photographic exhibit that consists of a collection of photos that allow a closer view inside the daily lives of homeless and poverty stricken people all around Houston. The ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer Menagerie (/məˈnajərē/) is a fancy French word that defines a strange or diverse collection, and also an upcoming, juried art exhibition that will feature six chosen and talented local artists. Co-curators Shadi Jam, Robert Sussman, and Natalie Thayer, who seek to expose to the public the talent of local artists, entitled the showcase ‘Menagerie’ in representation of the diversity among the artists of varying backgrounds and disciplines. The multi-media exhibition will include painting, photography, sculpture, installation pieces, and mixed media works by Omar Al-Bochi, Dylan Conner, Julia Gabriel, Ariana Katechis, Johnathan Meadows, and Josh Nolan. Planning for ... Read More »