American Tableau

Museums spend a great deal of time and money staging grandiose, big-name traveling exhibitions, so it’s a relief, especially to frequent visitors, when they look within their own collections for something to feature. The Menil Collection has done just that with its decision to showcase John Chamberlain’s large sculpture American Tableauas the third installment in its Contemporary Conversations series, which highlights works by living artists in the collection. The Sarasota-based Chamberlain, who has been using scrap auto parts in his work since the ‘50s, created the work in 1984 using auto parts that he cut, folded, crunched and painted. The sculpture, which will be presented as a room-size installation and will be accompanied by rare drawings by Chamberlain, is much more colorful, fluid and invigorating than you’d think a heap of scrap metal could be. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Through August 2. 1515 Sul Ross. For information, call 713-525-9400 or visit www.menil.org. Free.

Wednesdays-Sundays. Starts: March 19. Continues through Aug. 2, 2009