“The Big Show”

One woman, one thousand works of art. “It’s hard to say what my strategy will be,” says Laura Fried, this year’s juror for “The Big Show” at Lawndale Art Center. Last year, more than 400 local artists delivered 1,014 works, in person, to be considered for the annual exhibition. Fried, who will make her first trip to Houston to jury the show, is the Assistant Curator at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and has headed up many locals-only exhibitions there.

Although she doesn’t know exactly what to expect here, Fried says the works selected will be the ones that can hold their own among so many others. (Last year’s show featured almost 100 paintings, sculptures, mixed-media, video and photography pieces.) “[It’s important to] maintain a focus on the work, the ideas in the work, the execution and the different practices I see,” says Fried, “and not to be skewed by any idea that a show could be curated based around an idea of Texas art, by the idea of regionalism.” See her selections at today’s opening reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Regular viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Through August 8. 4912 Main. For information, call 713-528-5858 or visit www.lawndaleartcenter.org. Free.
Mondays-Saturdays. Starts: July 10. Continues through Aug. 8, 2009