Van Gogh and graffiti in the same month? We do things our way in the Bayou City, and in the weeks ahead we'll view works by the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter as well as GONZO247's evolution as an artist. Yet there's plenty more to see in Houston's galleries, museums and art spaces.
Along with fields of wildflowers and bluebonnets, art exhibits are popping up all over the region. Chris Silkwood, a longtime collaborator of Gus Kopriva, is showing some of her colorful mosaics over at Redbud Gallery. Just a couple of blocks over the whimsical and bizarre Joseph Wooten is bringing some of his dyed and cut paper creations to G Spot Contemporary. And remember scientist Joseph Cohen's carbon nanotube-inspired art from last year's exhibit at Moody Center for the Arts? He's back with his third edition of "Looking at a Flower," this time at Winston Contemporary.
Over at Anya Tish Gallery, printmaker Orna Feinstein has created a large-scale installation that blends patterned fabrics and plexiglass; she's also exhibiting 3D monoprints and concrete works. Mark Nesmith recalls his childhood exploring the Texas woods, bayous and beaches, and his show at Bisong features an impressionistic tableau that infuses wildlife with human traits to address political or societal topics. Plus, Asia Society Texas Center has a group show that revisits commonplace objects and food within Filipino cooking.
But the big — and we mean ginormous — art news this month has to be the major survey of works by Vincent van Gogh over at MFAH, bringing more than 50 portraits, landscapes and still lifes drawn primarily from the collections of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, the Netherlands. Not to be overlooked at MFAH, and starting a week earlier to make sure we don't, are two new exhibits: the first major retrospective by photographer Sally Mann and some surprising sculptures by Jack Whitten who is better known for his abstract paintings.
The month ends with a couple of exhibits by power couple Mario E. Figueroa Jr. (GONZO247) and his talented wife, Carolyn Casey Figueroa. Carolyn organized "Arte Sin Fronteras: The Evolution of a Houston Graffiti Artist" and "The Cosmic Mestizo: Art Creation Experience with Leo Tanguma," both at Aerosol Warfare. And while we're all getting out of the house to enjoy this magnificent spring weather, be sure to head over to Memorial Park for another edition of Bayou City Art Festival; this year's featured artist is Julio C. Garcia whose colorful style reflects his early years in Mexico.
We wrap up this month in art with a fun bone making workshop with Sharon Kopriva over at Mystic Lyon; if you haven't seen Kopriva's stellar "Canis Major" in the window, there's still time. Keep reading because we've got the deets on opening receptions, and many of them are free.
March 1-22, "bauhaus.photo," Sabine Street Studios, 1907 Sabine (reception March 1, 6-8 p.m.)
March 2-June 16, "Shapeshifters," Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose (reception March 1, 6:30-9 p.m.)
March 2-July 31, "Broadway’s Amazing Mastersons," Rienzi, 1406 Kirby
March 2-April 4, donna e perkins, "Spill," Archway Gallery, 2305 Dunlavy (reception March 2, 5-8 p.m.)
March 2, 15th Anniversary of First Saturday Arts Market, 540 West 19th, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
March 2, "El noche de insomnia," Insomnia Gallery, 708 Telephone, 7-11 p.m.
March 2-31, Joseph Wooten, G Spot Contemporary Art Space, 310 East 9th (reception March 2, 6-8 p.m.)
March 2-26, Chris Silkwood, Redbud Gallery, 303 East 11th (reception March 2, 6-9 p.m.)
March 3-May 27, "Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture, 1963–2017," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet
March 3-May 27, "Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet
March 7, Bruce Brainard, “Strength in the Storm," Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Inc., 2501 Sunset
March 8, "She's Real Gone," 3rd Annual Women's Art Showcase, Insomnia Gallery, 708 Telephone, 7-11 p.m.
March 9, "Houston ARTFLOW III," Hardy & Nance Studios, 902 Hardy, 6-10 p.m.
March 10-June 27, "Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 5601 Main
March 16, "Face Time: A Photo Portrait Show," Hardy & Nance Studios, 902 Hardy, 5-9 p.m.
March 16-June 2, JooYoung Choi, "Big Time Dreaming in the Age of Uncertainty," Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main, Beaumont (reception March 22, 6-8 p.m.)
March 16-June 2, Jules Buck Jones, "Future Fossils," Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main, Beaumont (reception March 22, 6-8 p.m.)
March 16-April 27, "Next: Three Generations of Abstract Expressionists" Foltz Fine Art, 2143 Westheimer (reception March 16, 6-8 p.m.)
March 16-July 21, "Super Sarap," Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore (reception March 14, 6-8 p.m.)
March 21-April 27, Joseph Cohen, "Looking at a Flower, Chapter 3," Winston Contemporary Art, 2426 Bartlett (opening reception March 21, 6-9 p.m.; closing reception April 27, 6-9 p.m.)
March 22-April 27, "Orna Feinstein: The Other Side of the Forest," Anya Tish Gallery, 4411 Montrose (artist reception March 22, 6-8:30 p.m. with live performances by Green House Art Collective at 7 and 8 p.m.)
March 22-April 20, "Crosses and Symbols of Faith," Casa Ramirez FOLKART Gallery, 241 West 19th
March 23-April 20, Mark Nesmith, "Wild Things," Bisong Art Gallery, 1305 Sterrett (reception March 23, 5-8 p.m.)
March 23, "Illicit Behaviour Art Show," Urban Garden, 4212 Almeda, 6-10 p.m.
March 29-31, Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park, 6501 Memorial, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
March 30, "Reflections," Painting and Installation by Leslie Roades, Hardy & Nance Studios, 902 Hardy, 5-9 p.m.
March 30-April 13, UH School of Art 41st Annual Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, Blaffer Art Museum, University of Houston, 120 Fine Arts Building (reception March 29)
March 30-April 13, GONZO247, "Arte Sin Fronteras: The Evolution of a Houston Graffiti Artist," Aerosol Warfare, 2110 Jefferson (reception March 30, 6-9 p.m.; artist talk April 5, 5-6:30 p.m.; closing reception April 13, 6-9 p.m.)
March 30-April 13, "The Cosmic Mestizo: Art Creation Experience with Leo Tanguma," Aerosol Warfare, 2110 Jefferson (reception March 30, 6-9 p.m.; artist talk April 5, 5-6:30 p.m.; closing reception April 13, 6-9 p.m.)
March 30-31, "NOPE! An art show about your Fears and Phobias," Texas Art Asylum, 1719 Live Oak, 4-8 p.m. Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday
March 31, Bone Making Workshop with Sharon Kopriva, Mystic Lyon, 5017 Lyons Avenue, 2-4 p.m.