Bun B at the Houston Art Car Parade Kickoff Party / Photo by Alex Montoya
Though Houston Art Car Parade festivities were reimagined in other formats during the pandemic, it’s been two years since hundreds of art cars rolled through downtown streets in what is traditionally one of the city’s largest free public events.
But the parade – in its 35th annual edition – is back on Saturday, April 9 at 2pm. And leading the procession will be Grammy-nominated, hometown hip-hop artist Bun B as Grand Marshal.
“We haven’t had a lot of opportunities in Houston to really have a great event where everyone and their family could come out and enjoy it,” said Bun B at the event’s Kickoff Party at The Ion on March 24.
“But the Art Car Parade is going to provide us that, and I’m so proud and honored to be the 2022 Grand Marshal,” he said.
For its pandemic comeback, this year’s parade will feature around 250 art cars.
Spectators will see “slab cars born out of Houston’s unique contribution to American car culture” and “more than 100 new and never-before-seen Art Cars from around the country like Riders, bike and skater groups, wheeled contraptions, bejeweled roadsters, and custom-crafted classics, along with the fur-covered, metal-modified, fire-breathing varieties,” said organizers in a statement.
The Houston Art Car Parade Kickoff Party at The Ion / Photo by Alex Montoya
Produced by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, the parade on April 9 is part of a four-day Art Car Parade “Weekend” from April 7 – 10, featuring both free and ticketed festivities. A complete schedule of events can be found here.
As Grand Marshal, Bun B follows a long line of artists, celebrities, entertainers, and leaders who have held the title – including Cheech Marin, Dan Aykroyd, J.J. Watt, The Art Guys, Annise Parker, Kinky Friedman, Lynn Wyatt, and George Clinton.
A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Bernard Freeman, aka “Bun B,” is a pioneer of the Southern rap movement in the late 1980s, as a founding member of the duo UGK (Underground Kingz) alongside fellow emcee Pimp C.
The new name goes into effect on April 12, along with a new website, new branding, and a new membership program. That same day, Performing Arts Houston will also announce its 2022-2023 season and open applications for its 2nd annual Houston ArtistCommissioning Project.
“Dropping the word ‘Society’ from the name helps us welcome everyone to the performing arts. This is an experience for all Houstonians,” said the organization in a statement.
The shorter new name is intended to celebrate the connection to local communities, while capturing the depth of arts presented.
“It also lets us lose the acronym SPA,” stated the organization, adding cheekily: “As therapeutic as the performing arts may be, we are not a spa.”
We’ve presented Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for over 50 years. We’ve brought Marcel Marceaux, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Yo-Yo Ma, Martha Graham Dance Company, Lang Lang, STOMP, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Spalding Gray, American Ballet Theatre, and hundreds more world class artists to our city. Parallel to what you see on stage, our education and community programs create and inspire arts engagement to the wider community. We’re proud to continue that work as Performing Arts Houston.
The new name was first revealed to attendees of its April 2 gala, The Kaleidoscope Ball, which raised nearly $600,000 is support of the organization’s presentations and education and community engagement programs.
Former Houston Ballet Principal Lauren Anderson as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker / Photo by Jim Caldwell (2005), courtesy of Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet has announced the company’s first endowed scholarship to be named for a dancer.
Established in honor of the company’s first African American Principal Dancer, the new Lauren Anderson Young Dancer Scholarship Fund will provide yearly scholarships “for up to four underrepresented artists who aspire to be professional ballet dancers and show great promise in their physical and artistic abilities,” according to a press release.
The scholarships will cover full annual tuition costs at Houston Ballet Academy and aim to help develop the next generation of elite ballet dancers.
The company says that incoming and current students in the Academy’s Professional Program may be considered for the award, and the first scholarship will be presented at the Academy Spring Showcase in late April 2022.
Former Houston Ballet Principals Lauren Anderson as Kitri and Carlos Acosta as Bastilio in Ben Stevenson’s Don Quixote / Photo by Geoff Winningham (1995), courtesy of Houston Ballet.
Native Houstonian Lauren Anderson danced with Houston Ballet from 1983 to 2006, during which she became the first African American promoted to Principal Dancer at the company in 1990. She remains one of the few African American ballerinas to hold the highest rank at a major U.S. ballet company.
Anderson’s critically acclaimed 23-year career with Houston Ballet spanned performances of leading roles in all the great classical ballets, as well as roles created for her including Ben Stevenson’s Cleopatra – though her deep relationship with the company goes back to when she began training there at age 7.
“Fifty years ago, I started at the Houston Ballet Academy on scholarship, which gave me the opportunity to begin my journey towards becoming a professional dancer,” said Anderson in a statement.
“To now have a scholarship named after me means everything,” she continued. “Houston Ballet is the foundation of my life … It’s where my dreams came true, and I am so proud that this scholarship will give the next generation of aspiring young dancers from underrepresented communities an opportunity to reach further than they ever thought they could go.”
Houston Ballet Education and Community Engagement Associate Director Lauren Anderson guest teaching students during the Academy Summer Intensive Program / Photo by Chenay Newton (2019), courtesy of Houston Ballet
The Lauren Anderson Young Dancer Scholarship becomes the Academy’s 9th endowed scholarship. Information about donating to the fund can be found here.
“It is our mission that our student body reflects the city of Houston, the most diverse city in the country. This will allow us to reward deserving students based on their merit to receive the highest level of training,” said Jennifer Sommers, Houston Ballet Academy director, in a statement.
Lauren Anderson continues to serve the Houston community through master classes and lectures in her role as the Academy’s Associate Director of Education and Community Engagement, and she continues to inspire the ballet world and beyond.
Melissa Pritchett as Marianne Dashwood, Laura Kaldis as Anne Steele, Todd Waite as John Dashwood, Michelle Elaine as Fanny Dashwood, Chris Hutchison as Mrs. Ferrars & Melissa Molano as Lucy Steele in Alley Theatre’s production of Sense and Sensibility, March 28 – April 10, 2022 / Photo by Lynn Lane
While the omicron variant wave forced some local arts groups to cancel events in late 2021 and early 2022, nearly all of the major Houston Theater District arts organizations have lifted masking or proof of vaccination requirements for audiences this past month – following the significant decline of COVID-19 cases in the City of Houston and Harris County.
In a statement by the Alley Theatre, which changed its protocol to ‘masks optional’ on March 9: “The Executive Directors at the Theater District organizations were in communication with each other around updating policies,” indicating information sharing and support within the arts community.
As March continued, arts groups – one after another – began announcing updated COVID policies on their websites or social media, citing guidance from public health experts, government officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (A list of updated protocol appears at the end of this article.)
Two local milestones also helped pave the way. On February 24, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner lifted mask requirements for employees and visitors in city buildings, and on March 10, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo lowered the county’s COVID threat level to yellow, signifying a “moderate or controlled level of COVID-19.”
With a recently reported new BA.2 subvariant now in the Houston area, it’s unclear to health officials if that could lead to another surge. The average positivity rate in Harris County currently remains low, under 2%.
For now, audiences have the opportunity to attend spring performances with less restrictions, while arts groups – many of whom have recently announced their 2022 – 2023 seasons – hang onto the hope for a healthier future.
Here’s a summary of updated COVID protocol of the 8 major Theater District arts groups and 3 Houston theater companies that operate their own venues:
As of March 1, A.D. Players no longer requires masks and temperature checks for patrons.
Due to the recent, rapid decline in positive COVID-19 cases in our area, revised union guidelines, and the new CDC guidance regarding indoor masking, we are pleased to announce that masks will no longer be required when attending a performance at the George Theater. We cannot thank you enough for your patience and support during this difficult time and we look forward to seeing your smiling faces once again at The George!
Kevin Dean, Artistic Director and Jake Speck, Executive Director
As of March 4, the Houston Symphony no longer requires masks for patrons, though “mask-wearing is strongly recommended for all audience members while inside of Jones Hall.”
Beginning today, Wednesday, March 9, we are pleased to announce that the Alley will no longer be requiring proof of negative COVID test or proof of vaccination to enter the Theatre. Additionally, guests and volunteers will no longer be required to wear a mask inside the Theatre, though anyone is, of course, still welcome to do so.
As of late March, Main Street Theater no longer requires masks, but continues to require proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, for audience members of its MainStage productions at its Rice Village venue.
Due to the intimacy of our MainStage theater in Rice Village, we are erring on the side of caution and continuing to require proof of a negative COVID test or vaccination.
We are prepared to be flexible. We will adjust as the virus and positivity rates adjust. Also, keep in mind that for our MainStage, we operate under an Actors’ Equity Association contract, so some rules they set. Basically, we are re-evaluating before each new production on both our MainStage and Theater for Youth stages.
Shannon Emerick, Director of Marketing and Communications
Previously in late February, Main Street Theater lifted mask requirements for its Theatre for Youth productions at MATCH. Proof of vaccination was never required for patrons of that series.
Elias String Quartet at the Menil Collection, March 29, 2022 / Courtesy of Da Camera
As of March 21, Da Camera no longer requires proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, while maintaining its mask requirement: “All patrons must wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth at all times, except while actively eating or drinking.”
DACAMERA’s safety policy was recently updated to reflect changing conditions in the community while remaining consistent with the policies implemented by the various venues in which we present performances.
As presenters at The Hobby Center, both companies follow the safety protocol of the venue.
As of March 21, The Hobby Center no longer requires proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, while maintaining its mask requirement: “Currently, all patrons must only wear a mask while inside the building and are required to provide their own mask.”
Houston Grand Opera’s 3rd Annual Giving Voice Concert, March 19, 2022 / Photo by Lynn Lane
As of March 25, Houston Grand Opera no longer requires masks for patrons.
Per the latest guidance on COVID-19 safety from the HGO Health Advisory Committee, local health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control, HGO will no longer require masks for audience members, effective immediately, although we continue to encourage their use.
In addition, HGO will remove all previous requirements (masks, proof of vaccine/negative COVID tests) for those attending special events at the Wortham Theater Center, including Opera Ball on April 9, and we will be reopening the Green Room for our spring repertoire.
As announced in a March 28 email, SPA will no longer implement the same requirements – masks and proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination – at all of its shows.
SPA has revised policies for several upcoming shows, on a case-by-case basis.
We present artists from around the world, each with varying needs and perspectives. Conversations around health & safety differ for them all.
As the situation around Covid has changed, we’ve kept those conversations going. And we have updates.
Please see revised Covid policies below for upcoming 21/22 Season performances. Like our programs, there’s no one-size-fits-all.
Society for the Performing Arts
Details can be found on its FAQ page, under Health and Safety.
In an email to Houston Arts Journal, Houston Ballet says it plans to lift mask requirements for patrons in time for its next production, Pretty Things, opening May 20, 2022.
As we are planning to head back to the theater in mid-May, our current plan will include having a mask as an option, not a requirement. However, we will continue monitoring local conditions and updating our COVID policies with guidance from our medical partners, government officials, and the CDC.
Angela Lee, Director of Marketing and PR
Updated March 31, 2022, 1:20pm: This article has been updated to include new information provided by Houston Ballet.
And Houstonians managed to save, thanks in part to vocal public support, the recently shuttered River Oaks Theatre, which is expected to reopen under new management in coming months.
This active local film scene also nurtures a myriad of festivals year-round, often inspired by the city’s diversity and artistic energy. Themes range, for example, from the long-running ReelAbilities Film Festival to the newer literary-influenced Reelpoetry Festival.
The next two weeks epitomize Houston’s dynamic, ever-growing film culture, as three local festivals take place back-to-back and concurrently. Let’s take a closer look:
Houston Latino Film Festival, March 23 – 27 at MATCH
Founded in 2016 by three filmmaker-friends – Dave Cebrero (Festival Director), David Cortez (Operations Director), and Pedro Rivas (Program Director) – the Houston Latino Film Festival has grown from a 3-day event to, this year, a 5-day event that encompasses screenings, workshops, Q&As with filmmakers, readings, visual art, and local bands.
“The idea began as a project to share our love of Latino-themed cinema with the City of Houston,” said Rivas.
“We weren’t sure if we would get much of a response at first, but we ended up having a sold-out event our first year, and again in our second year,” he continued. “This told us there was a need for this type of cinema and storytelling in the community, and we wanted to keep it going and adding to the festival.”
The expanded programming attests to the festival’s increasing influence on the local film scene and its international attraction. Its application pool has doubled – from roughly 200 submissions in its first year to more than 400 this year.
Along the way, it has survived the challenges of COVID-19 by overcoming a cancelation in 2020 and a reimagining of itself at a drive-in theater in 2021.
Now back in-person for the first time since the pandemic, the 6th Annual Houston Latino Film Festival features more than 80 films from all over Central and South America, Spain, and Portugal, and by Latino filmmakers in the U.S. A complete schedule of screenings and events can be found here, including a virtual option.
Though Hollywood and the film industry were hit hard by the pandemic, Latino filmmakers all over the world have remained creative and resourceful, according to Rivas.
“It may have been hard to get a film crew together, but a lot of people took the time to write or flesh out their ideas,” he said. “It was also an opportunity for some to finish editing their unfinished films and submit them to festivals during the last two years.”
The festival also aims to support local filmmakers through screenings of short films by Houstonians; the coming-of-age rebellion story, Acid Test, by Jenny Waldo; and Fearless, a portrait of a boxing gym in Conroe, produced and directed by the Houston-based husband and wife team of Wojciech Lorenc and Valentina Trevino.
“We hope this inspires other local filmmakers to realize that Houston can be a place to make our films,” said Rivas.
Rivas also says that he hopes the festival will inspire both casual film fans and avid film buffs.
“These are films you normally couldn’t see in theaters or on any streaming service yet, and we take pride in our programming selection,” he said. “We hope more Houstonians will come out to support the festival and these great artists, and to have fun!”
Houston Jewish Film Festival, March 26 – April 6 at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC & other venues
“Houstonians have a strong appetite for international cinema and independent films,” said Marian Luntz, longtime curator of film at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, who gives credit to the city’s diversity.
“At the MFAH we can show a film in any language and know there will be audience members who don’t need the subtitles, especially when they laugh at moments that aren’t well-translated for those of us reading along!” she said.
In addition to serving as a juror at numerous film festivals over the years, including Sundance and South by Southwest, Luntz is on the committee of this year’s Houston Jewish Film Festival.
Now in its 18th year, the festival has maintained a mission of bringing Jewish lives and stories to the big screen.
The Annual Houston Jewish Film Festival is intended to expose the Houston community to current documentary, feature, and short movies with meaningful Jewish or Israeli content, as well as Israeli-made movies with contemporary themes. Films will cover a diverse range of cultural, religious, or historical topics of Jewish relevance and are selected to educate, inform, and entertain a wide general audience.
Mission statement, Houston Jewish Film Festival
Luntz says this year’s committee of movie lovers recruited by the ERJCC has programmed “a great variety of award-winning films that appeal to all interests and tastes. In the 18th edition you can find drama, comedy, romance, documentaries, LGBTQ fare – something for everyone!”
The 18th annual Houston Jewish Film Festival will feature 17 films and a 6-episode mini-series in a hybrid format – with films screened in-person and/or virtually. A complete schedule of events can be found here.
“Among the highlights, we are most excited about is Space Torah, a documentary featuring native Houstonian and NASA Astronaut Dr. Jeff Hoffman and the Torah he brought with him aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1996,” said Jody Sweed, festival chair, in a statement.
Space Torah’s producer Rachel Raz, director Rob Cooper, and Dr. Hoffman will be in attendance for a post-film panel discussion on March 30 at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.
Sweed also calls the romantic comedy Kiss Me Kosher a “must see.”
“It’s a subversive love story between clashing cultures and families: two generations of Israeli women fall for a German woman and a Palestinian man and chaos follows,” Sweed said.
When asked about the significance of this festival – and the purpose of art in times of crisis, particularly following two years of a pandemic and the rising visibility of racist activities – Matt Basen, ERJCC’s Arts and Culture Program Coordinator, said:
The film festival provides us a way to come together, experience what life is like through the lens of someone else, experience Jewish stories, and share that in an accessible format.
A film is also an accessible form of art. It has the power to bring stories, thoughts, and ideas to groups of people in an easy-to-digest structure. We can shed light on these Jewish stories that a general audience may not know of on their own.
Houston Underwater Film Festival, April 2 – 3 at MATCH
“We have a very unusual and high quality show,” said Craig Beasley. “Betsy and I are underwater videographers ourselves but are retired and do this just to spread the word on the beauty and issues with the oceans.”
The Beasleys founded HUFF during the pandemic – inspired by their own love of underwater filmmaking and such festivals in other cities, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle.
HUFF aims to promote underwater filmmaking and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of all things underwater, as well as to encourage the art of videography, as stated on its website.
Sponsored by the Houston Underwater Photographic Society, this year’s festival will screen 52 films from 24 countries, selected from open and free submissions to Film Freeway. Other events include an awards reception and “Meet the Directors.”
Film categories include Short, Protect and Respect the Oceans, Made in Texas, Art House Flicks, and Feature Length (up 5 minutes for underwater films).
A complete schedule can be found here – with a virtual on-demand option available on April 4, following the in-person festival.
Urban Souls Dance Company in the World Premiere of “Colored Carnegie” by Harrison Guy, 2021 SPA Houston Artist Commissioning Project / Melissa Taylor Photography
After more than 50 years of being known as Society for the Performing Arts – or SPA, for short – the nonprofit arts presenter will change its name on April 12, 2022.
As recently announced in its March newsletter:
You’ve known us as Society for the Performing Arts. On Apr. 12, we’re changing our name, and our look.
We’re changing our name, but not our commitment to ignite and cultivate passion for the performing arts, and more than ever, to support and amplify the voice of the artist.
Society for the Performing Arts
Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts is considered one of the major arts organizations in downtown Houston’s Theater District, and it has become “the largest nonprofit presenting organization of its kind in the Southwest,” according to its website.
Its founding dovetailed with the 1966 opening of Jones Hall. Created with the intention of filling the new venue with performances, Society for the Performing Arts – which would make its home in Jones Hall – would help ensure audience attendance in that space season after season, along with performances by the Houston Symphony and, until 1987, Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera.
CEO Meg Booth interviews 2021 SPA Houston Artist Commissioning Project awardees: musician Sonny Mehta of Riyaaz Qawwali, poet-playwright Deborah DEEP Mouton, and choreographer Harrison Guy / Melissa Taylor Photography
In addition to bringing international touring artists, musicians, dancers, actors, and speakers to Houston, the organization also champions local artists through its Houston Artist Commissioning Project – an initiative launched in 2020 that aims to support new works by the city’s artists, in particular those of marginalized communities.
Houston Arts Journal reached out to Society for the Performing Arts with a few questions about its forthcoming name change:
Why is SPA changing its name now?
For years, there’s been interest in changing the name. With our 2020 Strategic Plan, working with our board, community partners, and staff, it was clear that this was a natural time to make the change.
What prompted this decision, and is it possible to say anything about what it might symbolize?
We wanted a name that better represented who we are, to match the scale and diversity of the arts we present on stage.
Will the name change be accompanied by any other changes within the organization or programming that you can share with us right now?
Yes! We’re getting a whole new look, launching a new website, and a new membership program. On the programming side, we’re building on the success of the Houston Artist Commissioning Project.
Something that isn’t changing—we’ll continue presenting the most diverse live arts experiences in Houston. We’re set to announce the 22/23 Season next month.
So the new name will be revealed to the public on April 12 and officially go into effect that day?
The new name and brand, the 22/23 Season, and memberships all go live on April 12. Attendees at the 2022 Kaleidoscope Ball get a first look at the brand on April 2.
We’re so thankful for our stakeholders, supporters, partners, and audiences. Without their financial support, their minds, their love for this city and for the performing arts, this work wouldn’t be possible. Under a new name, we’re ready for decades of arts yet to come.
Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean, Houston’s fifth Poet Laureate / Photo by Lynn Lane
Following the February 24th Russian invasion of Ukraine, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner condemned the attacks:
“In Houston, we stand for freedom; for democracy; and for the safety and security of all our residents. We join with cities and countries around the world calling for an immediate end to the violence, to protect human rights, and for the return of peace in Europe.”
Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston
The city’s buildings have also been lit in the colors of Ukraine’s flag as a symbol of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in Houston:
For the past couple of evenings, City Hall has been lit blue and yellow to show our city’s solidarity with Ukraine.
We join cities and countries around the world calling an immediate end to the violence, to protect human rights, and for the return of peace. #StandWithUkraine️pic.twitter.com/mv5a3ZlHdQ
Local artists – like Dominika Dancewicz, Axiom Quartet, the Russian Cultural Center, and Holly Lyn Walrath – have responded to the war through their art or through fundraising efforts, as have national artists, like poet Ilya Kaminisky.
Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean, Houston’s fifth Poet Laureate / Photo by Lynn Lane
Houston Arts Journal invited Houston Poet LaureateEmanualee “Outspoken” Bean to write a poem in response to the Russia-Ukraine war. His poem “lower cased shells at the capital” is published below.
A nationally recognized performance poet and educator, Bean was appointed in April 2021 to serve a two-year term as the city’s fifth poet laureate.
“Outspoken Bean will demonstrate to the state of Texas and the nation that Houston is resilient, and that arts and culture are part of the strength of our resilience,” said Mayor Turner in a statement last April.
Just as poetry has helped Houstonians through the COVID-19 pandemic, now –in this time of heightened international strife – poetry may play another role in offering hope, healing, and strength.
Mural by artist Shelbi Nicole. Located 112 Travis Street, Houston / Photo by Catherine Lu
lower cased shells at the capital by Outspoken Bean, Houston’s Poet Laureate
lower cased shells scattered across Ukraine’s capital. bruised broken skin only braises Ukrainians’ spirit lighting ragged russian vodka bottles burned when there is only round tables no position is turned strength is found through vantage surviving a home invasion creates new adages to share which is the receipt of the living.
heroic to leave courageous to stay cowardice took trains from moscow to Ukraine bordered door as war knocks to answer is with molotov cocktails to answer is with dismantling street signs to answer is to court your home’s advantage to take it here when it was brought from there if resistance finds comfort reject its advances.
the language of collision is comedic but not comical it’s Kyiv slapstick, rocks, and slingshot starving out goliath tanks the gigantic are hearts wrapped in blue and yellow and the tongue of strength says “I’m not hiding.” so that their people can.
Diego Rivera, “La Bordadora,” 1928, oil on canvas / Courtesy of Christie’s Images Limited
The 1928 painting La bordadora (or The Embroiderer) by Mexican master Diego Rivera, which has never been on view publicly, will now enter the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s permanent collection, following a $4.14 million acquisition at a Christie’s auction on March 11.
As a pre-condition of the sale, the painting travels first to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for the exhibition Diego Rivera’s America in July 2022, and it is also scheduled to travel to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas in March 2023.
The MFAH says the painting will be displayed in the museum’s Kinder Building once it arrives in Houston in coming months.
According to the MFAH in a press release:
“Rivera had gone to the region of Tehuantepec, near Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1923, and there discovered the vibrant, Indigenous culture of Mexico, with its traditions passed down by women through generations. He created drawings as well as a few paintings of weavers and artisans.
La Bordadora depicts two women in an abstracted interior at a table, with the woman in the foreground working on an embroidery panel.”
This becomes the ninth work by Diego Rivera in the MFAH’s collection.
“La Bordadora relates thematically and stylistically to a beautiful Rivera cartoon already in the MFAH collection, from his iconic mural cycle at the Ministry of Education in Mexico City,” said Gary Tinterow, Director of the MFAH, in a statement.
Diego Rivera, Cartoon for “The Liberation of the Peon,” C. 1931, charcoal and graphite on paper, mounted on canvas. Museum purchase funded by Charles W. Tate in honor of Charles T. Newton, Jr. at “One Great Night in November, 1997” / Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
“Both La Bordadora and the ministry murals herald a fundamental theme of Rivera’s life’s work, to capture the dignity of the everyday,” Tinterow said.
Previously, the painting had been held in the private collection of the Feibleman family of New Orleans, dating back to its acquisition nearly a century ago by James Kern Feibleman – a businessman, philosopher, poet, and English professor at Tulane University.
Only a photograph of the painting from 1930 was known to exist, until the painting’s location was recently discovered, according to the MFAH.
Its $4.14 million price makes it one of the highest achieved by a work of Rivera at auction – the record being $9.7 million for Rivera’s The Rivals in 2018, sold to a private collector.
“The MFAH has been building our collection of 20th-century art from Latin America for the last 20 years,” Tinterow said. “With this acquisition, we will be able to build on the foundations of our extraordinary holdings of 20th-century Latin American art, making the work of the early modernists available to the public.”
MVMT Dance, choreography by Amberly Altamirano Daniels / Photo by Badshooting Photography
When I interviewed Houston dancer-choreographer Adam Castañeda in March 2021, he was getting ready to launch his inaugural Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, which in some ways became a statement of resilience.
At that time, Castañeda, who is director of Pilot Dance Project, called the festival a culmination of a year of “trying to survive” and rallying his fellow dance makers, amidst feelings of anger and resentment caused by the loss of performance opportunities and health inequities during COVID-19.
But this year, he says he’s in a much better place.
“Since I last spoke to you, I’ve produced three evening-length dance works, two of which were sold out. Our annual Houston Fringe Festival [produced by Pilot Dance] happened, and now we are gearing up for an even fuller 2022,” said Castañeda.
“The opportunities as a choreographer have just continued to flow with new commissions that I haven’t announced yet. I’m just so grateful,” he said.
His efforts and resilience have paid off, as seen in the growth of that festival.
Held virtually as a digital dance concert last year, the inaugural edition included 11 works by local Latinx choreographers.
This year, it’s turned into three nights of unique programs with more than 20 works by artists from Houston, Dallas, Denton, and San Antonio, as well as Atlanta – and it’s finally able to be held in person, as COVID rates decline locally following the omicron variant wave.
Castañeda says he was “overwhelmed by applications” this year, signaling that Texas artists are eager to get back to making dance and performing it – and having paid opportunities, which his festival has always offered.
“With the funding we have been awarded for our season, including a Festival Grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, we are paying each choreographer a stipend,” he said. “Dance festivals are nothing new, but it’s still a surprise to find a festival that pays in 2022.”
All of this leads to a positive contribution to the arts ecosystem, says Castañeda, in particular making a needed impact on Latinx choreographers – whose diverse, layered identities have not been fully explored on stage in contemporary dance, but will be centerstage at this festival.
“There are so many intersections when we talk about present-day identity,” said Castañeda.
From LGBTQ+ artists to Indigenous artists to those who embody the crossroads of Indigenous and European heritages, he wants the festival “to dig a little into all of those identities and holistically show how they make up this category of Latino/a/x.”
Castañeda also says he’s excited to spark a local conversation about ableism in dance.
“[Atlanta dancer-choreographer] Mark Travis Rivera works with bodies that have been traditionally considered disabled,” Castañeda said. Rivera is presenting a solo set on a dancer with a limb difference.
“What he’s doing is so important because we really haven’t had this discussion in Texas,” he said. “There are great organizations, like Axis Dance Company, which Mark previously worked for in San Francisco, but we don’t really see dance extended to the disabled here in Houston. It’s going to be significant having him on this year’s program.”
Choreography by Mark Travis Rivera / Photo by Andrew Fassbender
The Houston dance community is “slowly re-emerging” from the pandemic, according to Castañeda.
The expansion of his festival is one sign of that, and he says that new works are being presented more regularly these days, while also acknowledging that the pre-COVID challenges of funding and producing dance still remain.
Mollie Haven Miller is the Executive Director of Dance Source Houston, a dance resource and advocacy nonprofit, and she agrees, adding: “Live dance performance is re-emerging, but it’s a slow process because of how dance works are created. It’s not an on/off switch, as works take months to develop.”
“Companies are strategically creating and presenting work, as they’re used to limited resources even in the best of times, but it’s even more of a challenge right now even as we re-emerge from the omicron surge,” Miller said.
Still, Castañeda is forging ahead with the goal of sustaining an annual presence for his Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, and he has other big plans.
“We also want to broaden the scope of what we mean by contemporary,” said Castañeda.
“I want to know what folklórico choreographers are doing, what salsa and merengue looks like on a concert stage. I want to see contemporary hip-hop and Latin ballroom in the mix,” he continued. “We’ve already started this conversation, as we have two Aztec dance groups on the roster this year. Latinx is a broad category, and so are our dances. Eventually I’d like the festival to encapsulate all of that diversity.”
Updated March 13, 2022: The word “impairment” has been changed to “difference” to be more inclusive and aligned with disability culture.
Walrath created an erasure poem, which she considers a “form of resistance.” The poem emerges from the words that remain on the page, after portions of a found text have been obscured.
“Literature for Ukraine” by Holly Lyn Walrath
Walrath started with text from the Encyclopedia Brittanica entry on Russian Literature.
“I drew flowers over the dictionary page and hand-painted over them, leaving the words of the poem to read,” she said. “The paint is acrylic, but I watered it down to achieve a stained-glass effect.”
— Holly Lyn Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) March 4, 2022
Walrath also shared her thoughts on poetry and war in the following interview:
What inspired this poem?
I kept thinking about the video of the Ukrainian woman, who told Russian soldiers to put sunflower seeds in their pockets so when they die on Ukrainian soil, a flower will grow. “Put the sunflower seeds in your pockets, please. You will die down here with the seeds. You came to my land. Do you understand? You are occupiers. You are enemies.”
I think this woman struck me and many others as very brave. But the idea of sunflowers – the national flower of Ukraine – growing from the corpses of soldiers is a complex and heartbreaking image. War obliterates both sides, on a human level.
Art by Kiki Neumann, a Houston folk artist. Made from recycled sign letters, metal sunflowers & paint / Photo courtesy of Kiki Neumann Creations
What is an erasure poem?
Erasure or blackout poetry is the act of erasing certain words on the page. The words that remain become the poem. It can be done in lots of different ways, but the most common form is to “black out” with a black marker the lines on the page.
This technique mirrors censorship in most government “censured” documents, which use tape or black marker to remove sensitive information. Other techniques include digital erasures, which use font/color to erase words, visual erasures using images or collage, and cut-out forms.
What draws you to this form? What are you trying to achieve each time you create one?
In many ways, erasure is a form of resistance. By literally erasing someone’s words, you are removing the power of those words. For example, I recently did a series erasing Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s order on trans children.
A friend commented that the erasure put into words what she had been struggling to say about the order. This kind of engagement helps me process world events.
You recently tweeted: “In the face of war, write love poems.” What do you mean by that? Do you consider this poem a love poem?
I think all poems are love poems, ha. All poetry is about love – whether it’s about grief or the body or nature. To write a poem about something is to love it, I think. Because something has to bury itself deep in your creative consciousness in order for you to want to write about it. I like to say, “write what you love, love what you write.”
What are your thoughts on the purpose of art and poetry during times of war and crisis?
I am struck by the story that Ilya Kaminsky, a Ukrainian-American poet, told on Twitter. He said he reached out to Ukraine to a publisher to ask if they needed anything – how he could help. They told him to send poems.
Me, writing to an older friend in Odessa: how can I help, please let me know I really want help
He writes back: Putins come and go. If you want to help, send us some poems and essays. We are putting together a literary magazine.
At face value, Ilya is a popular and successful poet. So publishing his work would boost the publisher. But on a deeper level, I think people crave art in troubling times. We cling to things we love and that spark joy for us. We watch movies, TV, read books and comics to process the world. There is so much we don’t have control over. It’s terrifying. But in the end, I do believe poetry matters. I do think the Ukrainian poets who are writing during a war matter.
Today's conversation w/ 80+ year old lit editor in Odessa (one who wanted poems for lit magazine when war started)
Me: how can I help today?
He: "I need nothing. I feel I am a witness to a catastrophe, but I need to live through it like everyone–and together with everyone."
In a tweet following up with the publisher, the man said, “I need nothing. I feel I am a witness to a catastrophe, but I need to live through it like everyone – and together with everyone.” Poetry is a way of living through something.
Would you like to share any personal thoughts on how the war in Ukraine has affected you?
From a very young age, I declared myself to be a pacifist. I think any death is a catastrophe, and perhaps that makes me naive. Call me Pollyanna, I’d rather be full of hope than full of hate. While I am not directly impacted by the war right now, the entire world is and will be impacted by this situation for years to come. We don’t know still what is to come. Writers and artists need to be witnesses to this disaster, and we also need to balance that with activism to force our leaders to stand up for displaced people worldwide.
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