September 10: An Art-Filled Saturday

This weekend is a big weekend for the galleries around town. A majority of them will be having their fall openings, and if you’re looking for a fun and cheap night out on the town, you should check them out (really, you should)!

At CentralTrak— The University of Texas at Dallas Artists Residency—will be open on Saturday, September 10, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for LIQUID ANALOG, an exhibition of paintings and drawings by visiting artist and Houston native El Franco Lee II.

El Franco Lee II

Bright colors, densely-packed compositions, and elongated human forms make for a dynamic and almost over-stimulating perspective; yet, Lee’s “Urban Mannerist Pop Art” depicts scenes of the full range of human experience, including tragedy and anger.

A third generation resident of Houston’s 5th Ward, son of the County Commissioner, and the nephew of a Black Panther, this amiable artist has politics and protest in his blood. His socially reflective paintings confront controversial and unsettling subject matter—such as, hip-hop cultural turf wars and the tragedies of post-Katrina New Orleans. In addition to acting as a 21st Century historical painter, Lee creates fantasy images which are visual mash-ups of popular entertainers, super heroes, and contemporary sports figures.

I had the pleasure of assisting in installing this show, and the visual effect is overwhelming stimulating. Definitely something to experience if you’re a fan of T.I., Michael Jordan, Rick Ross, or just have an appreciation for the hip-hop culture. Lee’s take will give you something else to think about.

(Show runs from September 10-October 8)

Just down the street, 500X will be having it’s Annual Members’ Show. TEXAS HOT CHILLY, also opens on Saturday, September 10 from 7:00pm-10:00pm. (Show runs from September 10-October 2)

Also on Saturday, in the Design District, the newly formed art collective, 14+1, will be saying HELLO! This one is kind of special for me, because, well, I’m a part of it. The brainchild of Hillary (Hilly) Holsonback and Emily Loving, two MFA students at UT Dallas, they brought together 12 other artists from the Arts and Humanities graduate program at UT Dallas to start the group.

14+1 Collective

Each artist will display three pieces of original work that could stand alone or be interpreted by the viewer as an integrated sum of parts brought together to make a whole, thus altering the experience of viewing art entirely. Works on display will consist of sculpture, photography, painting, and performance.

Performing and exhibiting at the event are Andy Amato, Emily Loving, Robin Myrick, F Kites, Frank Tringali, Hillary Holsonback, Paul Snelson II, T.J. Griffin, Val Curry, Willie Baronet, Yaseen Benhalim, and me, with two art writers/historians: Leigh Arnold and Sandi Edgar.

And the +1? Well, that’s you! And we would love to see you there. We open at 5:00pm (until 8:00pm). We are also excited to be bringing Denton brewery, Armadillo Ale, into the city to serve some local brew.

Look for red and black 14+1 logo at 1130 Dragon Street, Suite 110.

Other openings include:

Cris Worley Fine Arts

Charlotte Smith: Push

Reception: Saturday, September 10, 5:30PM – 8:30PM

On view September 10 – October 6, 2011

Cohn Drennan Contemporary

Margaret Evangeline & Suguru Hiraide steel: Fun with Guns and Pachinko

Reception: Saturday, September 10, 6PM – 8PM

On view September 10 – October 8, 2011

Conduit

Kirk Hayes, Guy Mendes & Sandra Ono