This week has been a torrent of developments in the North Texas art scene.
On Tuesday night, the Nasher Sculpture Center announced the fourth recipient of its prestigious Nasher Prize, presented to an artist with a sculpture concentration who contributes to a conversation about art. The 2019 laureate is Isa Genzken, a German contemporary artist who creates sculpture, as well as videos, films, collage and photography. (If her work, right, or name seems familiar, four years ago, Genzken was the focus of a retrospective, co-sponsored by MOMA, at the Dallas Museum of Art.)
On Thursday evening, the Goss-Michael Foundation will host a public reception for the featured artist of its latest solo show Jwan Yosef, with the artist is attendance. The Syrian-born, Yosef, of Kurdish-Armenian descent, grew up in Sweden, and his mixed background informs his interests in materials and our relationship to them…. including a preoccupation with Rock Hudson, above. (If his name sounds familiar, if might be because his husband is actor-musician Ricky Martin.) The exhibit runs through Nov. 15.
Now open at the African American Museum in Fair Park is the exhibit Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty, which focuses on the hundreds of “owned” humans who lived and worked at the home of the man who wrote “All men are created equal.” It runs during the State Fair and through Dec. 31.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has announced an initiative, spurred by a $5 million donation by Ross and Margot Perot, that provides affordable admission at any time (not just special events or planned dates) to a variety of needs-based individuals. In addition to permitting first responders, active-duty military and veterans a right to enter any time for $1, it also provides $1 admission to those receiving qualified state and federal assistance, from Medicaid to SNAP.
Finally, the Crow Collection of Asian Art has officially rebranded as the Crow Museum, marking its 20th year of operation. The rebranding comes with a huge expansion of gallery space, the return of the Lotus Shop to the Crow space and special exhibits.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
