Two new surveys from major Houston galleries explore the influential legacy of artists from the past.
OBJECTS: REDUX–HOW 50 YEARS MADE CRAFT CONTEMPORARY
At the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) through January 5, 2020, “Objects: Redux–How 50 Years Made Craft Contemporary” commemorates the 50th anniversary of “Objects: USA,” a seminal exhibition of American crafts that debuted at the Smithsonian National Collection of Fine Arts. Fast forward to today and this show appropriately features a selection of work by artists who participated in 1969–including Wendell Castle, Arline Fisch, George Nakashima and more–plus many influential contemporary makers. This outing depicts the way craft became contemporary in the 1960s and ’70s as artists attempted to push boundaries and challenge American craft traditions, and how the field has evolved over the past half century. Important works in materials like silver, wood, plastic and glass that have become classics of the American Studio Craft movement will be on display alongside contemporary pieces that may one day be held in similar esteem.
BEATRIZ GONZALEZ: A RETROSPECTIVE
While the name Beatriz Gonzalez may not ring a bell for most American art lovers, fans of powerful contemporary pieces may enjoy familiarizing themselves with the Colombian artist’s bold oeuvre. Through January 20, 2020, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is hosting the first U.S. exhibition dedicated to her work. Born in 1938 and based in Bogota, Gonzalez is internationally acclaimed for her more than six decades of thought-provoking production. She is also one of the few living examples of the “radical women” generation from Latin America, a band of 100-plus feminist creators of politically charged and socially conscious works from the 1960s through the ’80s. Her more than 130 pieces currently on view range from paintings, such as La pesca milagrosa, to 3D recycled furniture and everyday objects. Culled from her personal archive and from public and private collections in Colombia, Europe and the U.S., the art is sure to make a lasting impression.
