The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, the first fashion exhibition devoted to the French couturier, departs the Dallas Museum of Art after February 12, 2012. To offer visitors extra time to say “au revoir,” the DMA will extend the exhibition hours throughout the closing weekend. Friday, February 10, through Sunday, February 12, view the critically acclaimed international exhibition from 11 a.m. through 11 p.m.

Enjoy cocktails and dinner in the Atrium with Jean Paul Gaultier–inspired small plates from 5:00 until 10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The DMA will present Jean Paul Gaultier on film beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday during the closing weekend. The films feature costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier or include interviews with the avant-garde designer. Stock up on Gaultier merchandise, including limited quantities of the exhibition catalogue and Jean Paul Gaultier by MIKLI eyewear, in the Exhibition Boutique and take The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier home.

Visit the exhibition during First Tuesday on Tuesday, February 7 for only $10 from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.! General admission to the DMA is free throughout the day with special activities for our youngest visitors and their families. That evening, experience a one-of-a-kind musical performance ranging from Gershwin to Gaga during Fashioned Forward at the Dallas Museum of Art. Arts & Letters Live is pleased to host Ryan Taylor, the Director of Artistic Administration at the Phoenix Opera, as he conducts six musicians in response to Jean Paul Gaultier’s creative vision during an evening of musical selections spanning numerous time periods.

Artful Musings: Fashioned Forward

Inspired by the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

Tuesday, February 7; 7:30 p.m.

Horchow Auditorium

Using fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier’s creative spirit as inspiration, six musicians respond to his collections in a one-of-a-kind, one-night-only performance with musical selections ranging from Mendelssohn and Madonna to Gershwin and Gaga. This marks the seventh collaboration with artistic programmer Ryan Taylor, who will create a multimedia extravaganza blending visuals of Gaultier’s work with musical and literary excerpts designed to resonate with the imagination of the celebrated French couturier, designer, and social provocateur.

Tickets: $37; reduced prices available for DMA members, students, and seniors. To purchase tickets online www.tickets.dallasmuseumofart.org/public or call 214-922-1818

6:00-7:30 p.m. Ticketholders have the opportunity to view the exhibition (included in admission to the performance) The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.

Jean Paul Gaultier Film Showcase

Viewer discretion is advised due to adult content and language found in some of the films, which are specified below.

Horchow Auditorium

Free with general admission

Friday, February 10, 2012

Les Falbalas de Jean Paul Gaultier
Friday, February 10; 4:00 p.m.

Combining interviews with Jean Paul Gaultier, commentary by those close to him, and footage from family films, French filmmaker Tonie Marshall reveals the designer’s personal and professional world.

This film is not rated (59 minutes).

In French with English subtitles

The City of Lost Children
Friday, February 10; 6:00 p.m.

Costumed by Jean Paul Gaultier and set in a world where Cyclops, Strongmen, and other carnival characters navigate a treacherous society, one man is determined to save the children being kidnapped for their dreams by a scientist bound to steal them in hopes of living forever.

This film is rated R (112 minutes).

Truth or Dare
Friday, February 10; 9:00 p.m.

Jean Paul Gaultier was the fashion designer for Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, and first-time filmmaker Alek Keshisian was allowed complete access, both on-stage and backstage, during the tour. The result is Truth or Dare, a fascinating look at one of contemporary music’s true phenomena.

This film is rated R (118 minutes).
Viewer discretion is advised due to brief nudity and strong language.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Jean Paul Gaultier: The Day Before
Saturday, February 11; 4:00 p.m.

Granting journalists access behind the scenes of the fashion world, The Day Before films the intensity, stress, anxiety, humor, and joy of the thirty-six hours before a major fashion show.

This film is not rated (52 minutes).

In French with English subtitles

The Fifth Element
Saturday, February 11; 6:00 p.m.

From the streets of New York to distant planets, the strange universe of the 23rd century is dependent on the discovery of the fifth element. Starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich with costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier.

This film is rated PG-13 (126 minutes).

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
Saturday, February 11; 9:00 p.m.

Peter Greenaway’s extravagance in cinematography is matched only by the costumes of Jean Paul Gaultier in this lavish film. Starring Oscar-winner Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, and Tim Roth, this film tells the story of love and marriage gone terribly awry over dinner.

This film is rated NC-17 (124 minutes).
Viewer discretion is advised due to nudity, strong language, and adult situations.

IDs will be checked for entry to screening.

Marilyn Crying Dyptic by Russell Young, 2011 (image courtesy the artist)

Russell Young Retrospective
Goss-Michael Foundation
March 7 through March 31, 2012

The Goss-Michael Foundation will premiere a retrospective exhibition by prominent British artist Russell Young. The exhibition will open to the public on March 7 and continue through March 31.

The Goss-Michael Foundation, a nonprofit organization, exists to educate, engage and inspire audiences by presenting exhibitions of British contemporary art, as well as provide vast resources, educational programs and scholarships to aspiring artists.

Earlier exhibitions have featured Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Sarah Lucas, Marc Quinn, Nigel Cooke and Michael Craig-Martin.

It was 20 years ago that Russell Young first lent his eye to celebrity culture. That assignment was photographing Foundation co-founder and music icon George Michael for the sleeve of the album Faith, which won the 1989 Grammy Award for Album of the Year and sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

That job launched a career and soon Young was shooting musicians like Morrissey, Bjork, Springsteen, Dylan, REM, New Order, The Smiths, Diana Ross, Paul Newman and many other celebrities. The next natural step was directing music videos; Russell directed a hundred music videos during the height of MTV.

Ten years into his career, Young started painting, but his work remained private until 2003, when Young showed his first series, and first sold-out show of paintings, called Pig Portraits, about the glamour in the dark side of crime, fame, sex, drugs, rock and roll.  On the heels of the first series came Fame + Shame, a visual celebration of the inevitable fallout of resulting chaos that comes from the three decades of cultural excess.

Dirty Pretty Things is one of the first diamond dust prints he produced and reflects Young’s love for light after growing up under the leaden skies of Northern England. One of the most famous images is his Marilyn Monroe in Living Well is the Best Revenge.

In 2010, Young endured an eight-day coma, pneumonia and ARDS: all induced by the H1N1 flu virus. He emerged from his near-death experience with severe memory loss and an incredibly weak body. During his long recovery he began to examine his life and his surroundings in a whole new way. Young left the hospital and had to learn to breath, write, draw, think and walk for the second time in his life.

Young came again to paint. This time, freed from the domestication of the “picture world” as a feral boy, his art was filled with a new, rough energy of violence, sex and power. With the Helter Skelter series, Young learned to dance with this energy, crossing into the subconscious.

“My work is sort of a soundtrack to my life, loves, experiences and influences and my method of working is to search, destroy and create. The images of this series have been collected from newspaper cuttings, eBay, and long correspondence with police departments throughout the world or even given by celebrities themselves. The idea to create ‘anti-celebrity’ portraits was probably a reaction to my former career,” said Young. “However, they turned out to be even more beautiful and iconic. There is undeniably this attitude that is very real, in your face, a beauty that is hard to ignore. My art is a sort of soundtrack to my life, loves, experiences and influences. These would be my heroes that are missing from art history.”

In addition to the images that will be seen in this retrospective, Young is also exposing his studio to the world through a 24-hour live webcam broadcast over the coming months. This performance piece will be streamed from his studio in California and can be viewed at www.russellyoung.com/cam.

Russell Young has risen to become one of the most collected and sought after artists of our time. Celebrities and the most discriminating collectors like Abby Rosen, the Gettys, Elizabeth Taylor, David Hockney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, David Bowie and President Barack Obama have added Young’s works to their collections. His larger than life screen print images from history and popular culture are compelling, daunting, and undeniable.

Young is married to actress Finola Hughes and they have three young children: Dylan, Cash and Sadie.   He lives and works in New York and California.

The GMF is pleased to present this exhibition which will highlight Young’s most famous works including a number of pieces mentioned above.

The Goss-Michael Foundation

The Goss-Michael Foundation was founded by George Michael and Kenny Goss in June 2007. The Foundation offers the public a rotating schedule of exhibitions derived from Goss and Michael’s private collection of British contemporary art as well as other institutions. These exhibitions serve as a challenge to preconceived art notions and strive to set a new standard in artistic awareness by providing visitors with fresh and fascinating art experiences. Through these experiences, the Foundation hopes to generate new perspectives and conversations on the creative methods of contemporary artists. Locally, the Foundation is dedicated to contributing to Dallas’ thriving artistic community and enhancing the public’s familiarity and interaction with contemporary and emerging British artists. The Foundation fosters young artists in Dallas, and throughout Texas through numerous scholarships and art education programs.

The Goss-Michael Foundation hours are Tuesday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, Monday by appointment only. There is no charge to visit the Foundation.

Marilyn Crying Dyptic by Russell Young, 2011 (image courtesy the artist)

Chihuly at the Dallas Arboretum, May 5 through November 5, 2012

Renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, brings his dramatic sculptures and installations to the Dallas Arboretum May 5 – November 5, 2012. The award‐winning, 66‐acre garden will display Chihuly’s transformative contemporary glass sculptures and installations.

Chihuly’s monumental designs appeal to people of all ages and have been seen in more than 200 museums, gardens and other venues around the world. Presented by AT&T, and made possible by Bank of America, the Dallas Arboretum is proud to host Chihuly’s highly‐anticipated exhibition.

Inspired by nature, Chihuly’s spectacular installations will be specifically designed to respond to the vistas architecture and magnificent garden at the Arboretum. “AT&T is proud to support this world‐class exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum,” said Holly Reed, regional vice‐president, AT&T. “Chihuly at the Dallas Arboretum will provide a memorable educational and cultural experience not only for the children and aduls in North Texas, but visitors across the state and beyond.”

“Bank of America is dedicated to strengthening the surrounding communities we serve,” said Richard Holt, Dallas president, Bank of America. “We’re proud to partner with our fellow corporate citizen AT&T for this Chihuly exhibition at the Dallas Arboretum. This unique opportunity will not only bring a global cultural experience to the residents and visitors of Dallas but also provde significant economic impact that contributes to the local economy.”

Chihuly Nights, will be powered by Cirro Energy. The garden will feature illuminated sculptures and various dining options three nights a week. Extended garden hours until 10 p.m. will offer visitors many opportunities to see this exhibit. During the daytime, the Arboretum will offer educational materials, programs and classes for children and adults.

Supported by the Dallas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Dallas Morning News, the Chihuly exhibit is expected to attract both local and out of town visitors during its six‐month run. American Airlines is the official air carrier of the 2012 Chihuly exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX, 75218. The Arboretum is open daily from 9am until 5pm and 6 – 10 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for Chihuly and concert nights. General daytime admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, $9 for children 3‐12, and free for Arboretum members and children two and under. On‐site parking is $10.

Evening admission for non‐members is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 65 and older and $12 for children 3‐12 with reduced prices for members. There is no charge for parking during our evening events.

For more information and other events, call 214.515.6500 or visit the Arboretum’s website at www.dallasarboretum.org.

Art to Heart, works by Artists’ Showplace gallery owners that celebrate Valentine’s Day, will be featured in the gallery’s February exhibition.  The show runs February 3-25, with an opening reception on Friday, February 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. that is free to the public, with wine and hors d’oeurves. 

Artists’ Showplace is located at 15615 Coit Road, Suite 230, in the southwest quadrant of Spanish Village at Coit and Arapaho. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Artists’ Showplace also has workshops held throughout the year given by internationally renowned artists and offers weekly art lessons in its fully equipped classrooms.

What:

Art to Heart by Artists’ Showplace gallery owners

Where:

Artists’ Showplace gallery
15615 Coit Road, Suite 230

When:

February 3-25, 2012

Reception:

Friday,  February 10, 6-9 p.m. – free to the public

Gallery Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone number: 972-233-1223.
www.theartistsshowplace.com

End of Day, Palo Duro Canyon (The Wagon) by Reveau Bassett

Dallas Fine Art Auction (DFAA) brings together three prominent members of the Texas, Western, and American art scene; David Dike Fine Art, Debbie Leeuw Fine Art, and Dallas Auction Gallery. Dallas Fine Art Auction presents a premier Western and Texas fine art auction annually. The DFAA partnership began in 2010 with a goal to provide both collectors and artists excellent service, personal attention, and scholarly knowledge about Texas and Western art. The annual auction will be held at Dallas Auction Gallery on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

The inaugural auction in 2011 proved DFAA to be a major player in the Texas and Western Art Market. An audience of roughly 500 people with another 200 online and phone bidders confirmed that collectors are hungry for good art and willing to pay strong prices for fresh, new to the market, quality artwork. Both collectors and consignors appreciated working with an efficient and reputable auction house.

The auction weekend is full of exciting events including a cocktail preview party on Friday evening and a live auction on Saturday at 2pm. Some of the most famous names in early Western, Texas and American art will be available at auction on January 28th, 2012 at 2pm. The second annual sale will include works by artists like Sydney Laurence, Robert Wood, Reveau Bassett, William Lester and Otis Dozier. Dallas Fine Art Auction is open for preview Monday- Saturday from 10-5 p.m.

Bidders are welcome to bid live, by phone or absentee bidding and live online at www.liveauctioneers.com. To view the entire catalog please visits our website at www.DallasFineArtAuction.com or call 214-653-3900 to request a catalog.

Mount McKinley by Sydney Laurence

David Dike Fine Art was established in 1986 in the Arts District of Uptown Dallas. Still currently located in the Arts District, the gallery specializes in late 19th and 20th century American and European oil paintings with an emphasis on the Texas Regionalists and Texas Landscape painters. The gallery strives to provide both new and mature collectors with an immense compellation of traditional and some non-traditional works. David Dike is a past-president of the Dallas Art Dealers Association and has been a member of the New England Appraisers Association of America and the Fine Art Dealers Association for over fifteen years. He has contributed to numerous Texas art symposiums, retrospectives and exhibitions across the state. David has contributed to the following books on Texas Art: Dictionary of Texas Art, by Paula and Michael Grauer in 1999 and Texas Painters, Sculptors and Artists, by John and Deborah Powers, 2001. He is recognized nationally as an authority of Texas Art and has joined forces with Dallas Fine Art Auction to share his knowledge.

Dallas Auction Gallery is a family-owned and operated international antiques and fine art auction house. The Gallery offers only the highest quality antiques and fine art, as well as impeccable client service and effortless, seamless transactions for both buyers and sellers. DAG’s highly trained auction specialists provide full-service estate consignment management and professional promotion and marketing, all designed to maximize values with the utmost integrity and personal service. Both buyers and sellers appreciate the Gallery’s hands-on approach, simplified fee structure, and ability to handle estates of any size. The company recently launched Dallas Auction Gallery Appraisal Services for clients and estate planners interested in appraisals conducted by our expert staff, each of whom is a member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), the worldwide standard of appraisal excellence. Scott Shuford, the president of DAG states that “ Dallas Fine Art Auction is way to showcase Texas and Western art through various fields of expertise and offer valuable service to artists and collectors.”

Debbie Leeuw carries on the legacy of “Passion for Art” that Bill Burford started with Texas Art Gallery in 1964. Texas Art Gallery closed its’ doors in 2009, but Debbie Leeuw Fine Arts remains dedicated to bringing together artists, artwork and collectors. Debbie Leeuw strives to give special personal attention to quality artwork as well as have first class customer service, setting her apart from the crowd. Debbie Leeuw is known for her commissions, consulting, referrals and buying of 19th and 20th century American and European oils, watercolors and bronzes with emphasis on western and impressionistic works. Debbie Leeuw’s passion for artwork is not only what she is well known for, but also what makes her successful with every endeavor she completes. She joined Dallas Fine Art Auction to contribute her proficiency of western art.

Rainy Day in Spring North of San Antonio Texas by Julian Onderdonk, 1919-1921

Corazón de Mujer by Juan Torres-Zavala

The 18th Annual El Corazón Art Exhibition
Bath House Cultural Center
February 4 through March 3, 2012

The Bath House Cultural Center presents the 18th Annual El Corazón exhibition, a show that features diverse creations inspired by the heart (El Corazón), an important symbol in Mexican and Latin American art, and a significant theme in western culture. The exhibition will run from February 4 to March 3, 2012. An opening reception with the artists will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 7 to 9 p.m. Both the exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public.

When Jose Vargas, a visual artist and independent exhibition curator from Dallas, first saw a picture of a heart pierced by an arrow depicted with the number 27 and the words El Corazón on the playing card of the Mexican game, Loteria, he knew that his next project would be related to such a powerful and inspiring symbol. After seeking and finding artists who were also fascinated by the aesthetics and cultural and artistic relevance of the heart, Mr. Vargas curated and presented their artwork in the first El Corazón exhibition in 1993 with great success. The show soon became an annual tradition and an extremely popular event for the Bath House Cultural Center and for the vast number of regional artists who have participated in this passionate and delightfully eclectic art show throughout the years.

The artwork included in the 2012 El Corazón includes paintings, sculptures, photography, and mixed-media art.

The artists featured in the exhibition are:

ARTners Group, Kerian Babbitt-Massey, Awadh Baryoum, Carley Blackman, Angie Bolling, Eunice Bridges, Debbie Buie, Rebecca Collins, Liz Conrad, Ray-Mel Cornelius, Patricia Curry, Katrina Doran, Lori Dudley, Gina Marie Dunn, Brett Dyer, Jacque Forsher, Tyra Goodley, Cindy Gray, Rebecca Guy, Kimberly Harris, Hayden Harris, Anna Hernandez, Lizzett Herrera, Antoaneta Hillman, Suzan Kumar, Katrine Kyhnel, Joanna LaGrone-Headrick, Rachel E. Lord, Eli Lorenz, Roberta Masciarelli, Julia McLain, Julie Mortillaro, Teri Muse, Lauri Osburn Thomas, Becky Phillips, Evy Pitcher, Adam Ramirez, Marty Ray, Richard Ray, Alfredo Rodriguez, Lesley Rucker, Lowell Sargeant, Kate Schatz, Armando Sebastian, Heather Shoulders, Pam Stern, Linda Stokes, Diane Torres, Juan Torres-Zavala, Melissa Jane Wertz and David Zarazúa II.

About the Exhibition Curator

In addition to his duties as exhibition curator, Mr. Vargas is also an active visual artist. He has displayed his art photographs and paintings extensively in local and regional art venues. Mr. Vargas conceived the annualEl CorazonandVirgen de Guadalupeexhibitions, two popular exhibitions in Dallas, and has curated both shows for the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs with great acclaim since 1993.

Please visit www.bathhousecultural.comfor more information and to preview selected art pieces from the exhibition.

The Sacred Heart of Mary by Carley Blackman

Noted art patron and longtime TWO x TWO supporter, Amy Phelan, has accepted the position of Event Chair for the Saturday, October 20th gala and auction. Included in Artnews as one of the top two hundred art collectors, Amy currently serves on the boards of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Meadows School of Art – SMU and Creative Time. Amy is also committed to serving on various councils of art institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA, the Aspen Art Museum, the Nasher Sculpture Center and the American Patrons of the Tate. Amy’s involvement in all aspects of the art world, from maintaining close relationships with artists to exhibiting their work worldwide, demonstrates her enduring enthusiasm for and dedication to contemporary art.

“Each year, TWO x TWO has raised the bar in fund raising for two very important charities,” said Amy (Mrs. John) Phelan. “I look forward to collaborating with Cindy and Howard Rachofsky to make 2012 another record-breaking year.”

Dallas collectors Lindsey and Patrick Collins have been selected as Art Chairs for the 2012 event.

It was also announced that Richard Phillips will be the recipient of amfAR’s 2012 Award of Excellence for Artistic Contributions to the Fight Against AIDS at the 14th annual event in October 2012. He has supported TWO x TWO over the years, most recently with a remarkable large scale painting of actress Lindsay Lohan at the 2010 Dallas event.

Born in Massachusetts in 1962, Richard Phillips lives and works in New York. He has exhibited his work in many individual and group exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe, including an important survey exhibition and catalogue at Le Consortium, Dijon in 2004, and is represented in important public and private collections such as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; the Denver Museum, CO; the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, TX; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami; UBS Paine Webber Art Collection, New York; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Tate Modern, London; Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

Drawing prominent artists, art collectors and philanthropists from around the world, the annual black-tie gala is part of a week-long series of events.  It is the largest U.S. fundraiser for both amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art. An eagerly anticipated event that quickly sells out, the gala benefit features a seated dinner for 450 guests with both a live and silent auction of major works of contemporary art and unique luxury items.

Over the years, previous VIP celebrity guests at TWO x TWO events have included Sharon Stone, Sigourney Weaver, Shirley MacLaine, Liza Minnelli, Barry Manilow, Natasha Richardson, John Benjamin Hickey, Taylor Dayne, Dita Von Teese, Stanley Tucci, Harry Belafonte, Gavin Rossdale, Alan Cumming, Cheyenne Jackson and Patti LaBelle.

Renowned artists Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel, April Gornik, Joel Shapiro, Cecily Brown, Tom Friedman, Elizabeth Peyton, Jim Hodges, Peter Doig, Christopher Wool and Mark Grotjahn have been honored.  During the live auction at the 2011 event, artist Mark Grotjahn’s piece went for a record-breaking $1 million.

For more information, please visit www.2x2online.org.

ABOUT TWO x TWO FOR AIDS AND ART

Since its inception, TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art has raised more than $34 million in support of essential AIDS research at amfAR and for the Contemporary Art Acquisitions Fund at the Dallas Museum of Art. TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art is the largest U.S. fundraiser for amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art and is recognized as one of the top events in Dallas.

BENEFICIARIES

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $340 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide. Visit www.amfar.org.

The Dallas Museum of Art, established in 1903, has an encyclopedic collection of more than 23,000 works spanning 5,000 years of history and representing all media with renowned strengths in the arts of the ancient Americas, Africa, Indonesia, and South Asia; European and American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; and American and international contemporary art. Over 100 significant artworks have been acquired by the Museum with proceeds from TWO x TWO.

The Dallas Museum of Art is the anchor of the growing Dallas Arts District and, in all its vitality, serves as a cultural magnet for the city with diverse programming ranging from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, literary readings, and dramatic and dance presentations. The Museum serves more than one-half million visitors a year and offers more than 3,500 education and public programs annually designed to engage people of all ages with the power and excitement of art. Visit www.dallasmuseumofart.org .

Brian Roughton, Director of American & European Art, Heritage Auctions

Heritage Auctions has announced that longtime dealer, gallery owner and private collection curator Brian Roughton has joined the company as Director American and European Art. He has been an important fixture in the art business for more than four decades, and will bring that extensive experience, across all markets, to bear on his role at Heritage.

He will operate out of the company’s Design District Annex at 1518 Slocum Street, where regular previews and auctions are held.

“In life and especially in business, opportunity and a perfect fit are a rarity,” said Roughton. “Working with my friends and neighbors at Heritage as their new Director of American & European paintings is the perfect challenge. It gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge and to use my reputation and 45 years of experience with Heritage’s art staff to help raise the department to the next level.”

The enthusiasm for the opportunity is shared by Heritage staff as well, as the ever-growing Department of Fine Arts continues to uncover and offer ever-increasing levels of quality material. Heritage recently expanded in California with the addition of Deborah Solon, West Coast Director of American Art and Alissa Ford, Director of California Art. Roughton also complements the Dallas Fine Arts team, including Marianne Berardi, Senior Art Expert; Ariana Hartsock, Fine Arts Consignment Director; Kirsty Buchanan, Associate Director of Western Art and Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President, based in Heritage Auctions’ Park New York offices.

“We’re thrilled to have Brian on-board at Heritage and sincerely believe he’s the right fit for this position,” said Ed Beardsley, Vice President of Heritage and Managing Director of the Department of Fine Arts. “He’s from Texas with a great national reputation, tremendous experience and the expertise to back it up – just like Heritage itself.”

Roughton, whose family moved to Dallas when he was seven, had his own art studio at the age of seven. It was the humble beginning of a journey that would take him to the top of the art business.

In 1964 Roughton took a part time job at one of Texas art dealer John Newbern’s galleries in Fort Worth to supplement his income and help further support his young family. It was to prove a fateful decision and the first step in a long and fruitful career. Newbern soon put Roughton in charge of his other galleries. With the businesses struggling, Roughton consolidated the business and turned it on a path to profit.

After a short time away from the art business in the early 1970s, Roughton returned in ’74 to open Roughton Galleries in Dallas’s Turtle Creek Village. In the late ‘70s, acting on the advice of a client to focus on “important” art – specifically paintings from the 19^th and early 20^th century recognized as valuable enough to weather a bad economy – he changed his focus and soon found himself and his business occupying a whole different level of success.

His business moved to Fairmount Street in Dallas in the 1980s, where it has remained since. The business has also boasted locations in both New York and Los Angeles. The Dallas gallery will remain where it is as Roughton takes up his duties at Heritage, where it will continue to be operated by his family.

Much like Heritage, Roughton was an early user of emerging virtual technology, which he believes has been key to his success.

“I was an early adopter of the Internet, starting in 1995,” he said, “which made me one of, if not the very first gallery to have a Website. I would estimate that today at least 95% of my business is done via the Web.”

Considered an expert in both 19^th and early 20^th century important American and European paintings, Roughton has helped build important art collections for both individuals and corporations while also working closely with curators at several museums to acquire works for their public collections. He is a member and past board member of FADA (Fine Art Dealers Association), IAGA (International Art Galleries Association) and is a certified member of IFAA (International Art Appraisers), the most important professional Art Appraiser organization.

He’s spent the last two years working on retainer with Heritage, vetting consignments, so this move is seen as a natural progression on both sides.

“You can take all of Brian’s expertise and experience on its own as an impressive recommendation,” said Beardsley, “but what really distinguishes him from the pack is his unabated passion for great art. Above all, he understands that a collector will never buy if they don’t have the passion for a piece. It’s a philosophy that both Brian and we at Heritage share. We’re hoping the result of his joining us is the elevation of Heritage’s Fine Arts Department to the next level of reputation, consignment and sales.”

Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $800 million, and 700,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

Brian Roughton, Director of American & European Art, Heritage Auctions

the Lightning's Bride (detail) by Elliott Hundley, 2011 (photo by Joshua White)

Elliott Hundley: The Bacchae
Nasher Sculpture Center
January 28 through April 22, 2012

The Nasher Sculpture Center is pleased to present Elliott Hundley: The Bacchae, January 28 – April 22, 2012, featuring 11 recent medium- to large-scale wall-mounted and free-standing constructions highlighting Elliott Hundley’s investigations of the ancient Greek tragedy The Bacchae (ca. 406 BC) by Euripides.  Encompassing a variety of media including assemblage, theatrical staging, and photography, this exhibition continues the Nasher’s exploration of sculpture’s rich and myriad possibilities.

“Elliott Hundley has garnered accolades for his dazzling, densely-layered reliefs and free-standing sculptures that bring together in novel fashion an extraordinary array of materials” notes Nasher Sculpture Center director Jeremy Strick.  “His exhibition offers works that are at once remarkable technical achievements, and powerful meditations on topics both primal and contemporary.”

Hundley conceives of his imposing mixed-media collages—or bulletin boards, as he sometimes calls them—as theatrical landscapes that restage and animate classical texts. First orchestrating elaborate photo shoots using sitters who play characters from Greek mythology, he interweaves the resulting photos with a vast array of organic and found materials, from wood to textiles, bamboo to spray paint, and a variety of found ephemera. The works become dense narratives that take the form of monumental wall-mounted collages complemented by free-standing, obliquely figural sculptures. Drawing on classical mythology, art history, philosophy, and drama – subjects of long-standing interest to Hundley – he uses his idiosyncratic visual language to collapse historical and narrative time and to examine current social and political conditions.

The Bacchae is a tale of revenge set in the ancient city of Thebes. The god Dionysus (Bacchus to the Romans) has decided to punish its citizens when they refuse to accept his claim that he is the son of Zeus.  After bringing the women of Thebes under his influence, Dionysus leads them out of the city and into the wilderness where they join his followers, the Bacchae, in worshipping him in ecstatic rituals. The god then convinces the king of Thebes, Pentheus, to spy on the women, who, upon discovering him, mistake him for a wild beast. Led by Pentheus’s own mother, Agave, the women rip the king limb from limb, killing him in the process. Agave then returns to Thebes, carrying her son’s head as a trophy, still unaware of her delusion. When Dionysus’s influence on her finally loosens, she is horrified to discover that she has murdered her own son.

a foot against his ribs by Elliott Hundley, 2011 (photo by Joshua White)

Organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University, Elliott Hundley: The Bacchae will be accompanied by an ambitious book with new essays by Wexner Chief Curator Christopher Bedford, poet Anne Carson, noted art historian Richard Meyer, and Doug Harvey, artist, writer, critic, curator, and educator, addressing subjects including Hundley’s development over the last decade, his engagement with filmic traditions, Greek tragedy as his most consistent inspiration, and the intricacies of his working process.  The catalogue will be lavishly illustrated with studio images, sketches, photographs, and process shots unpublished to date.

Elliott Hundley received his MFA in 2005 from UCLA and currently lives in Los Angeles. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in printmaking in 1997 and also attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2002. His drawings and collages have been shown in group exhibitions in New York at Daniel Reich Gallery and Andrea Rosen Gallery, and in Los Angeles at Cherry and Martin, Regen Projects, and Peres Projects. His work is found in several important collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Elliott Hundley: The Bacchae was organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University and made possible by a significant contribution from Battelle. Generous support for this exhibition is also provided by The Broad Art Foundation and Lonti Ebers, New York.

Please note: In additional to the exterior sunscreen, fabric shades have been installed in the ceiling for this exhibition to protect the works of art from excessive light reflected into the galleries by Museum Tower.

swarming over by Elliott Hundley, 2011 (photo by Joshua White)

About the Nasher Sculpture Center

Open since October 2003, the Nasher Sculpture Center is dedicated to the display and study of modern and contemporary sculpture.  The Center is located on a 2.4-acre site in the heart of the Dallas Arts District.  Renzo Piano, a world-renowned architect and winner of the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1998, is the architect of the Center’s 55,000-square-foot building.  Piano worked in collaboration with landscape architect Peter Walker on the design of the two-acre sculpture garden.

The Nasher Sculpture Center was the longtime dream of the late Raymond and Patsy Nasher, who together formed one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary sculpture in the world. The Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection includes masterpieces by Calder, De Kooning, Di Suvero, Giacometti, Hepworth, Kelly, Matisse, Miró, Moore, Picasso, Rodin, and Serra, among others, and continues to grow and evolve.

The Nasher Sculpture Center presents rotating exhibitions of works from the Nasher Collection as well as special exhibitions drawn from other museums and private collections.  In addition to 10,000 square feet of indoor gallery space, the Center contains an auditorium, education and research facilities, a cafe, and a store.

The Nasher Sculpture Center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm and until 11 pm for special events.  General Admission to the Center is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for students, and free for members and children 12 and under.  For more information, visit www.NasherSculptureCenter.org.

the Lightning's Bride (detail) by Elliott Hundley, 2011 (photo by Joshua White)

Lin-Manuel Miranda

NasherSALON featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda
Nasher Sculpture Center
Monday, March 5, 2012, at 8 p.m.

The Nasher Sculpture Center in collaboration with the AT&T Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda as a featured guest of the popular NasherSALON, bringing cultural conversations to the community.  Co-creator of the smash Broadway hit, In the Heights, Puerto Rican-American composer, rapper, lyrist and actor, Miranda became an instant sensation for writing and starring in the four-time Tony Award-winning musical.  In the Heights will be performed as part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Lexus Broadway Series from March 13 through 25, 2012.

The NasherSALON will take place on Monday, March 5 at 8 pm in the intimate, 200-seat Nasher Hall auditorium. Tickets are $65 ($50 for Members) and are available beginning Monday, February 6 at NasherSculptureCenter.org/Salon or 888.695.0888.

Lin-Manuel Miranda grew up in the diverse Manhattan community of Washington Heights and that, coupled with his background in a close-knit Puerto Rican family, inspired his work as a writer, composer and performer. In 2008, Miranda received a Tony Award for Best Score and a nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical in Broadway’s In the Heights, which won four Tony Awards that year including Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography and Best Musical. In addition to many other awards and nominations, the musical also took home a 2009 Grammy Award for its Original Broadway Cast Album.

As an actor, Lin-Manuel received a 2007 Theater World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance, and the 2007 Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Male Performance courtesy of Actor’s Equity Foundation. He has also performed for President Obama and the First Family at the White House for its first-ever Poetry Jam. Additionally, his TV and film credits include The Electric Company, Sesame Street, The Sopranos, House, Modern Family, The Sex and the City Movie, and the upcoming The Odd Life of Timothy Green.

The NasherSALON Speaker Series features cultural icons for intimate and enlightening conversations. Past speakers have included Tony and Emmy award winner Kristin Chenoweth; actor Kevin Bacon; author John Updike; choreographer Twyla Tharp; singer and songwriter Art Garfunkel; composer Philip Glass; architect Thom Mayne; actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover; screenplay authors Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana; actor and activist Spike Lee; actress and model Lauren Bacall; actor Robert Duvall; singer Gladys Knight; artist Jeff Koons;  and chef Wolfgang Puck.

The NasherSALON Speaker Series is sponsored by American Airlines, Rosewood Crescent Court, Carey Limousine and Modern Luxury.

About the Nasher Sculpture Center

Open since 2003 and located in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, the Nasher Sculpture Center is home to one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary sculptures in the world, the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, featuring more than 300 masterpieces by Calder, Giacometti, Matisse, Picasso, Rodin, and more. The longtime dream of the late Raymond and Patsy Nasher, the museum was designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano in collaboration with landscape architect Peter Walker.

Hailed by the “USA Today” as one of the great sculpture gardens where art enhances nature, the roofless museum seamlessly integrates the indoor galleries with the outdoor spaces creating a museum experience unlike any other in the world. On view in the light-filled galleries and amid the landscaped grounds are rotating works from the Collection, as well as blockbuster exhibitions and one-of-a-kind installations by the most celebrated artists of our times. In addition to the indoor and outdoor gallery spaces, the Center contains an auditorium, education and research facilities, a cafe, and a store.

The Nasher brings the best of contemporary culture to Dallas through special programs designed to engage visitors, including artist talks, lecture programs, contemporary music concerts, educational classes and exclusive member events.

The Nasher Sculpture Center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm and until 11 pm for special events, and from 10 am to 5 pm on the first Saturday of each month.  Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for students, and free for members and children 12 and under, and includes access to special exhibitions.  For more information, visit www.NasherSculptureCenter.org.

About In The Heights

The national touring company of In the Heights will make its Dallas debut as part of the Lexus Broadway Series at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera House, March 13 – 25, 2012.  In the Heights takes place in Manhattan, in the shadow of the George Washington Bridge, where a group of hard-working immigrants live, laugh and love as they seek a better life in their new country. For more information, visit www.attpac.org/heights.

Lin-Manuel Miranda