September 2013: Texas Biennial 2013

Deep in the Art of Texas by Paul Laster

The fifth edition of the Texas Biennial—TX★13—is bigger and better than ever!

Spread out among 80 museums, art centers, galleries, project spaces, and schools in 24 cities and towns across the state, this year’s biennial features exhibitions, performances, and talks by more than 100 artists chosen by 14 arts professionals—including Nasher Sculpture Center director Jeremy Strick, CAMH director Bill Arning, McNay Art Museum chief curator René Paul Barilleaux, Los Angeles art critic David Pagel, Galveston Arts Center curator Clint Willour, and several artists, including Fort Worth-born K8 Hardy and Austin-based art duo Teresa Hubbard and Alexander Birchler.

“The Texas Biennial was originally created by artists to provide an exhibition opportunity open to all artists based in the state,” said curator-at-large Virginia Rutledge. “But we're not interested in making any claim for a ‘Texan’ subject matter or regionalist style. This biennial explores what it means to be located in a particular place—and not just as an artist, but as an audience for contemporary art. So we've tried to highlight the infrastructure for contemporary art in Texas."

The main exhibition is a survey of 70 artists living and working in Texas at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum in San Antonio that was selected by the team of curators from an open call. Two special exhibitions curated by Rutledge and 2009 Texas Biennial curator Michael Duncan—New and Greatest Hits: Texas Biennial 2005-2011 at Big Medium in Austin and Texas Biennial Invitational: Christie Blizard, Marcelyn McNeil, Tom Orr and Brad Tucker at Lawndale Art Center in Houston—look back at work by previous participants.

CentralTrak, an artist residency and gallery at the University of Texas at Dallas, hosts programming by selected TX★13 artists throughout September, while Ballroom Marfa presents the TX★13 Commissioned Artist Project, consisting of a series of tote bags that were digitally produced from a visual archive assembled by 17 Texas artists known as the Dallas Collective, organized by SMU professor Michael Corris. Additionally, museums in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas, as well as other cultural capitals statewide, are highlighting Texas artists in their collection during the run of the biennial, which endsNovember 9th.

Whitehot Magazine tracked TX★13 from Austin to San Antonio and Houston—catching exhibitions, performances, and celebratory kick-offs along the way. Scroll through the images below to see some of the people that make the Texas art scene a vital place.

Design critic Adrienne Breaux with Linda Pace's Igloo at Big Medium in Austin

Andy Rihn with his wall hanging at MASS Gallery in Austin

Texas Biennial curator-at-large Virginia Rutledge with Jonathan Seliger sculpture at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin

Texas Biennial and Big Medium director Shea Little with Jonathan Marshall painting at Big Medium in Austin

 Jules, Cab and Mary Gilbreath with Anthony Sonneberg's sculpture at Big Medium

TJ Hunt with her installation at Big Medium

Jason Reed with his photographs at Big Medium

 Collector Suzanne Deal Booth with Wolfgang Tillmans photograph at her Texas Biennial cocktail party in Austin

The Contemporary Austin's curator Heather Pesanti and collector Ross Moody at Suzanne Deal Booth's Texas Biennial cocktail party

Testsite assistant director Sarah Bancroft at Suzanne Deal Booth's Texas Biennial cocktail party

Collector Michael A. Chesser at the W Residence in Austin

Blanton Museum of Art's curator of American and Contemporary Art Annette DiMeo Carlozzi with Keith Edmier installation

Collector Rick Liberto at his Texas Biennial cocktail party in San Antonio

Philanthropist Kim Lewis at Rick Liberto's Texas Biennial cocktail party

Artpace executive director Amada Cruz at Rick Liberto's Texas Biennial cocktail party

Artist Ken Little at Rick Liberto's Texas Biennial cocktail party

Artpace deputy director Mary Heathcott with Pak Sheung Chuen installation

Alice Leora Briggs with her installation at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio

San Antonio Museum of Art's curator of Contemporary Art David S. Rubin with Jack Goldstein painting

Galveston Arts Center's curator Clint Willour with Luis Jiménez sculpture at the San Antonio Museum of Art

Chief Curator René Paul Barilleaux with Julie Heffernan painting at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio

Chef Mark Bliss in the kitchen at Bliss in San Antonio

Artists Teresa Hubbard and Alexander Birchler at the Texas Biennial opening at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum in San Antonio

Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum consulting manager Steven Evans

Rebecca Carter with her installation at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Collectors Matt and Liz Tullis with Brad Tucker's installation at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Bernardo Cantu with his installation at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Linda Pace Foundation executive director Maura Reilly and LPF board member Jan Jarboe Russell at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Art critic and Texas Biennial curator David Pagel with Adela Andea's installation at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum board chair Edward Valdespino with Debra Barrera's sculpture

Kelly O'Connor with her work at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Gabriel Dawe with his work at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

 Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum program manager Elizabeth Lyons

Jeff Gibbons with his work at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Natali Leduc performance at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

 Houston Mayor Annise Parker at the Menil Collection in Houston

Artist and Project Row Houses founder Rick Lowe at the Menil Collection

Menil Collection director Josef Helfenstein with Andy Warhol painting

Executive director Christine West with Christie Blizard installation at Lawndale Art Center in Houston

Texas Biennial media director Lauren Gehrig with Daniel Anguilu and Aaron Parazette's mural at Lawndale Art Center