A Sneak Peek at Houston’s Most Buzzed About Art Bonanza

Major Changes for This Texas Art Fair

By Catherine D. Anspon // Aug 14, 2016

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"Abstraction and Nothing," featuring Stefan Brüggemann, Mario Garcia Torres, Aldo Chaparro, at FIFI Projects, Mexico City. The gallery is one of the artspace's coming to the Texas Contemporary Art Fair's "The Other Mexico Pavilion." (Courtesy the artists and FIFI Projects, Mexico City)

Daniel Ríos Rodríguez's "Oh You Crazy Moon," 2015-2016, at Lulu, Mexico City, an avant-garde space showcased in "The Other Mexico," at the Texas Contemporary Art Fair. (Courtesy the artist and Lulu, Mexico City)

Parallel Oaxaca is a progressive additon to the Texas Contemporary Fair's 6th edition. (Courtesy Parallel Oaxaca)

Fernando Palma Rodríguez's "Tlatla'zo'huenmanaz" at Parallel Oaxaca. The artist typifies the social, political, and conceptual fare served up by this year's Texas Contemporary. (Courtesy the artist and Parallel Oaxaca)

Independent curator Leslie Moody Castro returns to organize "The Other Mexico" for the Texas Contemporary Art Fair.

Art Market — producer of some of America’s most buzzed about art fairs including this summer’s Seattle Art Fair, brought forth by Paul Allen/Vulcan productions — is back. And they aren’t returning quietly. Art Market’s sixth iteration of the freewheeling Texas Contemporary Art Fair rolls into Houston with opening night set for Thursday, September 29, at the George R. Brown Convention Center (through Sunday, October 2).

With 65 galleries exhibiting and the return of “The Other Mexico,” a program curated by Mexico City-based Leslie Moody Castro, the 2016 edition promises to be smarter and more international than ever. This year, the focus on Mexico goes deeper, as the Consulate General of Mexico partners with the Fair to bring five emerging art spaces from four different cities in Mexico including Parallel Oaxaca, Lulu and FIFI Projects. Fairgoers can explore the art world’s hottest destination without going too far from their front doors.

The Texas Contemporary is poised to take advantage of the renovations of the George R. Brown — especially two new parking garages and public art curated by Christine West, Lawndale Art Center’s former director and Houston First’s new cultural programs manager.

The Fair is making big changes itself, beginning with the aesthetics: a just announced partnership with international art and design firm Gensler. Led by Kristopher Stuart, Evelyn Fujimoto and Ellyn Wulfe, the Gensler team has grand plans to redesign the VIP Lounge and cafe areas within the fairgrounds, giving visitors even more reasons to spend extra time basking in the art.

The Fair renews partnerships with Houston’s most important art and cultural centers, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Project Row Houses; Blaffer Art Museum; Asia Society Texas Center; FotoFest; and, of course, the Fair’s beneficiary, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

For the ultimate marriage of art and food, the fair will collaborate with Gracie Cavnar’s Recipe for Success to toast Recipe’s 10th anniversary with the delicious “The Art of Food” fund-raiser in the days leading up to opening night.

Just in: John and Becca Cason Thrash, last year’s Opening Night chairs, will again play a role. Stay tuned.

Texas Contemporary Art Fair, Opening Night, Thursday, September 29; Fair dates Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, at George R. Brown. Info/tickets txcontemporary.com