Park Avenue Art Star Brings His Larger-Than-Life Stunners to Houston

What: Rafael Barrios’ “Mind’s Eye” opening reception

Where: Art of the World Gallery

PC Moment: The Venezuelan-American artist Rafael Barrios, whose larger-than-life artworks have graced rarefied public air such as New York City’s Park Avenue, was fêted at the opening of his “Mind’s Eye” show (a comprehensive exhibition featuring 27 electric abstract sculptures) at the Art of the World Gallery in Houston.

Gallery owners/directors Liliana Molina and Mauricio Vallejo welcomed the Louisiana-born Barrios for his Texas debut. His sculptures, dazzling, forward-thinking pieces comprise an aesthetic he’s dubbed “Virtualism.” His sculptures appear to be wholly three-dimensional, instead of the carefully shaped steel sheets Barrios aligns on a plane, cleverly disorienting the viewer’s sense of space.

Following the main act, the hip Mediterranean hot-spot Fig & Olive provided a curated chef’s selection of bites for the VIP dinner, which drew a tony group of collectors.

Who: Philanthropist Joanne King Herring of Charlie Wilson’s War fame; Honorary Consul General of Sweden Astrid Marklund; artist Loli Fernandez-Andrade Kolber; joined by art aficionados including Found’s Ruth Davis, Connie McMaken, Silvia Salle, Micheline Newall, Pablo Henning, Regina Ramirez, Bettina Staartjes, Wanda and Federico Baptista, Bulgari’s Mario Gudmundsson, Holly and William Paul, Beth Wolff, Misi and Ali Moshiri, and Panta and Paris Beverly.