Living Icons Celebrated In Houston’s Evening of Inspiration —Rothko Chapel Honors a Civil Rights Legend, Cheech and an Art Star

Rothko Chapel’s Evening of Inspiration celebrated three living icons: actor/art collector/museum founder Cheech Marin, legendary civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and Art League Houston’s 2023 Artist of the Year Vincent Valdez. Chapel board member Maire Baldwin (whose husband David was not able to attend) served as chairman for the night at The Astorian, which attracted more than 200 attendees, including longtime supporters such as the luminous Lynn Wyatt and stalwart members of Houston’s art and human rights community.

The focal point was a lively discussion between ABC Channel 13’s Melanie Lawson and the honorees, touching on their personal interpretations of Chicano identity and the relationship between Chicano art and activism. The 93-year-old Huerta, known for co-founding (with fellow labor activist César E. Chávez) the United Farm Workers Association, brought the room to its feet when she led the chant: “Who has the power? We have the power! Sí, se puede!”

Rothko Chapel executive director David Leslie spoke of future advancements and revealed a new gift from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

“The Chapel is always looking outward, driven by the desire to serve more effectively, creatively and courageously,” Leslie says. “While the Chapel is both institution and movement, it is also community.”

Besides the seated dinner by Jackson & Company, Inspirit featured another course: The Benefit Art Auction, chaired by Robert McClain and McClain Gallery co-directors Sharon Graham and Hélène Schlumberger, with Melissa Richardson Banks of CauseConnect. More than $100,000 was raised via 27 donated works from national and Texas artists, including three top lots by John Alexander, who gave an impassioned speech on how Rothko Chapel founders Dominique and John de Menil laid the foundation for the multicultural Houston of diversity and inclusion; Delita Martin; and Dorothy Hood.

The introspective evening raised $414,000 to support Rothko Chapel’s ongoing mission and Opening Spaces campaign centered around revitalizing its Menil neighborhood campus.

PC Seen: Painter Mark Rothko’s son Christopher Rothko and wife Lori Cohen, in from New York City; Rothko Chapel’s Thuy M. Tran; LACMA’s Diana Magaloni Kerpel; Rothko Chapel board members including chair Troy Porter, Sanford Dow, Ellen Susman and Michele Sabino; city council member Joaquin Martinez; County Commissioner Adrian Garcia; Court of Appeals Justice Margaret Poissant; Franci Neely; Alecia Harris; Amber Mostyn; Bennie Flores Ansell; Linda Murray; gallerists Andrew Durham and Heidi Vaughan; Cullen Geiselman Muse, snapping up four artworks in the auction; Ann Stautberg; Michael Piana; Geraldina Wise; Erika Blumenfeld; Livy and Victor Lee; Laura Chen; and featured auction artists Ricky Armendariz, Patrick McGrath Muñíz, Joe Peña, Alex Rubio, Emilie Duval, Sonya Fe, Beth Secor, and Karen Navarro.