The offices of D Magazine shut down for the last week of December, so we missed a few late year happenings. Here are a few of the highlights from the week away (Pictured above: Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Umbrella Project in Japan. Christo will be coming to Dallas in February):
1. Dallas Theater Center artistic director Kevin Moriarty has extended his contract with the regional theater through August 2014. The announcement came with news that the Theater Center enjoyed a budget surplus during its first season in the new Wyly Theatre. It is good to see some stability in the Arts District, since the employment trend on Flora has tended towards resignations of late. There’s a full release here, which includes a recap of some of the highlights from Moriarty’s first three years as artistic director.
2. You remember the Dallas Art History blog that was set to launch on December 10? Well, Sam Blain and company managed to get up the first post up on December 26, and what a post it is. Blain’s 11,000-word piece begins with a defense of wildflower artist Chapman Kelley and artist rights activist John Viramontes against a dismissive post on Glasstire by editor Kelly Klaasmeyer. Then, Blain dives though his own connections to Dallas art history as a way of establishing his credibility as a local art historian. It is a long, but worthwhile read, which turns up an unexpected connection between the Dallas scene and abstract impressionist Jackson Pollock and gets down and dirty with some inheritance intrigue involving the Dallas Museum of Art. We’ll return to Blain’s piece tomorrow, and I’ll cull together some highlights and share some thoughts about the lengthy essay.
3. The intriguing collaborations between local arts institutions continue. The Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Architecture Forum have announced an ongoing Design Symposium collaboration which promises to bring some major names to town for lectures, beginning with a doozy: Christo will speak at the Nasher on February 27. Needless to say, we’re quite proud that D Magazine is the media sponsor for the event.
4. Finally, friend of the program Michael Durkin noticed the work of a street artist that is poping up around town, and he sends along these photos (below). From Durkin:
I have no idea who this kid is and I think it’s just a fun, creative image (not necessarily a subversive, Banksy-esque style), but I thought it noteworthy enough to capture a few shots. I missed one already as it was painted over by the time I went back to take photos, but the ones I’ve seen are all in the northern part of the city- Richardson/Far North Dallas area.
Consider this an open call, dear readers: if you see any noteworthy scribbling on our fair city, please share.
