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A Closer Look Art Finds

Area museums exhibit some surprises.
By D Magazine |

Both visitors and residents are more likely to find themselves in the company of the big bronze steer sculptures in downtown Dallas or the oh-so-popu-lar Las Colinas mustangs than gazing at art in a museum. But this area has an unusually large concentration of high-quality art venues, some well off the beaten path. Here are some highlights (hours and permanent exhibit information are listed in On the Town. CityGuide page 4):



Among the older, brick-clad shops and warehouses in downtown Arlington is the former JCPenney store, a white 1950s Moderne cube which houses the Arlington Museum of Art. Since the museum opened in 19S7, the airy, light-flooded space has featured works in all media by contemporary Texas artists curated by director Joan Davidow. Coming to the museum in 1997 are works by graduates of the noted California Institute of the Arts.



The African American Museum, the only Southwestern institution devoted solely to works by African-Americans, doesn’t have a large permanent collection, but offers outstanding folk art. Contemporary art from the Caribbean is on display until Dec. 15, and photos, manuscripts and other artifacts will create a visual setting for an exhibit on the music of Duke Ellington and America’s jazz heritage (through Dec. 31).



Although the Amon Carter Museum was opened in 1961 to house the former Fort Worth Star-Telegram publisher’s collection of Western paintings and sculptures by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, it now also contains an enviable cache of American art spanning several centuries, including works by Thomas Cole, Stuart Davis and a recent acquisition by Georgia O’Keeffe. Master works from the museum’s collection of American photography, one of the country’s best, will be displayed this fall.

Over the summer, the museum underwent renovations including the replacement of an immense glass facade on one side of the museum, refurbishment of the main and mezzanine galleries, and the installation of a new lighting system.



The Kimbell Art Museum wears gracefully its reputation as one of the best small museums in the world. Exhibition quality, level of scholarship and the serenity of the environment easily confirm that prestige. The museum’s 1972 building, designed by American architect Louis Kahn, has vaulted ceilings and uses diffused natural light. Current exhibits are “The Women of the Pleasure Quarter: Japanese Paintings and Prints of the Floating World” that includes 107 paintings, wood block prints and illustrated books from the 17th through 19th centuries (through Dec. 1). In 1997, the Kimbell is planning exhibits based on the works of Michelangelo, Monet, Renoir and Georges de La Tour as well as African art from the Tervuren Museum and a display of Chinese works. The museum’s restaurant, The Buffet, makes a nice lunch spot.



The Dallas Museum of Art is the city’s encyclopedic institution, covering everything from Egyptian sarcophagi to contemporary video installations. There are plenty of fine objects to ferret out here. On the ground floor is a rarity- 11 paintings by the 20th-century master Piet Mondrian-and an outdoor sculpture garden. Major new galleries of African, Asian and Pacific art have just opened on the third floor. One of the museum’s major exhibits through Decernber is “Japan’s Golden Age: Momoyama,” which showcases feudal arts, many of which are registered as Japanese National Treasures. The DMA is serving as the only venue in the world for this exhibit. Coming in February is an exhibit of African art that explores the interaction of animals, humans and the environment. The museum’s new restaurant Seventeen Seventeen features New American cuisine.



Even though art lover Algur H. Meadows discovered that his vast collection was entirely made up of forgeries, he was not completely discouraged. Meadows started again from scratch-this time with better advice. In 1962 the Meadows Museum was created from his collection of Spanish art, which he donated to Southern Methodist University. This tiny jewel of a building now houses more than 600 works from Spain or Spanish-speaking countries, recently adding a rare suite of Picasso prints. On exhibit through Dec. S are paintings by noted African-American artist Jacob Lawrence, the recipient of this year’s Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence in the Arts. Also on campus is the little-known University Gallery at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. The modest exhibition space is a showcase for MFA graduates, but also holds some impressive surprises, such as an Alice Neel print show.



Dallas’ newest exhibition space, the McKinney Avenue Contemporary, was inaugurated in 1994 with an interdisciplinary program mances, concerts and lectures bolstering its claim to showcase the latest developments in all media. Now on display are new paintings by Texan Roger Winter and an environmental installation that uses video, sculpture and mixed media to explore the effects of humanity on the earth. Both run through Jan. 12.



Dallas is in the Bible Belt after all, making a visit to the Biblical Arts Center especially relevant. Located opposite NorthPark Center, itself filled with contemporary art from the world-famous collection of Ray Nasher. the Biblical Arts Center displays all manner of religious art and artifacts. A 124-foot long painting depicting dozens of biblical figures, presented with a 30-minute light and sound show, is pure kitsch fun. Last summer, the museum installed eight stained glass windows from the Old City Temple Presbyterian Church that depict theologians and preachers who were instrumental in spreading the word of the Bible. “The Art of Bible Making” (through May 25, 1997) traces the development of the Bible from hand-scribed papyrus to the first complete English Bible. -Marina Isola

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