LOCAL Houston | The City Guide July 2017 | Page 36

THIS MONTH’S
TOP EXHIBITS
Presented by
Glasstire is the source for visual art in Texas. Our weekly Top 5 video
rounds up the best art events in the state. Find us on Facebook or
the web for events, news, reviews and more!
1. The Propeller Group | Blaffer Art Museum
1
2
The Los Angeles/Vietnam-based artist collective The Propeller Group "blurs the boundaries
between fine art and mainstream media production," which simply means that they make gor-
geous, highly watchable short films. Their film The Living Need Light The Dead Need Music
explores the similarities between Vietnamese and New Orleans funeral traditions, complete
with brass bands and performers who draw on voodoo traditions. Other works trace the shots
fired by semiautomatic weapons with haunting beauty. Seriously: don‘t miss this show.
www.blafferartmuseum.org
2. Michael Menchaca: Xenelasy and Dissension | BLUEorange
In an age of growing sociopolitical tensions, it's hard for artists to create work that addresses the
world in a fresh way. Michael Menchaca, in his show at BLUEOrange, comments on the now
by harkening back to history – particularly the 16th century – with his serious yet playful videos
and prints drawing on imagery from Mesoamerican codices. Through silkscreen monoprints
and two large wall installations, Menchaca tells us what he thinks should change in American
society.
www.blueorangehouston.com
3
3. Jonathan Leach: Planes Drifter | Gallery Sonja Roesch
Houston-based artist Jonathan Leach is back with a new body of glowing, geometric wall pieces
that do not disappoint. For the centerpieces of his exhibition at Gallery Sonja Roesch, Leach
has created backlit hard-edge paintings that look like abstracted architectural drawings. If these
look a little familiar, you may have seen them before; earlier this year, he was the subject of a
large solo exhibition at the Galveston Art Center.
www.gallerysonjaroesch.com
4. Edward Kelley: Speak of the Devil | Art League Houston
Does the feeling that you‘re being watched give you a warm tingly fee ling or a cold pit of
dread? Either way, you‘re the star of the show in Edward Kelley‘s dense installation of security
cameras. Clustered by the dozens on the wall, their little red lights blink like a thousand eyes
on a giant Big Brother-ish bug that is WATCHING YOU. As a bonus, you can choose to
either keep the image of you from your visit, or drop it into the provided document shredder.
Smile!
www.artleaguehouston.org
4
36
LO C AL
| july 17
july 17 |
L O C A L
37