A new exhibition is opening next month in a national gallery that will feature Texas artists. It’s where that national gallery is that makes this story so fascinating. We spoke to San Antonio artist Bill Fitzgibbons to get the story.
“The National Academy of Art is going to be showing the exhibition called ‘Texas!’ And it opens on Jan. 24.”
And this is in New Delhi, India?
“It’s in New Delhi.”
As part of the agreement, that National Academy of Art, called the Lalit Kala Academy, will also be sending Indian artists to Texas. And strangely, the road to New Delhi goes through Reykjavik, Iceland.
“A few years ago, I put together an artist exchange between Iceland and San Antonio. I did an installation in front of City Hall in Reykjavik. And I met an artist there, Gudjon Bjarnason, who is an architect as well as an artist.”
But then that devastating recession hit Iceland and Bjarnason relocated to India, where their booming economy kept him employed. He developed a relationship with New Delhi’s national gallery.
“Because of the exchange program between Icelandic artists and Texas artists, they invited us to have a Texas Art show.”
So next month, 13 Texas Artists are India bound.
“In India, there’s been a tremendous amount of interest in contemporary art.”
And Texas artists stand ready to provide.