Apr 25 Thursday
Night of Artists draws artists, collectors and art enthusiasts to the Briscoe for two days of unforgettable festivities on the San Antonio River Walk and kicks off one of the premier Western art exhibitions and sales in the world. Beyond the opening celebration, Night of Artists is a public exhibition and sale that spans six weeks at the Briscoe, March 24 – May 5.
From scenic landscapes, stunning wildlife and classic cowboys to inspired Native Americans and dazzling vaqueros, the wide range of artworks reflects the vast beauty of the American West – and features something for every art enthusiast. Participating artists this year include Billy Schenck, Don Oelze, Z.S. Liang, John Coleman, C. Michael Dudash, George Hallmark, Kim Wiggins, Jeremy Lipking, Bonnie Marris, Michael Ome Untiedt, Teresa Elliot, Jan Mapes, Kevin Red Star and Walter Matia.
Notable new artists and artists returning to the exhibition this year include Brandon Bailey, G. Russell Case, David Griffin, Jennifer Johnson, Huihan Liu, James Morgan, Ed Natiya, Scott Tallman Powers and Morgan Weistling.
Join us in the UTSA Main Art Gallery for our Spring 2024 BFA Exhibition. Closing reception on May 8, 6 pm - 8 pm.
This collection of work stitches together Louisiana imagery with domestic lesbian life. Alex uses iconography such as catfish, gas stations, ‘gators, and baptist themes to allow her to converse about the Southern lesbian experience in a way that refuses to demonize the South as a whole. Some of these icons, such as the catfish, have become a self-identifier for her throughout her MFA experience. While the catfish is a symbol of community and Louisiana culture, to “catfish” someone is to lie about who you truly are. In becoming a catfish, she confronts the reality that many LGBT community members faces of not being completely out to family, friends, and loved ones. Alex repurposes recorded conversations with family, old family photos, and memories to see them through a lens of both yearning and apprehension.
My artwork expresses the permanent dialog occurring in the psyche of a middle-aged Mexican ex-patriate. “Uprooting” depicts a cumulus of experiences and life occurrences that continuously steer the personal path toward eventful situations that modify the perception of the self. It is a search for the self through the examination of statements of faith, a sense of displacement, beliefs of belonging, ideas of existence, and acceptance of the human condition. Juxtaposed images and ideas pursue balance for experienced concepts like life vs. death, faith vs. despair, and innocence vs. corruption. Fetishism is embedded in the materials chosen for the work. The ritualistic mechanics of working with these materials evoke a nostalgic reminiscence of my childhood, Mexican heritage, and domesticity. The mixture of elements helps the artwork achieve, at first glance, a whimsical feeling, which yields to an emergence of the dire under-layered content that is constantly searching for belonging. The realization of meaning proves to be more irreverent and biting than innocent. My artwork is not only denunciatory—solutions are presented within. Balance is pursued with nurturing and creative power from the female perspective.
Monday, April 15, 2024 is the kickoff of the MEGA CORAZÓN celebration, an online spoken word marathon that is part of San Antonio’s National Poetry Month participation. This festival presents San Antonio’s poetic tradition that combines street, classical, and slam performance styles in a production that is improvisational, at times painful, and choreographed for a highly visual impact. The festival will begin streaming at urban15.org/live-stream/ at 8pm on April 15, and will highlight about 90 poems from various artists throughout a continuous 24-hour loop.
This year’s poet lineup includes past San Antonio Poets Laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, Octavio Quintanilla, and Carmen Tafolla, as well as Texas Poet Laureate ire’ne lara silva, and newly named San Antonio Poet Laureate Eddie Vega. Returning also will be a variety of talented and locally recognized poets such as Anthony “The Poet” Flores, Amalia Ortiz, and Jim LaVilla-Havelin, among others.
The winner of Mega Corazón will be determined by an online vote that URBAN-15 will launch on the same day as the livestream. Once Mega Corazón comes to a close, votes will be tallied, and the winner will be awarded the $500 Gregg Barrios “Precious Words Prize”.
The Gregg Barrios “Precious Words Prize” was created by world-renowned poet and author Gregg Barrios in 2021 to award the Mega Corazon poet selected by the on-line audience for the best performance during the festival. The 2021 winner was Amalia Ortiz, 2022 winner was Jessica Tilton Zertuche and 2023 winner was Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson.
Apr 26 Friday
Discover what it takes to become a space explorer and an Earth defender!
Experience life as an astronaut through hands-on activities, see real NASA artifacts and learn how scientists are defending the planet from catastrophic asteroid impacts in Surviving Space: Astronauts & Asteroids.
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is happy to welcome all residents of San Antonio and Bexar County to come and experience the culture and art of the West for FREE! Our neighbors can enjoy a FREE day of art and culture on the first Sunday of each month.
“Full STEAM Ahead” programming is now a part of Locals Day! Families and visitors are invited to learn about the American West in the Briscoe’s monthly education series with hands-on activities and workshops all ages will enjoy.