Best Way to Celebrate Summer is to Visit the Briscoe’s New Summer Exhibition “SOUTHWEST RISING”
Head to the Briscoe for the best way to celebrate summer to catch their new exhibition Southwest Rising and explore a pivotal time in American art. Summer takes on a Southwestern flair at the Briscoe Western Art Museum with the opening of Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch, May 26 – September 4. Showcasing the Southwest’s influence on Western art, the exhibition celebrates one of the most powerful and influential art dealers in the Southwest. Horwitch was responsible for launching the careers of hundreds of artists from the region and the nation and was a leader in fostering what has been called “new Western art” or “Southwest pop”. The exhibition is included with museum admission.
Featuring 45 works drawn from the Tucson Museum of Art and private loans from New Mexico, Oklahoma and San Antonio, the exhibition features 45 works from some of Elaine Horwitch Galleries’ most popular artists. These paintings, sculptures, and works on paper reveal the breadth of art and innovation that occurred in the Southwest at a pivotal time of change. Featured artists include Tom Palmore, Billy Schenck, John Fincher, Fritz Scholder, Anne Coe, Marilyn Levine, Earl Biss, Woody Gwyn, Bob Wade and Lynn Taber.
“The exhibition is a unique glimpse into a formative period in contemporary Western art,” explains Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum.
“Horwitch was responsible for launching the careers of hundreds of artists from the region and she championed Indigenous, Latino, folk, and craft art, exhibiting it alongside international art stars from around the country. She brought national and international art to regions that had been steeped in historic and Western art traditions and fostered the changing definition of contemporary western art.”
To mark the exhibition’s opening, the Briscoe museum is hosting a preview party on May 25, followed by opening weekend events that feature both the exhibition curator and artists featured in Southwest Rising. Opening weekend events include:
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Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch Exclusive Preview Party
Thursday, May 25, 6 – 8 p.m.
Be the first to enjoy the exhibition and help the Briscoe kick off a summer celebrating the art of the Southwest with Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Briscoe, and the curator of Southwest Rising, Dr. Julie Sasse, Chief Curator at the Tucson Museum of Art. The event includes complimentary valet, beer, wine, specialty cocktails and light bites. Tickets are $20 for museum members and free for Contributing and President’s Society membership tiers.
Museum members may upgrade their membership by calling 210.299.4499. Nonmembers may purchase tickets for $30. Tickets are available online.
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Creating a Scene: Artists and Art at Elaine Horwitch Galleries
A Conversation between Dr. Julie Sasse, Lisa Sherman Wade and Brian Blount
Saturday, May 27, 1 – 2 p.m., included with museum admission
Join us for a conversation with Southwest Rising curator Dr. Julie Sasse, Chief Curator at the Tucson Museum of Art, Lisa Sherman Wade, art writer, critic and widow of Southwest Rising artist Bob “Daddy-O” Wade, and Southwest Rising artist Brian Blount.
Many of Elaine Horwitch’s key artists entertained Horwitch and her clients with their bold personalities, exciting new images, and ability to attract collectors, museums, and the press alike. Sasse worked as Horwitch’s gallery director for 14 years, Wade was a noted art critic who wrote for regional and national magazines about the top artists in New Mexico in the 1980s, and Blount was one of the artists Horwitch featured in her galleries. They will share some of the legendary stories about Horwitch and her galleries while reflecting on the art scene in the Southwest on the cusp of exciting new changes. Wade will also share stories about “Daddy-O” and sign copies of “Daddy-O’s Book of Big-Ass Art”, Bob Wade’s book chronicling his art.
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The Color of Light with Southwest Rising
Saturday, May 27, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., included with museum admission
Celebrate the opening of Southwest Rising by exploring the way light and color interact with one another. In the exhibition’s interactive gallery, visitors can construct a display that will allow them to experiment with how light can change the way our eyes see color. This hands-on program is family-friendly, and all ages are welcome. Children 12 and under always receive free admission to the Briscoe.
Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch
is sponsored in part by The City of San Antonio, Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation, Jan McCaleb Elliott, Jessica Elliott Middleton, Debbie and John T. Montford, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Texas Commission on the Arts, and Williams-Chadwick Family Charitable Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation. The exhibition is organized by the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block.
Head West at the Briscoe This Summer
Highlighting the purely American art form of Western art, the Briscoe Western Art Museum celebrates the past, present and future of the storied genre through the art and artifacts in its permanent collection as well as through the range of exhibitions it features annually.
An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 35 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and the Hendler Family Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment.
The Briscoe is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission is free for children 12 and under and for active duty members of the military. The museum is proud to participate in Museums For All, Blue Star Museums and Bank of America Museums on Us. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
About The Briscoe Western Art Museum:
Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden. Follow the Briscoe on social media, @BriscoeMuseum.
