PaperCity Magazine

January 2020- Dallas

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Meadows, a longtime art advocate and Hall Group's Texas curator. Shore doesn't shy from work that might be deemed provocative. "There are several key works in the hotel collection that address issues of today," she says. She has purposefully selected artists with an awareness of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. "Works [of art] are intended to inspire the viewer; they are subtly provocative and compelling. They pull us in and encourage conversation, as well as celebrate the world around us." While some might deem the art shown as a calculated risk, the choices are more intuitive than that. Kathryn says, "We're not playing it safe — when it comes to anything. Safe can be boring." While she carries herself and her business with a calculated air, she's attuned to the visceral reaction that a work, a space, or even a beautiful glass of wine might evoke. Highlights in the collection include contemporary Scottish painter Alison Watt's Volvere, 2019, which welcomes guests at the entry. Watt is known for her realistic depiction of drapery and figures; this sensual work suggests folds of skin, or the sumptuous bedding one might find in a luxury suite. Lava Thomas' ceiling-hung sculpture in reds and pinks, Resistance Reverb: Movements 1, 2018, gently floats above a light-filled seating area. The components are reminiscent of the tambourines held by activists during the pivotal women's marches of 2017; on some of the floating discs are snippets of political speeches made by women throughout U.S. history. Thomas considers her work "not overtly political," even as she strives to get the attention of those who might not normally discuss the topics she explores. Perhaps the fact that the piece resembles a decorative chandelier achieves that aim. Lighthearted and whimsical pieces provide compelling contrast to the works with a heavier narrative — for example, Nekisha Durrett's playful word-based installation adjacent to the elevators. Created from polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, cotton balls, Spanish moss, lotus pods, cedar cones, eucalyptus, and burlap, it proclaims: "Then I Wished That I Could Come Back as a Flower." And then there's the photography. C r e a t i n g a l o c a l c o n n e c t i o n through art, Meadows led a juried photography competition for new, emerging, and seasoned Dallas photographers called "Through the Lens: Dallas Arts District." Artists were encouraged to capture images that spoke to the energy and life in the neighborhood. An esteemed jury — which included art museum directors, former Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings, and contemporary art collector Howard Rachofsky — selected 91 winning photographs from 57 local photographers. The images appear throughout the hotel's public spaces, including Michael Nguyen's Bandaloop, which captured a dance troupe's gravity-defying performance a s t h e y p e r f o r m e d a c ro b a t i c movements off the side of the Hall Arts building. Each guest room also has a cache of photographs from the collection. A s you dash from meeting to meeting with eyes glued to your smartphone, take a moment to relax. Have a glass of Kathryn Hall's highly rated Bordeaux at the sumptuous rooftop pool or at Ellie's Restaurant and Lounge on the second floor of the Hall Arts Hotel. The eatery, with its views of the lobby and live music five nights a week, takes its name from Craig's late mother, Ellie Hall, an art advocate and force of nature. Hall Arts Hotel, 1717 Leonard St., 214.953.1717, hallartshotel.com. ROBERT TSAI ROBERT TSAI Jana Ružicková's Lasvit, 2019, hangs above the reception desk. Carrie Mae Weems' The Blues, 2017 Clare Woods' The Right Kind of Boy, 2019 31

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