Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1387796
THE SUMMER ART If wanderlust has struck, might we suggest one of the most American of adventures: a summer road trip. PaperCity culture/style editor Billy Fong has mapped out a list of must-see art exhibitions, all within a day's drive of Houston. So, gas up, enlist a friend or two, and hit your ignition button. BTW, we would have included Marfa, but we're sure everyone is already tuned into that hipster Mecca and made the requisite pilgrimage to Prada Marfa — #beentheredonethat. We suggest you do as Frost did, and take the one less traveled by. Then finish your summer art pilgrimage in one of Texas' art Meccas, Austin. OKLAHOMA CITY "We Believed in the Sun," Oklahoma Contemporary If you haven't yet visited this spectacular new arts center, situated on a 4.6-acre campus in the heart of the city, then wait no longer. The stunning 54,000-square-foot modern building, designed by architect Rand Elliott, opened during the pandemic. This exhibition's title echoes a quote from Civil Rights icon Clara Luper: "I came from a family of believers. We believed in the sun when it didn't shine. We believed in the rain when it wasn't raining. PILGRIMAGE intergenerational perspective on Black Oklahomans' struggles for equal rights. Through September 20, oklahomacontemporary.org. Retail therapy: Don't think that just because you've left Houston, there will (Stella McCartney, M Missoni), drool- worthy shoes (Aquazzura, Nicholas Kirkwood), and new and vintage bags (Chanel, Louis Vuitton). My chic Dior- combat-boots-on-the-ground Okie girl, Dana Garner, says to ask for Teresa Sanders when shopping. Balliets, 6443 Avondale, Oklahoma City, balliets.com. B E N T O N V I L L E , ARKANSAS "Crystal Bridges at 10," Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Since its opening in November 2011, the museum that Alice (Walton, for those not in the know) built has welcomed more than 5 million visitors. The building, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, and the expansive grounds are a glorious testament to what a sizable Walmart inheritance can achieve. The exhibition "Crystal Bridges at 10" is an immersive experience with 10 unique art vignettes. Become part of Maxfield Parrish's famous Symbolist painting The Lantern Bearers (1908) via a life-size tableau vivant. Want to see art being created before your eyes? Check out the gallery with Fayetteville artist Ziba Rajabi, who creates new works during most public hours for the run of the show. If the weather isn't cooperating, don't fret: You can still stroll through a portion of the exhibition that's an audio/visual experience inspired by the Ozark be no shopping. Unexpected locales often have some hidden gems. Check out Balliets in the tony Nichols Hills neighborhood for ready-to-wear My parents taught me to believe in a God I couldn't see." The show pairs Oklahoma-born Ron Tarver, who recently received the 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship in photography, with Oklahoma City artist Ebony Iman Dallas. Together, they provide an Oklahoma Contemporary, Oklahoma City Lilian Garcia-Roig's Vine, Branch & Root Menagerie, 2008, at The Grace Museum, Abilene Alice Neel's Hugh Hurd, 1964, at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PHOTO SCOTT MCDONALD. COLLECTION CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS. COLLECTION THE GRACE MUSEUM, ABILENE. (continued on page 56) 54