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FAIR THEE WELL By Billy Fong and Catherine D. Anspon John Giorno's Nothing Recedes Like Success, 2015, at The Joule T he Joule hotel hosts an art installation a n d b o o k l a u n c h i n c e l e b r a t i o n o f Dallas Arts Month. Collaborator Morán Morán, an L.A.- and Mexico City-based contemporary art gallery that's returning to the Dallas Art Fair this year, has brought a group of artworks to be viewed alongside those of poet and visual artist John Giorno in the hotel's lobby. Headliner Giorno (1936-2019) was born in New York City and attended Columbia University before working as a stockbroker; his world changed when he met Andy Warhol in 1962. Their romantic relationship led the 20-something to tap into his own artistic voice. For more than 50 years, Giorno encountered other visionaries, including Robert Rauschenberg, Patti Smith, and William S. Burroughs, who all had an impact on his evolving style. Alongside his art at The Joule are works by painters Chelsea Culprit, Keltie Ferris, and Becky Kolsrud; multimedia artist and sculptor Raúl de Nieves; mixed-media artist Borna Sammak (who had his first solo exhibition in Texas last year at the Dallas Contemporary); p h o t o g r a p h e r D a v i d B e n j a m i n S h e r r y ; experimental filmmaker Cauleen Smith; and more. On Friday, April 21, Morán Morán hosts a book launch of the illustrated catalog for "Cherry Blossoms are Razor Blades," Giorno's first solo exhibition in L.A., presented in 2022 in collaboration with the gallery and the John G i o r n o F o u n d a t i o n . The Joule, 1530 Main St., thejouledallas.com. Billy Fong A rising art tide lifts all boats. After basking in the booths of the Dallas Art Fair, here's where to be and who to see during Dallas Arts Month. COURTESY MORÁN MORÁN, L.A. AND MEXICO CITY, AND THE JOHN GIORNO FOUNDATION LINGER IN THE LOBBY CATCH A WAVE T he Power Station is cool. If you haven't heard of this nonprofit art space with an intriguing name, that's because it manages to fly under the radar of all but an in-the-know art crowd. The building is cool — a tricked-out renovated historic Dallas power station in Exposition Park. Founders Alden and Janelle Pinnell are cool — their home and personal art collection are the stuff of an international spy film. But what really cements the organization's coolness are its cutting-edge exhibitions and programs. Case in point, the recently opened Picnic Surf Shapes. It was conceived by artist Gregory Ruppe (who also happens to be director of exhibitions at The Power Station) at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, when lockdown and forced isolation made him reflect on the notion of a "picnic for one." With the exhibition space closed for the foreseeable future, he created surfboards — each one hand-built from locally sourced wood and U.S.-grown cork, then finished with plant-based resin, since environmental kindness is always top of mind. The process took upwards of 80 hours per board. Alden quickly came to respect and support the project. He and Ruppe conceptualized Picnic as a surf brand, complete with merchandise and a range of products, as well as an artist think tank or research lab — an opportunity for experimentation and c o l l a b o r a t i o n w h e r e outsiders would be invited to participate. A party, complete with DJ and the aforementioned in-the-know art crowd, launched the merchandise on the third floor of The Power Station, which remains open through the end of the Dallas Art Fair. Also, in anticipation of the art-world types coming through Dallas during the fair, The Power Station opens an exhibition, Giangiacomo Rossetti, a Milan-born and New York City-based artist, on Wednesday, April 19. The Power Station, 3816 Commerce St, powerstationdallas.com. Billy Fong 32