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Texas Contemporary Storms the big blue Town Laundromat or gunslinger, anyone? Bill Arning Max Fishko Julie Kinzelman Jeffrey Wainhause CATHERINE D. ANSPON DOES THE FAIR ROUNDUP. PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL ORTIZ. COLLAGE ANNA SCHUSTER. TC Take Three H ouston's brashest and most contemporary entrant into the fair game rolled into town this fall to great fanfare. For three days and one night, the Texas Contemporary staged a wide-aisled takeover of the George R. Brown Convention Center with its signature melding of the powerful, provocative and piquant. More than 70 national, international and Texas dealers trotted out wares to record crowds (13,000 attended), as astute collectors and forward-thinking curators pulled the trigger on attention-getting offerings such as a six-figure life-size toy gunslinger in shiny blue fiberglass at Mark Moore Gallery from L.A. (Yoram Wolberger's Blue Cowboy #3) and a dollhouse enveloped in candy-colored paint "frosting" that greeted fair-goers at the convention-center entrance — the latest sculptural tour de force by Galveston-based Ann Wood, represented by Avis Frank Gallery. On hand and overseeing details large and small were TC co-founders artMRKT's Max Fishko and Jeff Wainhause, who began with a bare canvas and no walls and rolled out a masterful art fair. For our fave moments, read on. The bottom line: Although the $10,000 Texas Contemporary Award went to a nonTexan this year — painter Keegan McHargue, represented by Fredericks & Freiser — there was a consolation prize for the hometown team: the bestowing of $25,000, the openingnight-party proceeds, upon beneficiary the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, marking a fine sense of community giving and purpose, as well as a commitment for the TC's return, come 2014. Lou Cushman Julie Cushman Jereann Chaney Christy Cushman Kelly Silvers Holland Chaney Carolyn Farb Johanna Donson Nicholas Silvers Kerry Inman Lester Marks Penelope Marks Sonja Roesch David Gerger Heidi Gerger Christopher Gardner Gary Tinterow Elizabeth Yochim Ten We Loved Ann Wood's paint-slathered dollhouse found a new home at the Dishman Art Museum. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Tire City: Once again, Glasstire did not disappoint. Their booth — opening night enacted as saloon presided over by GT founder Rainey Knudson — hawked wares by former Core Fellow the brilliantly deadpan Bill Davenport. (Did you acquire a Davenport tire painting with a personalized inscription?) Video-Rama: Not every day does a VIP lounge boast spheres projecting videos of sentient alien-like beings. Katja Loher, showing with Anya Tish Gallery, was the talent who created the futuristic installation in the VIP space expertly crafted by Kelie Mayfield and Erick Ragni's MaRS Culture architecture. Cyvia Wolff Adela Andea Susie Criner Amber Waves of Grain: Troy Stanley's wafting rods of wood, Zephyr, across from his dealer, Barbara Davis Gallery, proved less can be hypnotic. Not Wishy Washy: The Clayton Brothers' pop-inflected version of a Laundromat with their nostalgic street art-like paintings charmed us with its low-brow vibe. After checking out the faux washer and dryer sculptures, we ventured to gallerist Mark Moore to peruse their works on paper. David Nguyen Clumsy Yet Endearing: Brad Tucker, also an entrant in this fall's Texas Biennial, captivated in one corner of Inman Gallery's booth with his messy DIY aesthetic and hipster materials, often informed by or quoting music. James Bell Lily Wang Emily Church Photography as Change Agent: A monographic presentation of Gordon Park's pre-Civil Rights-era color images snapped in the deep South, at Jenkins Johnson Gallery, was chilling and unforgettable. Gretchen McFarland Liz Glanville Luba Bigman Blanton Best: Having a chance to preview self-portrait photographs by Nina Katchadourian, which were selling like hotcakes at Catharine Clark Gallery, was rewarding. The Brooklyn-based talent is set for a solo at the Blanton Museum of Art in 2015; we were struck by the artist's witty Lavatory Self-Portrait in the Flemish Style #11, a post-modern take on the Old Masters, complete with toilet-paper ruff. Rob Proctor 8. 9. 10. Yard Art: Hannah Chalew's Living Room as literal lawn furniture, presented by NOLA gallerist Jonathan Ferrera, offered a homage to homes and spaces that are no more in New Orleans as well as our own town. Pen and Paper: Visionary talent Richard Gordon Kendall at Austin/Manhattan dealer Dutton manifested extraordinary dense architectural drawings made with pencil, ballpoint pen and linseed oil, which were snapped up by the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (Logan, Utah) for their permanent collection. Jonathon Glus Alton LaDay Sam Lasseter All in the Mix. Mixed Greens' display of Joan Linder's realistic epic drawing held court on a shelf; it literally depicted the kitchen sink and a counter top, then neatly folded up into a book. Jessica Phifer JANUARY | PAGE 42 | 2014