The story of public art in Harris County, Texas is a long and fascinating one. It began in 1963 when the University of Houston entered the state's higher education system, and since then, the City of Houston Art Collection has grown to include more than 520 works of art. This collection includes Sofu Teshigahara's Iroku (196), which was gifted to the university by the Government of Japan in 1967. In 1969, the state of Texas ratified a legal framework that guaranteed funding for public art from construction projects. This allowed for the creation of many iconic works such as the Ensemble Theater in Midtown, which was established in 1976 and is dedicated to preserving African-American artistic expression.
The Paley Stairway sculptures, completed in 1987 by American artist Albert Paley, line the escalator leading to the entrance of the Wortham Theater Center. Houston's East End district is also home to many colorful and impressive public artworks, mostly in the form of murals. The Lawndale Art Center was founded in 1979 and is one of the only institutions in Houston dedicated to presenting contemporary art with an emphasis on regional artists. The Houston Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH), which opened in 1924 as the first art museum in Texas, has a collection of more than 56,000 works. Charrie earned a degree in Studio Arts with a specialization in Advertising from the University of Houston.
The Fort Bend Art Center opened in 2018 and is a multi-artistic center that showcases and sells excellent works of art by more than 30 member artists. The group consisted of lawyers, electricians, dancers, waiters, filmmakers, artists, and a Harris County MP. Located in Evelyn's Park Conservancy is Move One Place On by Bridgette Mongeon – an interactive bronze sculpture inspired by Lewis Carrol's novel Alice in Wonderland. An integral part of the local art scene since 1913, the Houston Symphony offers more than 170 concerts a year at Jones Hall, Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. Much of Houston's graffiti scene corresponds to the rise of the hip hop scene as rappers such as Bun B and Slim Thug have highlighted local graffiti artists and represented their works of art in music videos and album covers. The Bryan Museum opened in 2015 and houses one of the world's largest collections of historic artifacts, documents and works of art related to Texas and the American West. Harris County is home to an incredible variety of public art that can be enjoyed by all.
From sculptures to murals to graffiti art, there is something for everyone to explore. With its commitment to preserving African-American artistic expression and its diverse range of artwork, Harris County is an ideal destination for anyone interested in discovering public art.
Leave Reply