Glasstire

Brandon Zech and Gabriel Martinez talk about the changing state of Houston's art scene and what the future may bring.

"I think we're seeing one of the most significant changes in the Houston museum landscape in the last ten years. Galleries come and go, artist-run spaces come and go, smaller nonprofits come and go, but the places that we think of as our museums generally don't tend to come and go."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/03/24/art-dirt-houstons-changing-museum-scene

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech talks with actor, comedian, and art collector Cheech Marin about how he came to collect Chicano art, the Texas artists he's looking at today, and his museum, The Cheech, in Riverside, California.

"The other great center of Chicano art was San Antonio, because they had a lot of artists and they supported them, but there was no director of any major museum that wanted to put their neck on the block and say yeah this is Chicano art. They loved me as a comedian but they weren't so sure about me as an authority on Chicano art, because these guys had studied it all their life and had unpaid student loans to prove it, so who is this doper comedian to say what's what about Chicano art?"

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/03/10/art-dirt-cheech-marin-talks-texas-art

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Leslie Moody Castro talks with artist, musician, and podcaster Barry Stone about how he engages with local artists, performers, and photography through his long-running project, Porch Swing Orchestra.

“The relation of image and sound is, at its core, really what Porch Swing Orchestra and 'Vast is the Sea' is about. So, all the artists are bound, in diverse ways, through explorations of image, sound, and community.”

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/02/25/art-dirt-music-photography-with-barry-stones-porch-swing-orchestra

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

William Sarradet talks with Natalia Padilla about making art in Dallas, her work as a designer, and tips on applying to grants in the city.

"My project, 'Yellow,' is a poem to the Dallas community. I love this city. It has taken care of me and allowed me to have a practice and explore my creativity."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/02/11/art-dirt-talking-with-natalia-padilla

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech talks with the Blaffer Art Museum's outgoing director, Steven Matijcio, about his approach to curating in peripheral art cities, engaging with local communities, and what he'll miss about Houston.

"I have really come to love working in the unexpected place. Because in a lot of ways, I feel like you can spread your wings, you can oftentimes have more of an impact, you can get to know the community better. I really have loved these so-called non-center cities because I found a lot of richness in curatorially responding to them."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/01/28/art-dirt-an-exit-interview-with-the-blaffer-art-museums-steven-matijcio

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech talks with Glasstire's new Editor-in-Chief, Gabriel Martinez, about what makes a good work of art, how music, writing, and art differ, and why artists should know art history.

"Every artwork is in dialog with art history, and I think it's important for artists to contextualize where their work stands in that conversation. It becomes shorthand, because you're using these past iterations of similar ideas and you’re speaking to them."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2024/01/14/art-dirt-talking-with-glasstire-editor-in-chief-gabriel-martinez

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Leslie Moody Castro talks with Harrison Guy about Houston's Fifth Ward, his Urban Souls Dance Company, and what keeps him motivated to build community in the city. 

"Our projects are based on this thought process that memory builds the monument. The way that we look at it is that if you don't have a lot of assets in your community, because they're gone, for a lot of different reasons beyond your control, the thing that you do have is your memory...so if we look at the memories as the capital and we start to build from that, then we're starting from a place of asset versus deficit."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2023/12/31/art-dirt-talking-with-houstons-harrison-guy

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes, William Sarradet, and Brandon Zech discuss memorable art happenings, exhibitions, and events from 2023.

"For a long time, and even still now, the art world has been caught up in the idea of a single genius, a singular voice, and the prestige of a solo exhibition. But I think coming out of the pandemic there was this need for community and coming together, and perhaps the amount of group shows this year is an extension of that."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2023/12/17/art-dirt-looking-back-at-2023

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

William Sarradet talks with Houston's Sarah Welch and Fort Worth's Raul Rodriguez about the nature of zine festivals and the landscape of self-publishing in Texas.

"I think being in Texas has actually put us at a good advantage for doing self-publishing work because there are so many major cities in the state...We've done some out of state stuff, but I think the events we do in Texas are often the highest quality."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2023/12/03/art-dirt-looking-at-zine-fests-and-self-publishing-in-texas

This week's podcast is sponsored in part by the Houston Museum of African American Culture and their annual museum fundraiser and art auction, Champagne and Ribs, which is happening December 14 in Houston. The auction features works by internationally recognized artists Evita Tezeno, David McGee, Floyd Newsum, Johnny Floyd, and others. Your bid not only gets you an incredible work of art, but also goes a long way in sustaining the Houston Museum of African American Culture. The museum will be open during the week of December 3, from Tuesday to Saturday, 11a.m. - 6 p.m. to preview the auction and purchase Champagne & Ribs tickets online or in person. Learn more and support the museum here: https://hmaac.org

Jessica Fuentes, William Sarradet, and Brandon Zech discuss recent shows they've seen across Texas, the opening of new galleries in Houston, Austin, and Wimberley, and the art news that's been making headlines this fall.

"In a lot of ways, Jeremy Strick's retirement from the Nasher Sculpture Center isn't surprising — we've talked recently about how we're kind of at a turning point where organizations across Texas are starting to see a certain generation retire or step back and new people come in to lead. It will be interesting to see what will happen next for the museum."

See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2023/11/19/art-dirt-rounding-up-fall-art-news-exhibitions-weve-loved

If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate