The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art is preparing to open a new exhibit on Friday showing art enthusiasts some contemporary pieces.
The exhibit will showcase the best work of eight different artists, museum executive director Rene Van Haaften said. He added that the art tells audiences of the modern occurrences in their hometown. “We like to show that to our community, he said.
The exhibit is named “Oaxaca Mistico” and will run until mid-March. The museum is currently closed in preparation for the exhibit.
Van Haaften said the museum is still working on the number of pieces that will be shown, as there are still new ones coming in. He estimates there will be anywhere from 40 to 50 works. The exhibit will be fairly large, taking up two of the museum’s three galleries. “We figured that two galleries would be a nice size for the show,” he said.
A string of activities will accompany the exhibit, taking place in the museum.
On Friday there will be an artists’ reception where guests will get to meet the creators of the art pieces and enjoy some cocktails in their honor. It takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. The guests will be among the first to view the exhibit. Individual tickets are priced at $40.
On Saturday the museum invites the public to watch the artists work on “A La Limon.” The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Onsite the artists will create a unique piece to donate to the museum’s Fine Arts Permanent Collection. Admission for the event is $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children under 12.
“They’ll have a working session where together they’ll make new artwork for the museum,” Van Haaften said.
Also Saturday an “A La Limon” workshop for kids will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. At this event the Oaxaca Mistico Curatorial Team will lead its own workshop for children ages 7 to 12. The curatorial team is comprised of Brownsville and Matamoros natives. All have studied at various educational institutions such as the Parsons School of Design, New York University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Barnard College-Columbia University and the University of Texas at Austin. The registration fee is $20 per child. Those interested in reserving a spot should call 956-542-0941.
On Sunday, a printmaking class with an Oaxacan artist will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The artist is Alan Altamirano, also known as MK Kabrito, who is scheduled to conduct a woodcut printmaking class. Artists of any expertise level are welcome to participate. Materials will be provided, and the museum discourages people from bringing their own tools. The price for this class is $95 per person if individuals pre-register. Registration on the day of the workshop will increase the price to $125. Museum members receive a 10 percent discount. Those interested should call 956-542-0941 to register.
A final event will take place Saturday, Jan. 30, with an Oaxacan celebration from 2 to 8 p.m. at the museum to celebrate the exhibit’s culture and art. Handmade crafts from Mexico will be there, along with food and cocktails. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children under 12.
Van Haaften said that with Charro Days coming up, the museum wanted to present some artwork from Mexico. “It’s definitely a beautiful chance to see what kind of art has been made there,” he said. “Obviously there are some folk influences in the artwork. We believe that a lot of people from Brownsville would like that.”
