Summer exhibitions stoke creative energy at the Moody

Creativity at every stage of life underscores much of the programming this summer at the Moody Center for the Arts. Two artists exhibiting for the first time in Houston, Tacita Dean and Gillian Wearing, will address themes of portraiture and self-perception in two shows beginning June 1.

Gillian Wearing, Rock ‘n’ Roll 70, 2015. Framed c-prints, 48 x 72”, Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery. Background image: Gillian Wearing, Wallpaper, 2015, dimensions variable, courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.

“We are delighted to feature two of the most important artists working today, both of whom engage deeply with issues of identity, aging, technology and self-representation, although from very different perspectives,” said Alison Weaver, the executive director of the Moody Center.

Throughout June, Rice professors and community members will lead sessions covering topics such as “Creativity at the End of Life,” “Living for Longevity” and “Lifelong Creativity.” And in July, tai chi and yoga classes will occupy the Central Gallery with movement meant for all ages — and all of it free and open to the public.

Here’s a schedule of upcoming exhibitions, shows and events:

Opening reception
May 31, 5-7 p.m.
Central, Brown Foundation and Media Galleries

During this evening reception, join the Moody Center as it debuts new exhibitions for the summer, including Wearing’s “Wallpaper” and Dean’s “Craneway Event (2009).”

Gillian Wearing, “Rock ‘n’ Roll 70” and “Wallpaper”
June 1- Aug. 31
Central and Media Galleries

Wearing explores the nature of aging and self-representation in the contemporary world. Subjecting one of the oldest art historical genres, self-portraiture, to digital manipulation through age-processing tools, Wearing invites collaborators to imagine what she might look like 20 years in the future. The result is a site-specific installation covering the wall of the Moody’s Central Gallery with photographic portraits of the artist that have been digitally aged by others and installed as “Wallpaper.”

“Wallpaper” is complimented by a framed triptych: “Rock ‘n’ Roll 70” features a self-portrait of the artist at age 50, an enhanced image of what she might look like at age 70 and a blank space to be completed by a self-portrait when Wearing turns 70 in 2033. The artist’s own imagining of her future self is superimposed on the speculation of others, creating a layered rendering of the biological and psychological effects of the future.

The film “Wearing, Gillian (2018),” presented in the Media Gallery, extends the issues explored in “Rock ‘n’ Roll 70” to the moving image. The artist invited various participants to digitally superimpose her face on their bodies, resulting in a hybrid portrait of people literally and metaphorically speaking through the artist. In the age of internet memes, Wearing explores how digital shape shifting affects our identities and how the sustained imposition of technology affects our daily lives.

Tacita Dean, “Craneway Event (2009)”
June 1-July 31
Brown Foundation Gallery

Tacita Dean, Craneway Event, 2009, 16 mm colour anamorphic film, optical sound, 108 min. Film still. Courtesy of the artist, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York/Paris, Frith Street Gallery, London.

“Craneway Event” is a 16 mm film portrait of the legendary dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham and his dance company by the British-European artist Dean. Her film invites the viewer to enter Cunningham’s creative universe, as dancers convene for rehearsal in an abandoned Ford assembly plant in Richmond, California. Culled from hours of footage, the portrait features Cunningham as a contemplative artist in the twilight of his career, physically diminished by age, yet creatively flourishing through his work.

Known for her film portraits of iconic artists such as Cy Twombly, David Hockney and Mario Merz, Dean presents a visually stunning profile of one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century through the lens of a lush technology. She makes a visually compelling case for the preservation and revitalization of 16 mm film through her stunning depiction of a great artist at work.

Artists-in-Dialogue
June 1, 2-3 p.m.
Lois Chiles Studio Theater

As part of its signature series fostering conversation across disciplines, the Moody presents a dialogue between Dean and choreographer Kimberly Bartosik. During this afternoon talk, the two artists will discuss portraiture, film, dance and the process of creative collaboration.

A graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art in London, Dean has produced work in a range of media, with a focus on film and photography. Known for her attention to detail, she explores the passing of time and its effects on both individuals and the natural world. Dean was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1998, won the Hugo Boss Prize in 2006 and was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 2008.

Bartosik was a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for nine years and received a Bessie Award for exceptional artistry in his work. More recently, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship for her “viscerally provocative” choreographic projects informed by literature and cinema, as well as New York University’s Virginia B. Toulmin Fellowship for Women Leaders in Dance.

“Life at the End of Life,” Marcia Brennan, 2017

Lifelong Creativity
Anthony Brandt, Shepherd School of Music professor of composition
June 6, noon-1 p.m.
Lois Chiles Studio Theater

Creativity at the End of Life
Marcia Brennan, Rice professor of art and religion
June 11, noon-1 p.m.
Lois Chiles Studio Theater

Eat, Meet and Move
Ashu Sabharwal, Rice professor of electrical and computer engineering and founding director of Scalable Health Labs
June 18, noon-1 p.m.
Lois Chiles Studio Theater

Living for Longevity: The Art & Science of Healthy Living
Rosie Gonzalez, Rice wellness manager, followed by Longevity Stick Exercises with Denise Horvilleur
June 25, noon-1 p.m.
Central Gallery

Tai Chi
Led by Kai Lewis
July 9, noon-1 p.m.
Central Gallery

Yoga in the Gallery
Led by The Atrium Yoga Studio
July 16, noon-1 p.m.
Central Gallery