Events at Houston Museums- Lost Treasures of Afghanistan

Educators were recently invited to a special evening event that explores the culture and history of Afghanistan . The Houston museum exhibit features highlights from the National Museum in Kabul that many thought had been destroyed during recent conflicts.
Some of these magnificent artifacts on display at the MFAH trace the nation´s heritage from the Bronze Age epoch through the legendary Silk Road.

Houston Museum Of Fine Art-Eye On Third Ward
W
Jack Yates photography teacher, Ray C. Carrington III, classes created an exceptional body of intimate photographs that capture the personality of Third Ward, their community and the people who live there.

Through the eyes and camera lenses of high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors, ages 15 to 17, you get to see truly revealing portraits of the area in this annual exhibition.

Books

Art/Theater

Attractions

Parks/Gardens

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Free Events in Houston

I've got some hot tips on the city's happiest, happy hour, a film festival and where to see some jazz.

If you want your friends to describe you as hip and cool, send them an e-mail reminder, to update their outlook calendar with three of the coolest, free events in Houston.


Free Usher Tickets

Monday, the House of Blues plays host to the Houston Pavilion's Happy Hour, where they plan to make the first 100 people even happier by giving them free drink tickets. Even if you miss out on the free drinks, you can cast your name in the drawing to win two tickets to the Usher concert. Check Houstonpavalion.com for mo' details.

Midtown Houston Event

The fine folks over at Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS) invite the public to join them at the Rice Media Center, in Midtown Houston, to kick-off their ” Cinema and Media Arts Festival, November 20 - 23, 2008.

The acclaimed and influential film and video maker Alex Rivera will discuss his career, early autobiographical work and demonstrate the new on-line art project Low Drone about the Mexico/U.S. border. Rivera's productions bridge the divide of feature filmmaking, video art, and interactive new media.

Several local venues are hosting local events too, the Aurora Picture Show and the Museuem of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH). Other media artist showcased during the cinema festival include Margarita de la Vega-Hurtado, film scholar and curator and Lynn Heersman Leeson, who will do a live demonstration of her interactive on-line archive on Second Life, Life Squared.

A 360 Degree View of Jazz

Thursday's are always free at Houston's museums, so why not visit the exhibition: On the Downbeat.

The MFAH have cued-up their collection of books and photographs on jazz, to express how the American-born and breed music's fervent emotions, of the artist and audience, combine to paint a visual tapestry.

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Things To See In Houston Museums-Oct 08

I'm not truly convinced an old misnomer can be redefined, but the documentary project conceived by photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell have taken the word blacklist outside of its old box.

If you have seen the billboards and heard the advertisements and were too busy to come out to the free First Sunday's at the museum, this week is an ideal time to head to MFAH in Midtown Houston to see "Blacklist: Volume One" in the Caroline Wiess building before this multi-sensory, stimulating exhibit closes, October 26.

Blacklist-The Houston Museum Exhibit




It's comprised of rich revealing portraitures of high-profile African Americans sharing candid glimpses into their diverse experiences of being Black in today's modern society.

Each of the notable interviewees were photographed with Greenfield-Sanders' large format camera yielding dramatically vivid images captured during thought-provoking conversations that make-up "The Blacklist" montage that includes:

The exhibit
The book
The educational lesson
The film

The dialogue with Mitchell captures the voice and emotions of some of today's well known African American faces from sports, business, Hollywood and other arenas.

Create Your Own Blacklist


Another feature of the Blacklist montage is a viral contest "Who's On Your Blacklist" that gives everyone a chance to submit a video telling their story and win a chance for it to be a part of the Blacklist.

Kudos to MFAH for garnering the honor of being the launching pad for the U.S. museum tour of these remarkable living portraitures. This is a once in a lifetime "thing to see" in a Houston Museum. The exhibit will leave feeling that you have experienced up-close and in-person the taste of triumph, struggle and joy of these notable Blacks in America's melting pot.

You can see the stirring movie trailer, reviews and other details about the Blacklist experience on the web at Blacklist.com.

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Houston Museum of Fine Arts

One of the current exhibits at the Museum of Fine Arts is a comprehensive pictorial record of important sites where black troops fought. It's truly one of the best installation in town.
If you're a collector of African American Art or even a Civil War buff don't miss this Houston happening.
More than 180,000 African American soldiers—both freed slaves and free men from the North—fought in 175 regiments, accounting for a tenth of all Union troops. Yet few memorials or historical plaques mark their contributions. This exhibition of works by American photographer William Earle Williams celebrate these unsung heroes of the Civil War.These works are culled from from a larger series, which is published in a book available in the mfah´s Hirsh Library. Want to know more about this great exhibit on view through September 14, 2008 at the Caroline Wiess Law Building? Visit the MFAH website.

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Art and Films in Houston This Weekend

Art in the Park

Join the artistic excitement in Midtown Saturday April 12, 2008. We are calling this "Art in and Around the Park." The 9th Annual Midtown VISIONS Cultural Arts Tour takes place this weekend. Midtown artists' studios, galleries, complexes, and collectives will be open for you to view compelling installations, video, and mixed media. Purchase original works from the artists. Additionally the 2nd Annual Midtown Art in the Park will be taking place at Baldwin Park 1702 Elgin at Chenevert.
[Where:1702 Elgin, Houston 77002]

Film Screening: "This Is My Home, It Is Not For Sale"

This fascinating documentary chronicles Houston´s Riverside neighborhood over 60 years, as integration led to real-estate blockbusting, white flight, and gentrification. Home movies, archival photos, and interviews with residents are enhanced by a soundtrack from late Houston jazz musician Arnett Cobb. The subject matter is still relevant, as current residents of Houston´s Fourth and Fifth Ward communities challenge the intrusions of developers. Preceded by Schwartz´s five-minute film about the Almeda Theater.

Filmmaker Jon Schwartz in attendance. DVDs of the film available for purchase after the screening.
For showtime and more details visit the MFA.org website.


Midtown Farmer’s Market

Don't forget to stop by T'afia's and shop at the Farmer's Market. The open air market offers fresh local produce, organic coffee, hand made chocolates, cut flowers and more!! Every Saturday!

T'afia 3701 Travis Street @ Alabama, on the big block

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