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    Road to Peace

    Monumental Menil exhibit looks at the hard and dangerous road to peace for nonviolence advocates

    Tarra Gaines
    Oct 6, 2014 | 1:13 pm

    Violence is sexy, at least that’s how it’s often depicted in pop culture and even art. Nonviolence, though, that’s a bit tougher to picture.

     

    Could nonviolence take the form of a pair of sandals, glasses, a bowl and book, the last possessions of one India man on Jan 30, 1948? Is it found in the image of an older man looking again through the bars of a cell that had imprisoned him for almost two decades? Perhaps it’s a small figure in white and black standing in the path of four tanks.

     
     

      “What does peace look like?” is the question the Menil Collection asks in its monumental exhibition organized by Josef Helfenstein.  

     

     

    “What does peace look like?” is the question the Menil Collection asks in its monumental exhibition Experiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence, organized by Menil director Josef Helfenstein. These photographs of Gandhi’s last possession, Nelson Mandela’s revisit to Robben Island and Tank Man of Tiananmen Square are some of the answers to this question.

     

    In an early walk through the exhibition before it opened on Oct 2, Gandhi’s birthday, Helfenstein explained the problem with trying to depict nonviolence.

     

    “It’s so much more sexy to document violence,” Helfenstein admitted. “That’s what TV is interested in or the media. It’s just the way we are. It’s quite complicated to visualize nonviolence.”

     

     Beyond Gandhi

     

    While it might be easy to summarize the exhibition as the Gandhi show, and the life and work of Gandhi are its inspiration, the exhibition sets out to chronicle those complicated ways we have imagined and on rare occasioned, after much struggle have achieved peace.

     

     

      “Even if they attack you, even if they kill you, you don’t fight back. It’s a very noble attitude, and in a way it’s a very spiritual thing too. It’s kind of scary to do.” 

     
     

    Once inside the first gallery the exhibition begins with photographs of Gandhi’s last days taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson. On other walls, we find portraits of those advocates for justice and peace who came before, like Henry David Thoreau, Sojourner Truth and Leo Tolstoy.

     

    Going deeper into the exhibition, viewers move back and forth through time, place, art and artifact, to explore the struggle against violence, spotting along the journey Rembrandt’s Christ Teaching, a 8th century Folio from a Qur’an, Ai Weiwei’s arrangement of 10 Buddha feet from sculptures of the Northern Wei period and Dan Flavin’s untitled fluorescent sculpture dedicated to the students killed at Kent State and Jackson State University.

     

    The exhibition illustrates the path to peace is a hard, dangerous road.

     

    “There’s nothing easy about nonviolence. Many people think that nonviolence is sitting back and being afraid and not doing anything, but of course it’s exactly the opposite, said Helfenstein and went on to describe the some of the core beliefs of many nonviolent action campaigns: “Even if they attack you, even if they kill you, you don’t fight back. It’s a very noble attitude, and in a way it’s a very spiritual thing too. It’s kind of scary to do.”

     

     The dialogue

     

    Some of these images and works are well known, others rare, but by showing them together Helfenstein wishes to create a dialog between the pieces and viewer, which seems quite appropriate since many of these artists, advocates and philosophers were influenced by each other. Perhaps this is most crystallized in the photo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the SCLC Office, where King stands in front of a portrait of Gandhi.

     
     

    Some of these images and works are well known, others rare, but by showing them together Helfenstein wishes to create a dialog between the pieces and viewer.

     
     

    The works are powerful by themselves, but their juxtaposition with each other is what halted me in my walk, and forced me to pause and see. The arrangement of works within each gallery or on a single wall are particularly striking. For example, Warhol’s Little Race Riot is placed besides Theaster Gates’s recent work, Hose for Fire and Other Tragic Encounters, created from decommissioned fire hoses.

     

    Art and artifact even seem to call to each other from across galleries and perhaps time. My favorite moment of this call and response came when I wandered around a wooden sculpture of Saint Martin and the Beggar (ca. 1500-10) and then looked back into the previous gallery to find when viewing it from that exact angle it almost appeared that both Saint Martin and the beggar were giving comfort to the blue figures of Yves Klein’s Hiroshima.

     

    “That is, of course, an attempt to create a kind of dialogue between the pieces without having to explain them,” Helfenstein told me when I mentioned this angle of sight and insight I had found. “The idea would be to not do too much pedagogy but to allow this kind of discovery. The whole relationship between the galleries and between these different types of material is very important. . .the hope is that there is a kind of associated dialogue.”

     

    The exhibition begins and end in the Menil’s West Gallery, but the spirit of the show moves out throughout the collection and, it is Helfenstein’s hope, into our city.

     

    Running simultaneously and next to Experiments with Truth is Amar Kanwar’s mixed media installation The Sovereign Forest. The east wing of the collection will showcase a concurrent exhibition the Menil is calling “Modern and Contemporary Experiments with Truth” that includes South Korean born, New York based artist Kimsooja’s video installation A Needle Woman; animated films by William Kentridge; and a very rare treat, a gallery of Mark Rothko alternate panels painted for the Rothko Chapel but not used in the final display.

     

    The staff of the Menil have also reached out to other institutions and organizations in Houston to present Gandhi's Legacy: Houston Perspectives, four months of programs, exhibitions, films and lectures. Rice, UH, the MFAH, the Asia Society and many more will be pondering the question “What does peace look like?” and they’ll all be looking for individual Houstonians to voice their own answers.

     

    ------------------

     

     Experiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence runs through Feb. 1, 2015.

    Barnett Newman, Be I, 1949, oil on canvas, The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of Annalee Newman.

    Tarra Gaines The Menil Gandhi exhibition October 2014 Be I
      
    Photo by © Paul Hester © 2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris
    Barnett Newman, Be I, 1949, oil on canvas, The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of Annalee Newman.
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    Best July & August Theater

    Broadway hits and Shakespeare festival headline Houston's 12 best summer shows

    Tarra Gaines
    Jul 1, 2025 | 9:30 am
    Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Parade
    Photo by Joan Marcus
    Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Parade

    Lions and tigers and zebras and murder. Oh, my! From big blockbuster shows to annual chilly thrillers, summertime is some of the best time for theater in Houston. Shakespeare, jukebox musicals, mysteries, and madcap comedies always headline our summer must-sees. This year is no different, but we’re also got intriguing musical dramas, Tony Award winning Broadway shows, bittersweet love stories, and even a local world premiere. There’s no place like Houston for summer theater.

    The Wizard of Oz at A.D. Players (July 9-August 10)
    Something wicked this way comes from A.D. Players this summer. Yes, long before the musical told from certain witches’ perspectives, L. Frank Baum’s original journey to Oz began with a Kansas girl’s ride on a tornado. She found a magical and musical land filled lively lions, tin men, and scarecrows. Follow the yellow brick road to classic songs like “Over the Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” but after a great adventure, learn that enduring message that there’s no place like home. Our favorite Galleria area Players say this newly imagined production will have incredible production values to delight the whole family.

    Crabs in a Bucket at MATCH (July 10-19)
    This satire comes by Houston-raised, nationally acclaimed playwright Bernardo Cubría gets its first regional production with a stellar local cast. Amargo and Pootz are two bitter crabs living in a shucking bucket. They spend their days judging the other crabs that got out, the ones who couldn't take it, and the losers who still live among them. When a new crab arrives filled with hope and change, they are faced with who they once were and their incessant dream of getting the shuck out. Any similarities between this crabby circumstance and human relationships are purely intentional.

    The Mirror Crack’d at Alley Theatre (July 11-August 17)
    Move over Hercule Poirot and you too Sherlock, because it takes a woman to untangle all the mysterious threads of jealousy, lies, and ambition in those seemingly charming English towns. One of Agatha Christie’s greatest detectives, Miss Marple, uses a cheerful and kind-auntie demeanor to disguise a keen intellect and nose for solving crime. For this Miss Marple case, the filming of a star-studded movie in a quaint village leads to a chilling murder, and everyone becomes a suspect. The Alley’s annual Summer Chills mystery production is usually one of their most popular shows, but this one will also make a bit of theatrical history as this production of the Christie classic, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff, marks the first time iconic sleuth Miss Marple has appeared on the U.S. stage.

    The 39 Steps at Main Street Theater (July 12-August 10)
    The classic Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller becomes exhilarating comic mayhem onstage when performed by just four actors. The original 39 Steps film is the story of an ordinary man accused of a murder he did not commit after he accidentally becomes involved with a mysterious and deadly woman. He must then go on the run over the English and Scottish countryside trying to allude both the police and an international spy ring attempting to steal British military secrets. In this hilarious parody adaptation by Patrick Barlow, the four actors leap in and out of over 150 characters, sometimes playing multiple roles in the span of seconds while also performing dynamic chase scenes, including an onstage plane crash. Look for some of our local favs to get quite the theatrical workout in this breakneck comedy.

    Parade presented by Broadway at the Hobby Center (July 15-20)
    For the penultimate show of Broadway at Hobby’s 24-25 season, they’re bringing in the 2023 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the dramatic and still very timely story chronicles what happens when murder, politics, and prejudice meet during a sensationalized murder trial. Based on a true story, Parade depicts newlywed Jewish couple, Leo and Lucille Frank, struggling to make a home and find community in Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. Riveting and complex, Parade reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another.

    Iolanthe from the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston (July 19-27)
    We always look forward this annual summer performance treat, as Houston’s own esteemed Gilbert and Sullivan Society presents another opera gem from the Gilbert and Sullivan treasure trove of musicals. Marrying fantasy and satire, Iolanthe is set in a magical version of England filled with both snobby aristocrats and equally smug faeries. The fairy and human world clash when Strephon, the half-fairy, half-human son of the title character falls in love with the lovely human Phyllis, a ward of the Lord Chancellor. Chaos ensues amid a lively and beautiful score as the fairies interfere in British politics, elevating Strephon to Parliament and upending tradition. The comic opera skews the British legal system, the House of Lords, and Victorian sensibilities all with clever lyrics. Keeping with the fairytale setting, the production design will showcase dreamy lighting, larger-than-life flora set pieces, and costumes inspired by whimsical bugs.

    The Last Five Years at Queensbury Theatre (July 23-27)
    When this bitter sweet musical made its debut in the early 2000s, it garnered lots of critics and audience acclaim with its fresh way to tell its love story, simultaneously from both the ending and beginning. Cathy, an aspiring actress, sings their story from the end of their marriage looking back, while Jamie, a rising novelist, begins with their first meeting full of sparks and attraction. The musical tellings of their love and loss cross just once, with a wedding song they sing together in the middle of the show. Then, fate pulls them apart. Queensbury plans on updating the already innovative show for our cell phone-obsessed digital age. The show will blend live performance with social media and technology to reflect how we connect, communicate, and fall apart today. Get ready for a fresh take on this iconic musical, where texts, tweets, and time collide.

    Honky Tonk Laundry at Stages (July 25-August 17)
    The history of this show at Stages has all of the highs and lows of a real honky tonk song. The feel-good musical created by Roger Bean, who also brought the world The Marvelous Wonderettes, was supposed to be one of the first shows through the wash cycle when Stages’ Gordy campus opened back in 2020, but the pandemic put it on hold after only a week of shows. Stages did release a streaming version of the show, but now it’s back in its full live and in-person glory. The title says it all as a woman tries to turn an inherited washeteria into a honky tonk club. Two unlikely friends spin suds, stories, and songs by Reba, Dolly, Carrie, and more. This musical load contains over 20 country hits, including “Before He Cheats,” “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” and “Wide Open Spaces.” At the center of all the sudsy songs is a story of friendship, grit, and finding your voice, one spin at a time.

    Houston Shakespeare Festival at Miller Outdoor Theatre (July 31-August 8)
    It wouldn’t be summer without free Shakespeare productions at Miller thanks in no small part to the University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance. This year brings a bard-tacular pairing with one of the great history plays, Henry V, and the effervescent comedy, As You Like It. Henry V lets us explore the qualities of leadership in all its challenges, complexities, and compromises as the young English king attempts to claim the French throne via battlefields and princess wooing. As You Like It marries some of Shakespeare’s best comic tropes including women disguised as men and urbanities losing their way, and sometimes sanity, in forests. Mix in some brotherly hate, mistaken identity, mixed up lovers, and a happy ending, and what’s not to like. The annual festival also offers some of the greatest roles for young regional actors getting their professional start and local favorites who have graced many a Houston stage.

    Life of Pi presented by Broadway at the Hobby Center (August 19-24)
    The Broadway at the Hobby Center 24-25 season ends not with a musical, but with this epic play. Based on the internationally award-winning novel and visually stunning film, this show won three Tony Awards and the Olivier Award for Best Play. After a shipwreck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi survives on a lifeboat with four companions: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger. On this makeshift, floating menagerie, boy and animals must survive together. Told with jaw-dropping visuals, world class puppetry and exquisite stagecraft, this beguiling show creates a breathtaking journey filled with wonder, awe and joy.

    While Childhood Slept from Garden Theatre (August 15-17)
    This emotional musical has some deep Houston history, as it had its world premiere here in 1999. It later received an off-Broadway reading, and its finale number, “We Will Not Forget,” was featured in the documentary Paperclips. In 2005, a revised version with new songs was performed once again in Houston. Based on a true story of the boys of Home Number One in the Nazi concentration camp, Terezin, the musical chronicles how the children create a secret republic within the camp, publishing their own magazine of art, poetry, and short stories. A visit from The Red Cross presents the opportunity to disguise their magazine as a secret message and a means of escape. The show will be produced in partnership with Holocaust Museum Houston.

    The Chosen Ones from Thunderclap Productions (August 28-September 6)
    While we have many new takes on classic stories on stages across the city this summer, if you’re looking for something new with some timely resonance, don’t miss this world premiere musical, by local and award winning playwright Aaron Alon. The show chronicles the stories of a group of LGBTQ+ teens sent to a conversion therapy summer camp, led by an “ex-gay” minister. With humor, sorrow, and hope the Chosen Ones explores themes of living authentically, found families, and defying conventions. Look for a large cast of fresh and up and coming local performers in this funny and moving musical, which is also a part of Thunderclap’s John Steven Kellett Memorial Series of works relating to LGBTQ+ equity.

    Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Parade
      

    Photo by Joan Marcus

    Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Parade.

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