jlf is back

Globally renowned cultural festival returns to Houston with top stars of food, literature, politics, and more

JLF Houston Ussama Makdisi Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Mira Jacob

Ussama Makdisi at JLF Houston in conversation with Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Mira Jacob.

Photo by Chris Dunn/Asia Society Texas

A cutting-edge and star-studded arts and cultural festival is making a triumphant in-person comeback.

JLF Houston, the local iteration of the global Jaipur Literature Festival (held annually in Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan state) returns to Asia Society on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 with tasty events, provocative panel discussions, and even debates surrounding today’s most pressing issues.

This is the first in-person celebration — organized by Asia Society, literary nonprofit Inprint, and Indian arts nonprofit Teamwork Arts — after two years of virtual offerings due to the pandemic.

Standout guests include former ambassador Michael Pelletier, award-winning author and professor Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, FotoFest executive director Steven Evans, celebrated poet Arundhathi Subramaniam, New York Times bestselling author Varsha Bajaj, James Beard Award-nominated local chef/restaurateur Anita Jaisinghani, and a host of other American and Indian top talent.

Ticket options for the affair include a Weekend Pass ($50), Saturday Day Pass ($20), and general and student admission ($5) and are available online.

Attendees can look forward to fun events such as the opening day pane “Masala: Recipes From India, the Land of Spices,” hosted by Jaisinghani Pondicheri Bake Lab, which centers on food and culture.

Later that night, “Geopolitics: The Tipping Edge” offers thoughts as world teeters on the edge of economic and environmental collapse, geopolitical compulsions, and political hubris, featuring Pelletier, Zachary Zwald, and Seema Sirohi in conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy.

Other notable events include “Points of View: An Archival Gaze of Photography in India,” a showcase of photography in colonial and post-colonial India hosted by Gayatri Sinha and Evans in conversation.

Consider this not only a who’s-who of figures from India and the world, but as a Houston cultural festival with global reach.

-----

JLF Houston runs Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 at Asia Society (1370 Southmore Blvd.). For tickets and full schedule and roster of featured participants, visit the official site.

politics trends festivals books literature inspiration celebrities

be part of the art

Local artist invites Houstonians to participate in new Discovery Green project

A portrait of artist Karen Navarro for Discovery Green

Photo courtesy of Karen Navarro

Artist Karen Navarro is creating a large-scale, public art installation for Discovery Green.

Discovery Green will debut a new interactive artwork this September, and Houstonians can be part of its creation. Locally-based artist Karen Navarro is inviting residents to sit for portraits for Chroma Collective, her large-scale installation planned for the park’s Sarofim Picnic Lawn.

The Argentine native centers her practice on identity, representation, race, and belonging. Her own journey as an immigrant woman informs the Discovery Green project, which celebrates Houston’s diversity while examining the intersection of history and personal narratives. Although Navarro began as a photographer, her work now includes immersive, three-dimensional sculpture.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue evolving my practice and working on a project of this scale as an introduction to the realm of public art,” Navarro said.

Navarro is a former fellow of Discovery Green Conservancy’s Art Lab, a mentorship program that pairs underrepresented local artists with a lead artist and mentors to learn the nuts and bolts of public art installations.

“Seeing Karen Navarro, one of our inaugural Art Lab fellows, selected for the park’s fall pop-up installation is a testament to the program’s mission in action,” Kathryn Lott, president of Discovery Green Conservancy, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to see her bring her vision to life and to continue fostering opportunities for Houston’s creative community.”

A local art advisory firm, The Weingarten Art Group, co-curates and co-administers Art Lab, which is funded by an anonymous national foundation.

"Karen Navarro’s fall pop-up proposal brilliantly captures the essence of Discovery Green – its vibrant community, lush green spaces, interactive landscape, and spirit of exploration,” said Weingarten Art Group principal Lea Weingarten.

Houstonians interested in participating in Navarro’s piece must complete this form, which includes a photo submission, to be considered for a portrait session.

discovery green parks visual-art

jlf is back

Globally renowned cultural festival returns to Houston with top stars of food, literature, politics, and more

be part of the art

Local artist invites Houstonians to participate in new Discovery Green project

Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter

New owner of Texas Renaissance Festival revealed in our top 5 stories

Winner of Ren Fest lawsuit plans to keep the event mostly unchanged