It's no secret that the Houston Museum District is home to one of the most vibrant arts scenes in the nation. Between the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Menil Collection and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, plus a league of well-known and highly-regarded galleries, one needn't go far to get a glimpse of the Old Masters and the present-day makers.
But look a little further west for an undiscovered cultural gem: CITYCENTRE, Houston's hotspot for high-end residential, retail and restaurants, also has become an arts destination in its own right over the past several years.
Take Muir Fine Art Gallery, a retail space conceived by John Muir Lockhart and his partner, CJ Alvarez, to bring some of the finest artists in the United States and abroad to Houston's discerning art crowd.
Stop in the airy space to see works from Russian, European and Australian artists including Yuroz, Nenad Mirkovich, Simon Bull, Irena Aleksandrina, Anna Ataeva, Kendall Perkins and Jie Zhou, in addition to locals Jim Hudek and Reg Stark.
Just down the way is BeHUMAN Gallery, an intimate creative space from Houston-based artist Shannon O'Hara, his wife Evelin, and his friend Luqman Kaka, a fashion photographer and entrepreneur based in France.
CITYCENTRE, Houston's hotspot for high-end residential, retail and restaurants, also has become an arts destination in its own right over the past several years.
"We came up with the name BeHUMAN based on the simple concept that one of the best attributes of being human is our ability to conceive of something in our minds and then create it with our hands," says O'Hara, who explains that the divergent backgrounds and life experiences of the gallery's three founders are reflected in the diverse work that is shown there.
From a photography exhibition examining Houston's major roadways by Andy Hemingway throughout the fall, to a solo show from Mexico-based artist Jorge Pinzon in December, it's clear that the gallery stays fresh.
The three founders initially set out in September 2012 with a mission to promote intelligent, powerful work from diverse disciplines of both emerging and established contemporary artists, and to assist in establishing CITYCENTRE as a hub for art and culture. The latter has been realized in its programming of public lobbies and offices throughout the development.
"The work in the lobbies changes quarterly. We try to show work that is not simply decorative, but work that causes you to stop and consider its meaning," O'Hara says.
Want to bring some of that energy home? There's no better holiday gift for yourself — or for your friends and family — than works from local artists, and CITYCENTRE offers two opportunities to shop in the plaza this November: A Fall Art Series showcases the work of local artists and artisans on Sunday, November 17, from 2 to 6 p.m., and Santa's Holiday Market will be held Saturday, November 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with unique vendors, live music and a toy drive in addition to quality art.
CITYCENTRE has become another arts epicenter in Houston.
