it's on

Houston's two dueling art fairs finalize 2012 dates; one touting big changes anda dynamic new staff

Noted collector Marshal Lightman, artist Donald Sultan, and HEG president RickFriedman
Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
On the floor at Texas Contemporary 2011 with Walter Robinson's Zero Sum Game(courtesy Catharine Clark Gallery).
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Max Fishko and Jeffrey Wainhause of ArtMKT, organizers of Texas Contemporary.

After successful inaugural runs in 2011, both the Houston Fine Art Fair (HFAF) and the Texas Contemporary Art Fair will return to Houston in 2012 — but not without some major changes.

Many in the Houston art community hoped to see a resolution between the dueling fairs, resulting in a larger combined event or two annual shows in different seasons. Unfortunately, as the legal battle continues between the production companies, the schedule will be identical to last year, with two fairs occurring only a month apart.

Still, don't expect a repeat performance from either show.

Organizers for each event have stressed efforts to up the ante, particularly the Houston Fine Art Fair. Booth space has yet to be offered for either show, but by the summer a full roster of participants should be available.

Many in the art community hoped to see the dueling fairs merge into a larger combined event or host two annual shows in different seasons. But as the legal battle continues, the schedule will be identical to last year. Still, don't expect a repeat performance from either show.

Houston Fine Art Fair: Sept. 14 to 16, 2012

The biggest change for the HFAF will be its relocation from the George R. Brown, which hosted the show in 2011, to the Reliant Center — a slightly larger exhibition space but further from many of the city's popular restaurants and hotels, not to mention the Museum District.

John Harris of the Houston First Corporation, which organizes events at the George R. Brown, said that while his organization offered several dates for the fair, they were unable to secure the times requested by HFAF organizers.

"We're stepping up the game this year," Rick Friedman, president of HFAF parent company Hamptons Expo Group, tells CultureMap, noting that Reliant offers more wall space in the booths as well as additional room for installation pieces and non-profit areas.

"At the moment, we're in the process of hiring new programming staff," he says. "We're planning something more like Art Basel Miami — a major show that attracts an international crowd."

Fran Kaufman, who served as director for the HEG Group's 2011 fairs, says she will take on a slightly smaller role at the 2012 Houston show as a creative consultant while she focuses more time towards her New York-based art advisory firm.

New to the staff line-up is former ArtForum promotions manager Ruth Fruehauf, who will head the fair's sales team. Also joining the team are show advisors Melissa Grobmyer and Janet Hobby, whose Houston agency MKG Art Management will oversee audience development, programming and special events, as well as the show's overall look and feel.

"At the moment, we're in the process of hiring new programming staff," Friedman explained. "We're planning something more like Art Basel Miami, a major show that attracts an international crowd."

"Our goal is to make this a citywide event," Grobmyer says. "Ultimately, we want to grow the fair into the leading art platform in this part of the county."

Proceeds from sales at the fair's opening night preview gala will benefit the Glassell School at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for the second year in a row.

Texas Contemporary Art Fair: Oct. 19 to 21, 2012

Fair director Max Fishko vowed to return to Houston, even as gallery owners packed up their booths at the first Texas Contemporary show, which focused almost entirely on living artists, with an extra nod to those based in Texas.

"Enough people came to the events this October to let us know it went well," he tells CultureMap. "I think we ended up making a very clear statement about who we are as a contemporary art fair."

Fishko says his production company, artMRKT, plans for an even broader range of exhibitors for the 2012 event and will have a better sense of programming once the participating galleries are finalized by the spring. A host committee will be announced shortly.

"Judging from the excitement among gallery owners and attendees, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to return," says Patrick Reynolds, director of the Inman Gallery. "We're definitely planning to come back next year."

Like the HFAF, Texas Contemporary also will stage an opening night benefit preview with proceeds, once again, going to Contemporary Art Museum Houston.

"We love our relationship with Texas Contemporary," says CAMH director Bill Arning. "They treat us very well, and we're looking forward to round two."

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Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

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Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film