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    Creative Bloc

    An art cold war? Russian ban on lending objects impacts major exhibitions atHouston museums

    Steven Devadanam
    Jun 10, 2011 | 2:22 pm
    • An artifact from "Treasures from the Hermitage: Russia's Crown Jewels"
    • Shah Jahan Receives the Persian Ambassador, Muhammad 'Ali Beg, folio from theWindsor Padshahnama, India, c. 1633, ink, colors and gold on paper
    • The Russian State Library in Moscow houses the Schneerson Library collection.
      Flickr
    • Pair of Bracelets, Syria or Egypt, 11th century, gold, fabricated from sheet,decorated with wire, granulation and repoussé

    A landmark exhibition of Russian art, Treasures from the Hermitage: Russia's Crown Jewels was set to debut at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on May 20 — but on that day, the gallery was left empty. The delay is the result of a recent ban by the Russian government on loans to American institutions, which has also impacted an exhibition opening in October at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Gifts of the Sultans: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts.

    The conflict derives from the ruling by a U.S. judge demanding Russia return a sizeable group of religious books and rabbinic manuscripts seized during the Bolshevik Revolution and after World War II. The request for the return of the documents is advocated by Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn that began in 18th-century Russia.

    Following the U.S. ruling, Russia announced an embargo of loans of works of art to U.S. museums. At the height of the drama, 37 icons from Moscow's Andrei Rublev Museum were withdrawn from the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass. Several other stateside museums, including the Getty Museum and National Gallery of Art are being punished in the art diplomacy debacle.

    According to The Art Newspaper, Russia's culture minister, Alexander Avdeyev, told the Russian media that the block will persist until the U.S. provides a "100% guarantee" that works lent to American museums will be protected. In April, Chabad assured U.S. State and Justice Departments that it will not attempt to seize any art or cultural objects or "disrupt in any manner the non-profit exchange of art and cultural objects between the Russian and American people."

    A foreign ministry official reacted, "Unfortunately, the U.S. judge made an unlawful decision, which cannot be enforced in Russia, as a matter of fact." In a play of tit for tat, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is retaliating for having lost the loan of Cézanne's "Card Players" by dissolving an agreement to loan works to an exhibition on Christian Dior at the State Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

    The current stalemate contrasts with decades of generous exchange between the U.S. and Russia. HMNS and Russian curators had been in discussions about the Treasures of the Hermitage exhibition since 1991.

    "Obviously we're very disappointed because our exhibition consisted only of Russian objects and we were the only venue," says HMNS' Latha Thomas. "But we're hopeful. We do have an agreement that this exhibition will take place when this thing is settled. We're just hoping it will resolve quickly. The Justice Department is now involved, too."

    The Hermitage exhibition has been organized by HMNS director, Joel Bartsch, who is also the curator of the museum's mineral collection. Bartsch's litany of partnerships with Russian institutions have brought such significant shows as 2000's Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels,and Fabergé: Imperial Jeweler To The Tsars. The museum capitalized on the void presented by the Russian ban by expanding the current milestone exhibition, ДРЕВНЯ УКРАЇНА (Ancient Ukraine) - Golden Treasures and Lost Civilizations, to include additional sacred icons.

    Gifts of the Sultans, slated to open Oct. 23 at the MFAH, will continue as scheduled, but if the Russian ban isn't lifted, several works will be missing. The exhibition was organized in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which unveiled the show on Sunday with 200 other artworks from the museum's permanent collection and borrowed from non-Russian lenders. However, the exhibition's planned centerpiece, an 18th-century Turkish tent embroidered in silk and gold that had been gifted to Catherine the Great and now belongs to the Hermitage, is noticeably not in attendance.

    The likelihood of the exhibition's piece de resistance arriving in Houston is slim, says Francesca Leoni, curator of Islamic art at the MFAH. "The only real spectacular loss is the tent," she tells CultureMap. "Other than that, the other banned objects just added nuances to what remains an extremely accomplished exhibition concept. Obviously, it's unfortunate, but we can redistribute the objects without the centerpiece. That a diplomatic crisis affects a show that deals with the benefits of exchange — it's a bit of a paradox."

    unspecified
    news/entertainment

    weekend event planner

    Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jun 11, 2025 | 6:30 pm

    This weekend is Father’s Day weekend. If you have one of those dads who likes leaving the house and doing stuff, lots of events are happening where you can hang and chill with Pops.

    Take dad to an art-show opening, a one-night-only haunted house, a Japanese indoor festival, a white linen night, two concerts featuring two legendary, renegade groups, or a new digital restoration of an indie-film classic. If all else fails, head over to Typhoon Texas and let dad float a lazy river for free.

    Thursday, June 12

    Architecture Center Houston presents Falon Mihalic: "Verdant Laboratory" opening reception
    This immersive exhibition by artist and landscape architect Falon Mihalic explores Houston’s wild ecologies through large-scale drawings, sculpture, and video. The exhibition highlights the city’s living landscape as a vital force in building urban resilience. As the effects of climate change become more visible and the city of Houston continues to grow, this exhibit prompts a critical question: How can we foreground landscape ecology in shaping the resilient cities of tomorrow? Through Friday, August 22. 5:30 pm.

    The Wiggles: Bouncing Balls! Tour
    With this interactive show based on the hit single “Bouncing Balls,” The Wiggles aims to spark creativity, curiosity, and a love of learning through their signature mix of entertainment and education. Families can sing, dance, and wiggle along to the high energy musical extravaganza, featuring all eight Wiggles: OG Blue Wiggle Anthony, Simon, Lachy, Tsehay, John, Lucia, Caterina, and Evie. 6 pm.

    Houston Ballet presents Sparrow
    Houston Ballet's final program of their 2024-2025 season, Sparrow features three one-act ballets by choreographers spanning from yesterday’s eminence to today’s prominence: George Balanchine, Houston Ballet director emeritus Ben Stevenson, and artistic director Stanton Welch. Along with Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Stevenson’s Four Last Songs, Welch’s Sparrow, set to some of Simon & Garfunkel’s most recognizable music, fills the stage with a vibrant and large ensemble cast. Through Sunday, June 22. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

    Friday, June 13

    Clear Lake Symphony presents Season Closing Concert
    The Clear Lake Symphony will perform their sixth and final concert of their 49th season, with music including Russian Sailor’s Dance by Gliere; Piano Concerto No. 2 Opus 18 by Rachmaninoff (featuring Dr. Stephanie Chen, guest pianist); and Symphony No 3 in C Minor (Organ Symphony) by Saint-Saens (featuring Dr. Brad Morrison, guest organist). The Symphony will be led by Robert Wall, in his 31st year as conductor. 7:30 pm.

    Cultural Center "Our Texas" presents Kseniia Abramovskaia: "The Artist Behind The Trees & Cats" opening reception
    Russian-born, Houston-based artist Kseniia Abramovskaia transforms wood and canvas into worlds where nature pulses with life, and the mystical feline reigns. With acrylics, spray paint, palette knives, and brushes, she constructs textured landscapes brimming with movement and emotion. Her pieces are more than visual treats; they are storytelling spectacles. The exhibition marks Abramovskaia's first solo show, where nature meets the artist, one tree, one cat, and one bold brushstroke at a time. Through Friday, July 18. 7:30 pm.

    Punch Line Houston presents Emil Wakim
    Brooklyn comedian Emil Wakim just finished his first year as the first Lebanese-American cast member on Saturday Night Live’s milestone 50th season. He made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Wakim has also opened for comedians like Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser, Hasan Minhaj, and Neal Brennan. 7:30 pm (7 and 9:15 pm Saturday).

    13th Floor Haunted House presents Blackout
    We know it’s the summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a bit frightened this time of year. Blackout is a one-day event where monsters and mayhem lurk in total darkness. Upon arriving, each group (not each person) is given one glow stick. Venturing into the depths of darkness, a horde of monsters roam freely. Visitors may catch a glimpse of them under the glow of black lights, but monsters may steal glow sticks, leaving groups in the dark. 8 pm.

    Saturday, June 14

    Tokyo X
    There’s a good chance all the weebs (translation: non-Japanese people who like Japanese stuff) in town will be at NRG Center for Houston’s biggest Japanese indoor festival. Tokyo X is a two-day celebration of Japanese culture that seamlessly blends modern and traditional elements. It will be a showcase of Japanese culture featuring renowned anime voice actors, cosplay, a car show, live concerts, martial arts demonstrations, workshops, free arcades, 30+ food vendors, and more. 10 am.

    White Linen Night—A Local Art Affair
    Residents and visitors to League City are invited to dress in white and step into an enchanting evening of art, culture, and community during the City’s White Linen Night—A Local Art Affair. Inspired by the timeless New Orleans tradition of wearing white linen to embrace the summer season and stay cool in the heat, this night invites guests to enjoy an evening of artistic discovery, local talent, live entertainment, food and drinks, and neighborly connection under the canopy of century-old oak trees. 4 pm.

    City Place presents Hot Nights, Cool Grooves
    At the summer concert experience Hot Nights, Cool Grooves, guests can enjoy a picturesque setting overlooking waterfront City Place Park and a monthly showcase of regional musical artists from a variety of genres. Each evening will feature back-to-back sets, food trucks, promotional pop-ups, beer samplings from Saint Arnold, photo opportunities, swag giveaways, and other surprise elements. Through Thursday, August 2. 5:30 pm.

    Metallica and Wu Tang Clan in concert
    Two legendary groups will be in Houston this Saturday night. For the hardcore metal heads, Metallica will be at NRG Stadium, performing the same headbanging classics that made them the veteran rock giants they are today. For all the hardcore hip-hop heads, the surviving members of the Wu-Tang Clan (RIP ODB!) will be at Toyota Center. They’ll be hitting you with some iconic, East Coast rap as part of their final tour, Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber. 6 pm and 8 pm.

    Sunday, June 15

    Father’s Day at Typhoon Texas
    This weekend, all the fathers out there will be getting a hookup, courtesy of Typhoon Texas. Simply purchase anyticket at the gate, and dad gets in free. Theoffer is valid only at the gate, and cannot be combined with any other offer. (It’s also not available online.) Now celebrating its 10th year, Typhoon Texas offers multiple water slides, a massive wave pool, a winding lazy river, and a child-friendly play area including Typhoon Jr., aka five, junior-sized versions of its most popular waterslides. 11 am.

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Killer of Sheep
    Killer of Sheep examines life in mid-’70s, Los Angeles neighborhood Watts through the eyes of Stan (Houston native Henry G. Sanders), a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse. Frustrated by money problems, he finds respite in moments of simple beauty. Charles Burnett’s acclaimed debut — screening in a stunning new restoration — combines lyrical elements with a starkly neorealist, documentary-style approach that chronicles the unfolding story with depth and riveting simplicity. 5 pm.

    Performing Arts Houston presents Glory to Glory (A Revival For Spiritual and Devotional Art)
    The only event from Solange Knowles’ Eldorado Ballroom live music series that isn’t sold out, this program celebrates women shaping Black praise in contemporary spiritual and devotional sounds. Gospel icon Twinkie Clark takes center stage alongside The Clark Sisters in a tribute to her unmatched artistry. The evening also pays tribute to Mary Lou Williams, a jazz luminary whose spiritual choral works continue to resonate with the brilliance that once guided legends like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis. 6:30 pm.

    Metallica
      
    Photo by Herring Herring

    Metallica performs at NRG Stadium on Saturday.

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