International political artist Alfredo Jaar drove conversation to an elevated level as guest of honor at a Holocaust Museum Houston Art Circle dinner, which followed his 90-minute lecture at the museum. The new Art Circle patronage group was created to connect museum members and the greater Houston community with artists and collectors who are engaged in social, political and human rights issues.
Jaar could not have been a better choice for the Art Circle launch. The Chilean-born artist, architect and filmmaker lives and works in New York and is well known for his use of public art to reveal social injustice and inspire public action.
More than 40 art enthusiasts joined the dinner hosted by Heidi and David Gerger in their West University home. Heidi Gerger and noted art collector Frank Herzog chair the new Art Circle. which has already raised $18,000 for museum exhibitions.
Headliners included the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's Anne Wilkes Tucker, FotoFest founders Wendy Watriss and Fred Baldwin and Clint Willour of the Galveston Arts Center, who were joined by Judy and Mike Weingart, Dorene Herzog, Debra and Steve Cohen, Holocaust Museum Houston chair Mark Mucasey, Milton Klein, Cheryl and Stephen Golub, Carol and David Neuberger, Nicole Longnecker and Mady and Ken Kades.
Heidi Gerger, from left, Debra Cohen, Kelly Zúñiga and Marcy Taub Wessel at the Holocaust Museum Houston's Art Circle launch.
