back in the mix

Hot Houston crowd gets back in the mix as MFAH's late-night dance party returns after 3-year break

An electric crowd of art, music, and party-loving Houstonians packed the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston this past weekend for the big return of the museum's late-night party, Mixed Media.

As CultureMap reported, this summer's event marked this first Mixed Media since 2019; the MFAH stopped the party in response to the pandemic. More than 900 hit the MFAH's Audrey Jones Beck Building to catch an all-Houston musical lineup starring headline act The Suffers, rising star opener Lenora, and DJ/producer Tay Powers.

Fusing hot music, a dance club vibe, and cutting-edge art, the party rocked with tunes, hundreds on the dance floor, and an exclusive peek at the MFAH's current exhibit, “William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows,” an eye-catching showcase for the noted South African artist.

When not hitting the the dance floor and checking out the artwork, visitors sipped cocktails and noshed on pizza and light bites from Cafe Leonelli, the MFAH's Italian cafe and bakery.

Getting the crowd going with her self-described "rhythm and groove," Lenora opened the show with a groove-filled set. Before the show and between set, Tay Powers spun tunes and kept the beats flowing. Later, The Suffers and charismatic lead singer Kam Franklin took the stage for their sticky-sweet soul, funk, and R&B sounds from latest release It Starts With Love and other faves.

Judging by the nearly 1,000 in the building, the MFAH will have no problem drawing a crowd for its mixed-media, late-night dance party.

$Mixed Media MFAH July 2023 The Suffers Christian Mares, Olivia Trevi\u00f1o, Sophia Arevalo, Adrian Burciaga$

Photo by Marco Torres/@MarcoFromHouston

Christian Mares, Olivia Treviño, Sophia Arevalo, and Adrian Burciaga.

Party Watch

Contemporary Western art shines at Galveston museum fundraiser

Photo by Jacob McCready

Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

What: Art Untamed, A Night of Contemporary Western Art

Photo by Jacob McCready

Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

Where: The Lancaster Hotel

The Scoop: With cowboy boots traded for cocktail attire, more than 115 artists and art lovers moseyed into downtown for Art Untamed, an evening that lassoed the spirit of the West with a modern twist.

Now in its fourth year, the fundraiser benefiting The Bryan Museum was steered by a dedicated committee including Christine Glover, Linda and Bill Reeves, and Guylene and Jay Lendrum. The event spotlighted 32 Southwestern artists featured in the Visions of the West exhibit.

Guests sipped and mingled during cocktail hour, sizing up 73 pieces ranging from luminous landscapes to storytelling textiles. The live auction, led by crowd-favorite auctioneer Randolph Holford, delivered a flurry of paddles in the air, especially for Bob Stuth-Wade’s radiant Santiago Peak from Chalk Draw, Nathaniel Garza’s moody Three Reasons, and Echo Ukrainetz’s intricate batik honoring cowgirl trailblazer Lucy Mulhall.

The weekend kicked off at The Lancaster Hotel, where partner Jay Shinn hosted artists and VIPs at a reception in the historic property set to celebrate its centennial next year. During the festivities, museum founder JP Bryan captured the mood best.

“A collection is an expression of a soul; it speaks to where our heart is,” he said. “That is why the museum was founded, to share the important story of Texas and the American West through a world-class collection, outstanding exhibitions, and educational programming.”

The evening raised nearly $100,000 to support educational programming and outreach at The Bryan Museum.

Who: Lori Leal Wedemeyer and Barkley Wedemeyer, Sassy Stanton, Bill Pinckard, Mike Glover, Shara Fryer, Barry Silverman, Frank Rynd, Deborah and Monte Stavis, Kelly and Luis Zúñiga, Kara Przybyl McIver and David McIver, Dianne Reynolds, Stephanie and Brent Kindle, Penny and Townes Pressler, Linda and Jerry Dickson, Bob Leibrock, Paulina Padilla, Nocona Burgess, Vickie McMillan-Hayes, Ricardo Robles, and Bob Stuth-Wade.

museums fundraisers bryan museum visual-art