Tom Jean Webb presents a new body of mixed media work for his exhibition, A True Fairytale. Originally from the UK, Webb was based in Austin until recently returning home to pursue his graduate studies. His artwork demonstrates his deep admiration for the expansive landscapes of the American Southwest. His paintings and sculpture focus on the relationship between the human experience and the natural world, allowing the viewer to reflect upon the personal journeys we all encounter. Webb’s poetic, and sometimes playful imagery simultaneously grounds the viewer and reminds them that the mysterious, arbitrary, and sometimes absurd is part of life. A True Fairytale will include new, never before seen, mixed media canvases, as well as a newly commissioned seesaw sculpture. Visitors will be able to interact with the seesaw, as well as contribute to the exhibition by decorating and placing rocks within the space. The Conn Take pART Education Gallery will include a rock decorating station, as well as custom coloring pages designed by Webb.
In An In Between (Un Intermedio), San Antonio-based artist José Villalobos will display works from his oeuvre that focus on the themes of living in-between cultures and identities, including photographs, mirrored 2-D works, free standing sculptures, and a video room to view past performances. Villalobos grew up on the US/Mexico border in El Paso, TX, and was raised in a traditional and religiously conservative family. The root of Villalobos’s work lies in the performativity of his identity. His work reconciles the identity challenges in his life, caught in between traditional Mexican customs and American mores, as well as growing up with religious ideals that conflict and condemn being gay. Through his mixed media works and performances, Villalobos confronts the derogatory terms and attitudes that he continues to withstand today. He protests the toxicity of machismo using objects, specifically within the norteño culture, that carry a history by deconstructing and altering them. A live performance by the artist can be viewed in-person during the opening reception.
