Previous Exhibitions

Electric Rodeo: Rosebuds of Rodeo Fashion and Ranching

An addition to Daniel Kramer’s vibrant rodeo photographs, a new exhibition of rodeo and western fashion is now on view at the museum.

Ranching and rodeo traditions are abundant in Victoria, Texas. Rodeo is a cultural event that publicly acknowledges the skills and dedication that are critical to ranching. Electric Rodeo: Rosebuds of Rodeo Fashion and Ranching highlights iconic local women for whom the love of rodeo and ranching is ingrained. The fashion on display is far more than fancy clothing — it represents how much ranching and family have shaped these women. Their stories demonstrate a clear connection between the elaborate pageantry of rodeo and the earliest memories of sitting in a saddle of a beloved horse.

Linda Fagan Patterson
Handmade costumes by Linda Fagan Patterson

Esteemed ateliers such as Ralph Lauren, Saint Laurent, and Valentino have been trying to capture western spirit for more than a century. Western wear icons included in this show, such as Nudie Cohn and Manuel Cuevas, pay homage to the wide ranging influence of the personalities and efforts that are the foundation of rodeo style.

The purpose of this addition to the Giddy Up!! exhibition is to engage visitors with fun and flair from a personal and intimate perspective. This show, curated by Molly Kemp, is a wonderful opportunity to highlight The “Rosebuds” of Victoria and their many accomplishments.

DANIEL KRAMER: GIDDY UP!! A DECADE OF DOCUMENTING THE HOUSTON RODEO

Bullfighter, Leon Coffee, photograph by Daniel Kramer, 2019

On March 13, 2021, Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art opens a new exhibition featuring award-winning photographer Daniel Kramer in: “Giddy Up!! A Decade of Documenting the Houston Rodeo.” Originally shown at the Art Car Museum in Houston, and curated by Noah Edmundson, this exhibition will be shown in an expanded form for Five Points Museum.

As a young boy, Kramer was exposed to the culture of the cowboy during summers on his father’s ranch in Idaho. Relatives Bud & Bobby Kramer ran one of the largest ranches in the U.S. and provided stock to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from the early 1950s until the late 1970s. Bobby Kramer is in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas.

When Kramer moved to Houston he was naturally drawn to the Houston Rodeo, which calls itself the world’s largest entertainment event. The 2019 Rodeo had more than 2.5 million attendees. The sprawling 3-week spectacle includes the Rodeo, live music performances, a barbeque cook-off, a carnival, a livestock show, a parade and trail riders. He has documented the various aspects of the Houston Rodeo since 2007.

In 2014, he photographed the event for Smithsonian Magazine’s Instagram account. Later that same year, the project was selected by the American Society of Media Photographers as one of the Best Projects of the Year. Additionally, one photo was included in The National: Best Contemporary Photography 2014 exhibition at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Daniel Kramer: GIDDY UP!! A Decade of Documenting the Houston Rodeo opens Saturday, March 13th, 2021 and runs through June 27th, 2021. Dates are subject to change.

Please note that at this time, we are not planning a reception for the opening, but will post notifications if a reception becomes feasible later in the run of the exhibition.

Paradigm Shift: Art Car Showcase extended through February 7th, 2021

On November 28, Art Cars return to the Museum with a selection of cars from the permanent collection. This exhibit examines the creative processes, materials and themes that change a car into an “Art Car.”

Some cars are completely rebuilt anew, like Amber Eagle’s Rosebud, a vehicle that questions the concept of the alien, and a metaphysical view on travel in inner and outer space. Others are explosions of assemblage, like David Best’s Milan car, and still others are exquisitely restored cars with paintings that convey spirituality and revolution.

From the whimsical to the sacred, the cars on exhibit celebrate exploration, transformation, and the expression of individual creativity. All display passion, obsessive attention to detail, and metamorphic vision. These artists shift the paradigm of the automobile from an iconic symbol of American industry to insightful and sometimes subversive commentary of the prevailing systems of our world.

Paradigm Shift: Art Car Showcase is scheduled to be on view through February 7th, 2021.

Travis and Jesse: The Road So Far

Shotgun House, side view
Junkyard Dog, 1980. Jesse Lott.

Extended through October 18: Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art presents a new exhibition by Houston artist Jesse Lott and Louisiana artist Travis Whitfield called The Road So Far. The exhibit will feature an installation by Whitfield that includes a full-size “Shotgun House” containing artifacts and photographs from Northern Louisiana, where Whitfield lives and has a studio. Lott’s featured artworks explore how line creates form and utilizes found objects from near his Houston studio to create dynamic sculptures.

“Edgar, Blue & Ward” 1974 by Travis Whitfield

From the smallest detailed figurine to the life-size shotgun house, Lott and Whitfield provide social, historical and political commentary via their respective observations of the world around them. Watch the two artists discuss their work with the Victoria Advocate in the video below.

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaAdvocate/videos/1029698824089402/

The exhibit features video and multimedia that bring visitors into the artists’ process and provide insights to the cultural and fundamental backgrounds that led each artist to their current place.

[Read more…] about Travis and Jesse: The Road So Far

Lowrider Excellence: The Leal Brothers

On Saturday, September 7th, from 5-8PM, Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art will host the opening of a new exhibition by Corpus Christi Lowrider artists, the Leal Brothers. Lowrider Excellence: The Leal Brothers will feature national award-winning cars that have been painted, sculpted and fully remade.

“Baby Boy” by the Leal Brothers. Photo by Irvin Tepper.

The Lowrider as an art form has evolved since the mid-20th century. While its roots can be traced back to post-WWII Los Angeles, the art and cultural phenomenon of lowriders has spread throughout the United States and beyond. Cementing their place as masters of this form, the Leal Brothers and their obsessively detailed automobiles are multiple-year winners in premier national competitions, including the Lowrider Tour Las Vegas Super Show. In 2018, their work dominated the show, taking both first and second place for Lowrider Car of the Year. 

The opening reception of this event will feature the music of another group of brothers. Tejano artists Los Palominos won a Best Tejano Performance Grammy for their hit song “Por Eso Te Amo,” and they have recorded many worldwide hits according to the Billboard music charts. Based in Uvalde, Texas, their fan base extends internationally. The Houston Chronicle calls the music of Los Palominos “an essential piece of the Mexican-American mosaic.” 

This exhibit is curated by Ann Harithas, the museum’s founder and executive director. 

Exhibit on view September 7 through October 20.

Good & Lost: August 16 & 17

For two nights, August 16 & 17, 2019,  Five Points Museum will be transformed into a live theater venue, with Good & Lost, a series of short and new works written and directed by Walter Womack, Randy Wachtel, Randy Pollard, Amanda Heinold, and Nina Di Leo.

Seating is general admission & free, but reservations are recommended. To reserve your spot, go online to www.monstershere.org where you can also donate to Here Be Monsters Theatre to support future productions.