An artist reception will be held to announce the official opening of the nine-month exhibition of sculptures by the internationally acclaimed artist, Bernar Venet. Nearly 15 monumental sculptures will be placed in eight meticulously selected high profile locations throughout scenic Hermann Park. The exhibition opens to the public on January 23, 2010.
The reception will be held at Kinder Station at Lake Plaza in Hermann Park (across from The Houston Zoo entrance)
*Sponsored by Texan-French Alliance for the Arts*
Beverages provided by: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
About Bernar Venet:
French artist, Bernar Venet, whose long and distinguished career dates back to the 60s, first began producing monumental linear improvisations in steel in the early 1980s. His sculptures, soon to be on view in Houston (are from the series "Arcs," "Straight Lines" and "Indeterminate Lines") are considered by many to be his trademark work. His sculptures have been exhibited in major cities in the United States, Asia, Europe and South Africa, including Paris, Luxembourg, Geneva, Basel, Cologne, Brussels, New York, Chicago, St. Louis, and Denver. As one of the world's most important and talked about artists today, Venet's sculptures have been acquired in museums such as The Museum of Modern Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The National Gallery of Art, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Switzerland, National Museum of Jakarta, Sonje Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, The Hirshhorn Museum an Sculpture Garden, The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, The Milwaukee Art Museum and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Simply stated, Venet's sculptures study variations of lines, specifically of arcs and curves. However, it is the scope of the work in its mass, concept and execution that makes Venet one of the most prominent sculptors of today. Each series expresses different notions of Venet's interest in the mathematics of order versus chaos. Using a technique that has been described as "Action Sculpture in slow motion" Venet carefully balances his vision for the material with the steel's natural responses to the warping effects of pressure and heat. For more information, please see www.bernarvenet.com or www.mcclaingallery.com.
To learn more about the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, visit www.texanfrenchalliance.org. For media requests, please contact Heather Wagner at heather@juiceconsulting.net or (713) 208-3891.
Photo: Courtesy of Bernar Venet Studio and McClain Gallery, Houston
