The Power Station, Dallas
I went to opening receptions for two really great exhibitions recently. Virginia Overton: Deluxe at the Power Station and Joseph Havel: Plus or Minus at Talley Dunn Gallery.
The Power Station had their opening mid-day on Saturday. It was an amazing Texas day in January with the temperature in the mid-60’s (I seemed to always mention the weather). These are the kinds of days that make me super happy to be living in the Lone Star State. I know these days are limited though….so I was happy as a pig in shit.
Speaking of pigs…as I walked up to the Power Station, I followed the sweet scent of smoked pork…and then I turned the corner. Wow…they were doing it up right.
Tennessee pig at Virginia Overton
I bypassed the pork and went into the building to see the exhibition. If you don’t know about the Power Station yet, make time to check it out. Essentially it is a private museum started by contemporary art collectors Alden and Janelle Pinell. The building is in the Fair Park area of Dallas and the space is FANTASTIC. I wish I could live there. I enjoyed the exhibition but I suppose it’s not for everyone. If one walks in, it may seem as if there is just a truck, a tire and some other common everyday objects in the galleries….and that is exactly what it was. Read a bit more from the Power Station press release here.
After taking a look, I went outside where people were gathered around the pig smokers and the booze. I had a chance to talk with Virginia. She was sweet as pie and I could have listened to her Tennessee accent all night. We ended up not chatting about the art but chatting about the PIG. The pig was from her family’s pig farm in Tennessee. Her sister actually brought it on her flight – iced down in a cooler, no less. They smoked it on site at the Power Station. It seemed that the ritual of the pig-smoking and gathering to eat it was just as much part of the exhibition as the art inside the galleries. I think that is fantastic.
After I left the Power Station, I went home for a quick break and then made my way up to Talley Dunn Gallery to see Joe Havel’s exhibition. I have been fortunate enough to spend a bit of time with Joe over the last year. It seems that on occasion we run into each other and with mutual people in common, we end up at dinner together. He also often makes an appearance in Dallas.
Joe Havel at Tally Dunn Gallery
Joe is good people. He is incredibly sincere and I always walk away feeling like he helped me out…a natural teacher, I suppose. And maybe I always seem like I need advice (yikes).
Besides all of that he is a great artist. His exhibition at Talley Dunn shows the fine sensibility that runs throughout his work. I had seen his sculptural work in person but had not seen the “Nothing” tag installation which consists of thousands of shirt labels pinned to the wall. It was a real treat. And impressive.
The exhibition is up through February 25. Go see it.
Joe Havel
Joe Havel at Tally Dunn Gallery
Joe Havel at Talley Dunn Gallery
Joe Havel at Tally Dunn Gallery
Zuzu Bluebottom 