2006 Coverage
Blanton in the News
"In what has quickly become part of the Blanton's international signature, [Annette DiMeo] Carlozzi has played a major role in drawing cutting-edge artists and then positioning them at unexpected angles."
— Nikki Moore, Tribeza magazine ("Driving in Three Directions", a feature on the Blanton's Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, Austin Museum of Art's Dana Friis-Hansen, and Fluent-Collaborative's Laurence Miller), December 2006
"Opened in May, the Blanton will be a hit with family art aficionados. In addition to the permanent collection, the December exhibits include Rembrandt's Etchings and the spectacular work of Luca Cambiaso."
— Elizabeth James, Austin Woman magazine, December 2006 (voted the Blanton a top spot to bring out-of-town guests over the holidays)
Art Knowledge News featured WorkSpace and Cristián Silva on November 29.
"Every gallery space in Austin benefits from this increased visibility for contemporary art, which should inspire enough curiosity in museum visitors to push them further afield. WorkSpace also ensures that the Blanton will remain on regular gallery-goers' radar, too; besides the major exhibitions mounted downstairs, which change with less frequency, WorkSpace makes it so that there's something new to see at the Blanton in terms of contemporary art at least four times every year. If you haven't been to WorkSpace thus far, don't let another show pass you by."
— Amanda Douberley, Austin Chronicle, November 24, 2006
Amanda Douberley's article was reprinted on Glasstire.com
"Though art historians have largely overlooked Cambiaso, the primary architect of the school Genoa, it's an egregious omission this sumptuous, satisfying exhibit strives to rectify."
— Dan Goddard, San Antonio News-Express, November 11, 2006
"The encouragement, professionalism and friendly attitude shown toward this magazine by the management and staff of our two main museums has been illuminating. During the run-up to this issue, the Blanton and AMOA [Austin Museum of Art] have been very generous with their time and resources in facilitating research for stories in Cantanker. Claire Moore's interviews with the curators of both these institutions tell us much about how museums build a permanent collection. A lot of credit has to go to the predominantly young, friendly, and clued-in staffs of both museums-people who are genuinely passionate about their work and who also maintain friendships and connections with the more independent local scene."
— John Mulvany, editor of Cantanker magazine, Fall 2006
Blanton Museum of Art Curator Appointed Chief Curator at Mercosur Biennial in Brazil
Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro, curator of Latin American art at The University of Texas at Austin's Blanton Museum, will be the first non-Brazilian to serve as the chief curator of the Mercosur Biennial, an exhibit in Porto Alegre, Brazil, that attracts more than one million visitors. Pérez-Barreiro will be organizing seven exhibits as part of the biennial event, which will run from September - November 2007. The theme of this sixth Mercosur Biennial developed around a metaphor, "the third shore of the river," inspired by one of the greatest Brazilian novelists of the 20th century, João Guimarães Rosa.
Thank You Austin!
Voted "Best Museum" and "Best Place to See New Art" by Austin Chronicle readers:
"The opening of UT's new improved Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art this past spring gave Austin the largest university art museum in the country and the third largest art museum in Texas. With a permanent collection of more than 17,000 works, it is recognized for its old master paintings, modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, and an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings. Though the old masters shine at the Blanton, this is a museum as cutting edge as it is traditional. Having recently exhibited the graphic flair of Paul Chan; the magical compositions of Daniel Joglar; and video art from Burt Barr, the Blanton continues to blaze the contemporary art trail with upcoming exhibitions including the sculptures, installations, videos, and drawings of Cristian Silva; the installations of Matthew Day Jackson; and performance art by by Michael Smith and Joshua White. The building is cavernous with endless galleries and exhibits, which have already been put to good use in a seemingly endless flow of parties and monthly B-scene gatherings."
— "Best of Austin 2006" issue, Austin Chronicle, October 12, 2006
Blanton Wins 2006 DAA IMPACT Award
Each year the Downtown Austin Alliance honors individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact in the Downtown community with their IMPACT awards. This year the Blanton has been awarded the Public Project IMPACT award—an honor given to a non-profit organization. (Photo credit: Bob Daemmrich)
Blanton Recognized by the New Media Consortium
The Blanton has been recognized for its innovative approaches to the use of technology by the New Media Consortium (NMC), an international consortium of more than 200 world-class universities, colleges, museums, research centers, and technology companies dedicated to using new technologies to inspire and support learning and creative expression. The Blanton was one of 25 museums identified in the NMC's 2006 Search for Excellence.
"It is easy to miss the Rembrandt prints exhibit at the Blanton entirely. After all, there is so much else to see that is larger, more colorful, and eye-catching adorning the walls of the adjacent galleries."
"Rembrandt's prints were—and are—art unto themselves and certainly worthy of a trip to the Blanton before the exhibit ends December 10."
— Margaret Schmucker, River City Renaissance, October/November 2006
"The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin is home to one of the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive collections of modern and contemporary Latin American art in the country."
— Jennifer Segelke, Latina magazine, October 2006
"It's the first exhibit of significant size and art historical heft in the United States for the prolific Italian painter [Luca Cambiaso] from the rough-and-tumble port city of Genoa...
Of course, Cambiaso remained a thoroughly Renaissance master. One who is now, thanks to the Blanton exhibit, poised to join some of his better-known peers in the pantheon of popularity."
— Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, Austin American-Statesman, September 30, 2006
"In honor of and testimony to Rembrandt's patience and passion after a line, his attention to so many different states of the human condition in all of its hopes, faiths, and sorrows, and in deference to the legacy these attentions have reaped, Jonathan Bober and the Blanton have created a rare and intimate opportunity for you to see, study, and absorb the results and impact of Rembrandt's dedication for yourself."
— Nikki Moore, Austin Chronicle, September 29, 2006
"This exclusive U.S. exhibit showcases the development and achievements of Genovese Renaissance master Luca Cambiaso, from his early paintings inspired by Michelangelo to the "cubistic" drawings of his later years. On display are more than 120 works, many on loan from museums and churches in Genoa."
— Lisa Rossi, "Time Off" section, The Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2006
"The new Luca Cambiaso exhibit at the Blanton Museum is like a stimulating, well-rounded bottle of red wine—one made with hard-won grapes. Officially uncorked today, the show features the works of Luca Cambiaso (1527-1585), an Italian Renaissance painter celebrated in his day, yet unknown to most modern art lovers. Such a show could more easily have been launched by the likes of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but similarly great institutions, whether owing to fashion, finance, or a combination of the two, often shy away from under-the-radar subject matter. Not so for the UT-affiliated Blanton Museum of Art, whose curators are unafraid that the word "scholarly"—that public-repelling invective—might be attached to its special exhibits."
— Beth Lebwohl, The Austinist, September 19, 2006
"The Blanton Museum of Art opens its doors today to 16th-century artist Luca Cambiaso. This exhibit will mark the first time a large-scale [presentation] of Cambiaso's work has been shown in the United States. After a four-month stay at the Blanton, Cambiaso's paintings will travel back to Europe."
— Aisha Burns, The Daily Texan, September 19, 2006
"When the Blanton Museum of Art opened this April, you could almost hear a citywide sigh of relief. Vast holdings from the Italian Renaissance and Latin America are complemented by works from Whistler, Cézanne, Picasso and Thomas Hart Benton."
— Seth Sherwood, New York Times, September 17, 2006
"Luca Cambiaso, 1527 - 1585. Paintings and drawings from one of Genoa's most influential 16th-century mannerist artists. The first Cambiaso exhibition in 50 years and the first exhibition outside of Liguria."
— "Provocative Exhibitions Open Across the Nation", Art & Antiques, September 2006
"It's barely five months old, but the new Blanton Museum of Art in Austin has already established itself as Art Central in the capital city. The monthly Friday-night B scene parties bring out the crowds with live bands, trendy DJs, and a stylish spread of food and drink."
— Texas Highways magazine, September 2006
"B scene at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin is the hipster way to get a little culture. The first Friday of every month, it's an art party and social mixer that features live music, DJs, gallery tours, and a full bar…and plenty of singles to mingle with."
— "Editor's Picks", Brilliant magazine, August 2006
"Under the wing of Jennifer Garner, the Blanton's young and vibrant manager of school and family programs, Hot Art Hip Kids is a child-size bite into fresh ways of looking at, playing with, and thinking about art."
— Nikki Moore, Austin Magazine, July-August 2006
"At the intersection of market research, stellar public relations campaigns, and our current experience economy, art is again being defined, and Austin, via the Blanton, seems to have suddenly found itself at the forefront."
— Nikki Moore, Austin Chronicle, June 30, 2006
"[But] thanks to the new 124,000-square-foot Mari and James A. Michener Building, the first of two new structures and a public plaza that will eventually comprise the Blanton, visitors can now take in a significant sampling of the Blanton's mighty collection."
— Texas Highways magazine, May 2006
