The Nasher Sculpture Center has commissioned artist Liz Larner to create an original piece for the University of Texas at Dallas as part of Nasher Xchange. Larner's is the fourth sculpture announced in the 10-piece 10th anniversary series, which opens in fall 2013.
Larner is a Los Angeles-based artists famous for her "X" sculptures. She plans to use the same alphabetic foundation for this project.
"I'm creating a sculpture that I hope is filled with potential," Larner said in a video announcing the commission. "One of the things I love about 'X' is that in mathematics it's called a variable, and so it means that anything can be 'X.'
"I really feel that this form is very inviting. It invites people to come together just naturally, and it serves as a really great sendoff for this new, wonderful art program."
Larner has previously held solo exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Regen Projects, Los Angeles; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York; Galleri Nordanstad-Skarstedt, Stockholm; Jennifer Flay Galerie, Paris; and Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna.
"Liz's work is a wonderful example of the intersection between new technologies and the traditional three-dimensional sculptural form," UTD's Bonnie Pitman said.
Larner joins a celebrated list of artists who have already been commissioned to create works for Nasher Xchange, including Ruben Ochoa, Rick Lowe, Ugo Rondinone, Alfredo Jaar, Vicki Meek, Charles Long, Good/Bad Art Collective, Lara Almarcegui and Rachel Harrison. All 10 sculptures will be in place when Nasher Xchange officially opens October 19, and they will remain on display through February 16, 2014.
Liz Larner turns the "X" on its head in this piece.
Courtesy photo
Liz Larner turns the "X" on its head in this piece.
It was a shot fired from Austin that rang out around the art world: In a recent CNN/Variety Town Hall featuring actors Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet offered an assessment of ballet and opera that immediately went viral.
During the onstage conversation at the University of Texas at Austin, Chalamet said, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it's like, 'hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership."
Chalamet immediately seemed to experience a twinge of regret, awkwardly adding, "But um...damn, I just took shots for no reason." He also sang a note and hid his face behind the cards he was holding.
Stars of the art forms, from Andrea Bocelli to Misty Copeland, immediately began to leap (jeté, if you will) to the the defense of opera and ballet.
In a genius marketing move, Austin's hometown ballet company is taking the unique opportunity to turn a hot topic into a promotion for its next production: Ballet Austin is inviting anyone named Timothée, Timothee, or Timothy to claim a free ticket to its upcoming world premiere of Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles, running March 27-29 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
"Timothée… you were in Austin? We were literally down the street," a Ballet Austin post says. "Austin has brisket. Austin has music. Austin also has ballet."
All Timothées and folks with similar names will have to do to claim a ticket is send a message to Ballet Austin on social media and show identification. Everyone else who wants to see the supernatural show where "the line between victim and villain blurs" will have to purchase a ticket ($25-$125) at balletaustin.org.
Ballet Austin isn't afraid to add some edge to classic stories. Photo courtesy of Ballet Austin
Even if Chalamet's words were dismissive, he's obviously not wrong about the relative distribution of public interest between the classical arts and major films like Marty Supreme, the late 2025 film he stars in and is busy promoting. The film's commercially successful release set a record for A24, an already renowned studio.
Chalamet brought up ballet and opera in service of a larger point about pacing in movies. He said he exists in a middle ground as a consumer between wanting to be drawn in early and being more patient as a film progresses. Ultimately, he juxtaposed Barbie and Oppenheimer with the classical arts, pointing out that if the masses want to go see a film, they will "be loud and proud about it" organically, without needing performers to advocate for the seriousness of the art form.
Coincidentally, there couldn't be a better counterpoint to this argument than Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles.
As the title suggests, the story follows historical figure Marie Antoinette as she chooses to become a vampire, seeking "power, immortality, and vengeance," according to a press release. It takes a somewhat silly premise and gives it dramatic gravitas, with an original score by Austin composer Graham Reynolds, who is known outside of classical circles and sometimes composes for movie soundtracks.
"For Ballet Austin, the moment is an opportunity to remind audiences that ballet isn’t fading away," says a release about the new promotion. "It’s evolving, drawing new audiences and continuing to thrive in creative cities like Austin."
If Chalamet really does fall in the middle of instant and delayed artistic gratification, this sounds like the perfect production to draw him in.
And perhaps Ballet Austin should add people named Matthew to their promotion, since McConaughey threw the younger star a bone after his momentary walk-back, saying, "That's not a shot — I hear what you're saying."
Ballet Austin isn't afraid to add some edge to classic stories. Photo courtesy of Ballet Austin