Newsroom

A Chat with REAL NEWS, Marfa Myths artists-in-residence

March 8, 2016

REAL NEWS on Campus
REAL NEWS on Campus REAL NEWS began as a monthly broadsheet in September 2012, written and distributed in Marfa, TX by two (now expat) Marfa residents Rosa McElheny and Hilary duPont. McElheny and duPont are back this spring to write, edit, design, produce and distribute their fourteenth issue during Marfa Myths. Combining journalistic intrigue, grass-roots reporting, idiosyncratic graphic design and a for-us-by-us approach to local gossip, Real News is regarded by its readership as brilliant, and by its West Texas audience as genius. They turn their distinctive editorial voice towards subjects including popular culture, internet phenomena, local events, and the weather. In an age of digital media, Real News thrives as an exclusively non-commercial, print-only publication, available for free at local venues, or by complimentary subscription. real news McElheny and duPont, who collectively resided in Marfa for 9 years, were lovingly described by Ballroom Marfa’s communication director Daniel Chamberlin as “a chill tribe of high desert hedonist cognoscenti intent on pursuing the good life of mind-expanding art, dank-ass nugs, frosty brews and drama-free make-out sessions.” Obviously, we could think of no better candidates for the Marfa Myths artist residency. A brief interview with the duo: 1. how old are you?
H: i am 30, which is apparently still old enough to live like a college kid.
R: haha im 28 but im very mature 2. where do you live now?
H: West Philadelphia. a cool new place for me with the best cheap food ever.
R: New Yawk City– 3. how long did you live in marfa?
H: almost 7 years, which was a cool way to spend most of my 20s (except for that the desert definitely advanced my wrinkles y’all.)
R: 1 year, 8 months. long enough to completely embrace the idea that you should drive as fast as possible. 4. who do you miss most in marfa?
H: this is a tricky question to answer because some of my best friends on earth live there (not gunna list because the fear of leaving someone off, but i trust YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE (Riley Ooo), but also I miss EVERYONE. (sometimes even the people who annoyed me when I lived there!)
Sometimes it is so cool to go to the grocery store and buy my mac & cheese without seeing anyone i know, but sometimes its good to see someone and feel guilty so you have that accountability to prevent you from buying the mac & cheese PLUS the ice cream. ya know?

R: but in new york you can get mac &cheese cream at any time of day, delivered!

Marfa Myths: Insider Tips

March 3, 2016

Ballroom Marfa and Mexican Summer are presenting the third Marfa Myths over March 10-13, 2016. To prepare for your visit to Marfa, check out our very secret insider tips (CDRI and Mimms getting strong shoutouts).

CDRI. Photo by Laura Copelin.
The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute near Fort Davis. Photo by Laura Copelin.

Laura Copelin, associate curator
Do the canyon hike at CDRI in near-by Fort Davis and eat breakfast or lunch under the grape arbor at the Capri.

McDonald Observatory
McDonald Observatory, courtesy of their site.

Sarah Melendez, exhibitions and programs coordinator
• Drink a million Topo Chicos!
• Get a smoothie at here and admire all the ‘mazing animals painted by Nalu!
• Go to the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute and admire all of the cute bb cacti! They have over 200 species native to the Chihuahuan desert.
• Check out a star party at the McDonald Observatory! You’re in dark sky territory. Be sure to blow lots of kisses to Orion and never miss a sunset!

The walk
The edge of Mimms Ranch — photo taken with an (old) iPhone! And yet — incredible vista! Do you see what I’m talking about? Mimms! Now and forever!

Nicki Ittner, director of music
My favorite thing these days is take a walk on the northeastern corner of town, right against Mimms Ranch, especially before sunset, or at sunset, or let’s be honest, any time. My other pleasure is Mando’s. Every time I’m feeling stressed, nothing seems better than sitting in one of those booths, eating chips and zoning out.

Bonus non-sexy tips:
• Make sure to make reservations a few days in advance for all of your dinners!
• Don’t plan your visit for a Monday and Tuesday, so many places are closed, you will be sad.

CRDI, photo by Caitlin Murray
The CDRI. Photo by Caitlin Murray.

Caitlin Murray, archivist and programs manager at the Judd Foundation
Let’s see! Does a hike at the CDRI count as a Marfa insider tip? I love that place! A drive down Pinto Canyon! Pinto Canyon as a secret place to look for the Marfa lights!

Tim Johnson.   Photo by Alex Marks.
Tim Johnson. Photo by Alex Marks.

Tim Johnson, owner of Marfa Book Company/informal mayor of Marfa
• Insider tip: Watch out for COPS!
• That weird pickle drink at Capri is actually very good.
• Don’t sit on the stools at the Capri past your first drink. Very tippy!
Mimms Ranch walk is at the end of Austin St. and it’s beautiful.
Ramona’s burritos, of course.

rosa mcelheny and hilary dupont, real news.  photo by david fenster.
Rosa McElheny and Hilary duPont, Real News artists-in-residence. Photo by David Fenster.

Hilary duPont, Real News artist-in-residence
• Drive the Scenic Loop!
• Call ahead to order lunch
Grand Companions thrift store in Fort Davis
Stone Village market sandwiches
(heavy Ft Davis recs)

Rosa McElheny, Real News artist-in-residence
top of the courthouse! or point of rocks!
(Editor’s note: The cupola at the Presidio County Courthouse is open Monday-Friday, 10:30am-11:30am and 3-4pm on Fridays.)

Rangra Theater. Courtesy of Cinema Treasures.
The Rangra. Photo courtesy of Cinema Treasures.

Daniel Chamberlin, communications director
Though it’s not quite the quaint mountain town its name suggests, Alpine has many pleasures to offer. All of the regions in the Big Bend have their own thing going on, and Alpine is perhaps most easily contrasted with Marfa in terms of the prevalence of camo-clad, big-bellied working cowboys and ranch hands, over the turquoise-and-tattoos Gram Parsons-ish look common in our town, sometimes known affectionately as “cowboy drag.”

If you don’t have a ticket for Marfa Myths’ sold-out Sunday film screenings, we suggest that you don your best Mossy Oak gear and head to Alpine’s Rangra Theater for first-run movies playing every evening. You’ll know it by the mural on its facade, crude renderings of posters for Star Wars, Tootsie and Apocalypse Now. Tickets are six bucks (cheap!), the seats are worn and creaky, and the whole operation has a delightfully decrepit vibe.

A few more highlights if you head over earlier in the day: Alpine closes early! Excellent coffee at either Cedar or Plaine (an anagram of Alpine, though we would’ve gone with Pineal, just sayin’).
If you make it over for lunch we recommend the green chili-cheese special from Cow Dog, a foot-long beef weiner slathered as promised and sprinkled with Fritos, served hot out of the truck parked in front of Plaine. There are also two low-key but satisfying old-school Mexican-American restaurants, Alicia’s and La Casita.

Alpine also boasts one of the best short hikes outside of south county destinations: Hancock Hill behind Sul Ross University. It’s a quick, easily navigated walk to the summit, where you’ll find an old desk that’s been up there since 1981, with a battered notebook in one of the drawers that serves as a peak register. It’s as close to alpine as you’ll get in El Pine; the 360-degree desert views are best experienced under a full moon, sharing a flask of small batch mescal with a friend.

———————————– Want more? Check out last year’s tips for more gems or Wrong Marfa’s recommendations, which are also excellent. For general info about Marfa, download our visitor guide — which has more details about eating, tours, and shopping — or visit visitmarfa.com and marfalist.org, where you can find housing suggestions, ride shares, and more.

Buy tickets to Marfa Myths here. Residents of Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties may purchase tickets at a discount in-person in the Ballroom Marfa gallery until March 1.

After Effect Opens March 11

February 8, 2016

After Effect Postcard Image 3

After Effect
March 11 – August 21, 2016

Featuring: Dan Colen; Loie Hollowell; key works by Emil Bisttram, Raymond Jonson, Agnes Pelton, Florence Miller Pierce, and Stuart Walker of the Transcendental Painting Group; an animated film by Oskar Fischinger; and an installation by Arturo Bandini.

Friday, March 11
Opening Reception 6 – 9pm at Ballroom Marfa
7pm Performance by Heron Oblivion

Saturday, March 12
Exhibition Walkthrough 11am at Ballroom Marfa

The opening weekend of After Effect coincides with the Marfa Myths music festival, March 10-13, curated by Ballroom Marfa and Mexican Summer.

Above image from Dan Colen, Coming Down Again, 2015

After Effect has been made possible by the generous support of The Brown Foundation, Inc.; National Endowment for the Arts; Texas Commission on the Arts; the Ballroom Marfa Board of Trustees; and Ballroom Marfa members.
Additional support of the exhibition has been provided by the Center for Visual Music; Feuer/Mesler; Gagosian Gallery; Massimo De Carlo Gallery; Michael Rosenfeld Gallery; and Venus Over Manhattan.

And the kind of music I listen to varies from day to day Johnson said his Kegonsa Capital Partners made more than three times its money on the sale. contender or spoiler Pretty soon, the media will finally have to admit that Ron Paul is going to play a major role in the selection of a GOP candidate. They then surrounded their animal with a variety of geometric designs. This year also continues the lamentable tradition of tossing female directors overboard in favour of male ones. For those asking, yes, Boone Logan uses the theme from “Game of Thrones” as his entrance music. The Jewish state also has a border fence with the Gaza Strip and barriers on the frontiers with Syria and Lebanon,

A Walkthrough of Sam Falls at Ballroom Marfa

January 22, 2016

Sam Falls at Ballroom Marfa from Ballroom Marfa on Vimeo.

Video documentation of a 2015 solo exhibition by Sam Falls at Ballroom Marfa.

The transformation of materials and forms through duration and the elements, as opposed to mark-making and mimesis, weaves its way through many of Falls’ pieces in this visual arts program. The exhibition showcased select works created during Falls’ residency in Marfa in July 2014, where the artist engaged directly with materials and forms unique to the Far West Texas landscape.

Sam Falls was on view at Ballroom Marfa from March 13 – August 16, 2015. For more information, visit our Sam Falls page. You can also find Falls’ limited edition Now LP in the Ballroom Marfa shop.

Film by David Fenster!

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Myths 001 LP – Connan Mockasin and Devonté Hynes

January 21, 2016

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Connan Mockasin and Devonté Hynes wrote and recorded the Myths 001 EP as part of the 2015 Marfa Myths. The pair spent the week prior to the Myths festival in Marfa Recording Studio with Gory Smelley, an engineer and facility growing in prominence as our Far West Texas town increasingly becomes a destination for bands worldwide.

This occasion marked the first collaboration between Connan and Dev. Their week together inspired three new compositions that focus and flit through both artists’ particular approach to pop songwriting. Connan’s choral melodies meet Dev’s throwback funk in “Feelin’ Lovely” and “La Fat Fur”, whereas “Big Distant Crush” showcases a golden coalescence of their respective talents for crafting heartfelt ballads.

 

When their sessions concluded, Connan and Dev treated the Myths attendees to a special, impromptu performance during the festival’s showcase at The Capri – no better way to celebrate a collaboration fostered in Marfa. The festival expands our goal beyond the studio and onto the live stage, offering more artists – and more fans – the chance to join our family.

The EP is now available in the Ballroom Marfa gallery and online shop! Visit our Marfa Myths page for more information on the 2016 Marfa Myths festival, happening in March.

Check out Connan’s interview with i-D Magazine for behind-the-scenes photos and tales from the studio.

Marfa Myths 2015 in Review

Marfa Myths 2015 from Ballroom Marfa on Vimeo.

In 2015 Ballroom Marfa and Mexican Summer presented Marfa Myths, a three-day festival of music, cinema and visual art in the high desert grasslands of Far West Texas.

2015 programming included a recording residency with Dev Hynes and Connan Mockasin, a sound bath created by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, a semi-permanent outdoor mural by Liz Harris (Grouper), a presentation of Gregg Kowalsky’s live installation Tape Chants, and a screening of short documentaries and Holy Cow Swami at the Crowley Theater presented by CineMarfa and Anthology Recordings. Furthermore, live programming throughout the weekend will include sets from Iceage, Grouper, Tamaryn, Steve Gunn, Weyes Blood, GABI, Thug Entrancer, Co La, Bitchin Bajas, LBS. and Suicideyear.

 

This short film about the events was directed by David Fenster. For more information and tickets for Marfa Myths 2016, visit the event page!

Workspace Ergonomics Assessment on Marfa Public Radio in December and January

December 18, 2015

Ortega Root

As part of Äppärät, Ballroom Marfa’s current visual arts exhibition, we have partnered with Marfa Public Radio for a serialized broadcast of a specially commissioned short story by Ned Beauman. Entitled Workspace Ergonomics Assessment, the story explores tool use among animals, from ravens to crabs, over five daily installments on Marfa Public Radio. Beauman is the author of the novels Boxer, Beetle (2010), The Teleportation Accident (2012) and Glow (2014).

The serialized Workspace Ergonomics Assessment, read by Beauman, will air Monday, December 28 through Friday, January 1 at 3:18pm and 5:18pm (CT) during Marfa Public Radio’s broadcast of “All Things Considered.” If you miss the afternoon broadcasts, it will play daily just after the 7pm and 10pm NPR newscasts in the evening.

On Friday at 6:30pm the entirety of Workspace Ergonomics Assessment will be broadcast as part of “West Texas Talk.” The series will be archived on the Marfa Public Radio and Ballroom Marfa websites, and rebroadcast in early February.

Marfa Public Radio can be heard across West Texas at KRTS 93.5 FM in Marfa; KRTP 91.7 FM in Alpine and KDKY 91.5 FM in Marathon; and on KXWT 91.3 in the Permian Basin. Listeners can also stream the broadcast live at marfapublicradio.org.

Curated by Tom Morton, Äppärät is a show about the mammalian hand, and the tools it touches, holds and uses. Taking its title from the name of a fictional, post-iPhone device at the centre of Gary Shteyngart’s 2010 near-future novel Super Sad True Love Story, Äppärät is concerned with labor, play and the uncertain zone between the two; and with the extension of the body, and the self, through technologies ancient and contemporary.

Äppärät is on view at Ballroom Marfa through February 14, 2016.

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The Future is Female: Ballroom Associate Curator Laura Copelin in A+C Texas

December 17, 2015

Copelin A+C TX

Caitlin Greenwood talks with Ballroom Marfa Associate Curator Laura Copelin about moving from Los Angeles to Marfa, curating in Texas and the future of Ballroom Marfa …

Being in a space run by (mostly) women feels natural to me.

I was mentored by Elsa Longhauser at SMMoA, now Susan Sutton and Fairfax Dorn at Ballroom, even in art school, artists like Barbara Kruger, Mary Kelly, Eve Fowler, Catherine Opie, and Andrea Fraser had tremendous sway over my education. I was just given a shirt by a beloved colleague from the Otherwild shop in Los Angeles that reads “The Future is Female”—it rings true in my experience!

 

Read the full interview in A+C Texas.

A Virtual Walkthrough of Äppärät

November 24, 2015

Join us for a virtual tour of Ballroom Marfa’s current exhibition, the Tom Morton-curated Äppärät, on Vimeo …

Äppärät at Ballroom Marfa from Ballroom Marfa on Vimeo.

The short film, shot by David Fenster, includes commentary from Morton and a walkthrough of the show, which features work from Ed Atkins, Trisha Donnelly, Melvin Edwards, Cécile B. Evans, Jessie Flood-Paddock, Roger Hiorns, Sophie Jung, Lee Lozano, Marlie Mul, Damián Ortega, Charles Ray, Shimabuku,and Paul Thek. More info on the exhibition here.

Scenes from the AFI 2015 Geology Tour With Ren Lallatin and Jesse Kelsch

November 20, 2015

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As part of the Artists’ Film International 2015 program, Ballroom Marfa organized a geology lecture and conversation led by Ren Lallatin – the subject of Brigid McCaffrey’s 2013 film Paradise Springs – and Sul Ross geology lecturer Jesse Kelsch. The walk took place at the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute in Ft. Davis, TX on Sunday, November 15. All photos by Alex Marks. More info at our AFI 2015 page, and on Facebook.

Photos from the AFI 2015 screenings can be viewed here, and on Facebook.

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