TIME TO PAINT the town! This season, a trio of art fairs hits Houston, beginning with the Houston Art Fair (formerly the Houston Fine Art Fair), where nearly 50 local and international galleries exhibit Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Silver Street Studios. On the same weekend, the Texas Contemporary event is held Downtown at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Opening-night festivities include a collaborative performance with the Houston Ballet’s Oliver Halkowich and multi-media artist Chris Doyle. And a week later, the semi-annual Bayou City Art Festival returns to the streets of Downtown with hundreds of outdoor booths.
'We Rise Together,' part of CHAT's Gulfton Story Trail, in background; inset, a mural by Daniel Anguilu
In a city where artists of all ethnicities, disciplines and career stages thrive, Anguilu is one of many who have enjoyed its collaborative and community-driven nature; in fact, HoustonMuralMap.com estimates the city has nearly 1,000 murals in public spaces. As Houston commemorates its 188th birthday, local organizations Culture of Health-Advancing Together (CHAT) and BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF) continue to enhance neighborhoods and build networks of support via street art.
BANF, with a mission to build a “revolutionary arts ecosystem,” has long supported artists like Anguilu, helping source both materials and inspiration. "This support has been transformative, helping me reach out to a different audience and achieve community empowerment through my murals," says Anguilu, whose latest project at Box13 addresses the idea that colonization is a myth.
For its part, CHAT created 17 murals in the Gulfton area via a project dubbed Gulfton Story Trail. The beautifying works of art have transformed schools, community centers, businesses and public buildings, and have fostered a sense of identity among residents.
The murals “symbolize hope, resilience, the potential for a brighter future for immigrants and refugees, and the cultural diversity that defines Houston," says CHAT’s executive director Aisha Siddiqui. The nonprofit received an inaugural grant from BANF, and those funds have enabled CHAT to expand its programming and impact among the immigrant and refugee community it serves.
If street art is a tool for building community and culture, then Houston is undoubtedly the ultimate craftsman.
CHAT's 'For a Better Future'
CHAT's 'Celebration of Diversity'
Street art by Daniel Anguilu
More art by Anguilu
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