Upcoming Educational Programs


Event Information:

  • Sat
    07
    May
    2016

    Tour of The Orange Show

    10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.The Orange Show, 2402 Munger St, 77002 (Map)
    Program events

     

    A carnival of glittering glass, an homage to folk art and a family-friendly green space, there’s no place quite like Smither Park.

    Part collaborative art installation, part civil engineering project, the park reminds us to revere nature as a source of inspiration, and at its heart is “The Orange Show.” From 1956 to his death in 1980, Houston postman Jeff McKissack worked in isolation to transform an East End lot into an architectural maze of walkways, balconies, arenas and exhibits decorated with mosaics and brightly-painted iron figures.

    Join the Visual Arts Alliance for a private, docent-led tour of this incredible space Saturday, May 7 from 10 to 11 a.m. Admission is free for the first 20 people, then $5 per person, to “The Orange Show,” 2402 Munger Street, where members and non-members will learn about one of Houston’s quirkiest landmarks. After the tour, attendees are invited to experience Smither Park, featuring an amphitheater, memory wall, meditation area, covered pavilion, swings and an interactive sculpture. Structures in the park are adorned with elaborate mosaic work created out of recycled and found materials and designed and executed by local artists and those interested in exploring their own creative potential.

    Smither Park is a work of art in progress, providing a unique opportunity to see artists in action and the evolution of an international artistic destination. The space is a project of The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art in collaboration with renowned architect and designer Dan Phillips. McKissack created “The Orange Show” in honor of his favorite fruit and to illustrate his belief that longevity results from both hard work and good nutrition.

     

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