Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum

Entrance to Blue Star Complex
Location of Blue Star in Texas
Established 1986
Location 116 Blue Star San Antonio, Texas,  United States
Coordinates 29°24′35″N 98°29′44″W / 29.409692°N 98.495682°W / 29.409692; -98.495682
Type Contemporary Art
Director Mary Heathcott
Website www.bluestarart.org

The Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum (Blue Star Contemporary) is the acting contemporary art museum of San Antonio, Texas, USA. Known simply as Blue Star, it was established as a grassroots response to the cancellation of a contemporary arts exhibit at the San Antonio Museum of Art in 1986. The effort established a vibrant venue for the exhibition of contemporary art in San Antonio. The center is housed in an adapted 1920's era warehouse facility located on the banks of the San Antonio River, at the southern fringe of Downtown San Antonio.

The organization was originally operated by artists and volunteers yet was formally organized with a professional director and staff in 1988. The organization was formally run by director Bill FitzGibbons, and is now run by Executive Director Mary Heathcott. Today the center is a primary destination for new art in South Texas and the center has over 20 exhibitions annually, having showcased artists including Hiroshi Sugimoto, Ryan McGinness, Zane Lewis, Mike Bidlo, Oliver Herring, Chuck Ramirez, Sky Patterson, Julia Landois, John Mata, Kimberly Aubuchon, Vincent Valdez, Alex Rubio, Thomas Cummins, Linda Pace, Ed Saavedra, James Surls, Larry Leisner, Dayna De Hoyos, Jason Willome, Ron Binks, Justin Parr, Chris Sauter, Richie Budd, and Dario Robleto. In 2006, George Yepes had a show opening that was attended by film directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.

Blue Star is a catalyst for the revitalization of the South Alamo neighborhoods that surround the facility. The Blue Star Complex and has been redeveloped as an arts-oriented mixed-use development that includes loft/studio apartments, galleries, retail, performance spaces, artists' work spaces, and design offices. Like many other cities, San Antonio has First Friday art openings where Blue Star essentially acts as the hub of the downtown art walk on the first Friday of every month. In addition, Blue Star is credited with the City of San Antonio's establishment of Contemporary Art Month held annually in July at over 70 venues throughout the city.

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This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, January 18, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.