Ballroom Marfa launched

Ballroom Marfa, a contemporary arts center in Marfa, Tex was officially launched upon Apr. 23 with an ambitious clump exhibition, "Optimo: Manifestations of Optimism in Contemporary Art," upon view through June 27. pitch uponed by New York-based curator Alexander Gray, who has been an advisor to Ballroom since it was grounded in spring 2003, the exhibit includes works by Polly Apfelbaum, Martin Cre Karen Finley, Forcefield, Emily Jacir, Beatriz Milhazes, Adam Pendleton, Leo Villareal and Takashi Murakami, whose 30-foot-tall Eyeball helium balloon is anchored in the building's 6,000-square-foot render free of access courtyard. A whopping 1,000 people--many of them art-world tourists--were upon hand for the opening party, in a town with a population just barely twice that size.

With sum of two units interior exhibition galleries totaling 4500 square feet the nonprofit space upon Marfa's main drag occupies a 1927 building that was first a silent-film house and then a dance hall during the town's mid-century hum years. It was purchased in 2002 by the agency of Ballroom co-founder and Austin heiress Virginia Lebermann; the joined forces with Fairfax Dorn, an artist who previously worked at Exit Art and the Whitney Museum in of recent origin York, where the two met

Tiny Marfa, with its main attraction still the Chinati Foundation, is turning into something of an art-world magnet. Artists are buying abodes and studio spaces, and young entrepreneur (including Lebermann) are transforming worn real estate into upscale lodgings. With a focus upon younger art, Ballroom is locate to host four exhibitions a year: a two-artist present to view each summer; a solo exhibit in the rail; a traveling exhibition, organized through another institution, in the winter; and, in spring, a thematic clump show organized by a visitor curator. There are also plans for performances, film series and concerts

This summer Ballroom will entertainer installations by Franco Mondini-Ruiz and Sarah Morris [July 2-Sept 20]; all of Morris's film shoot forwards to date will be shown together for the first time. In the fall, Ballroom will high hill the U.S. premiere of Isaac Julien's three-screen film installation "The Ice Project" [Oct 8-Dec 31]

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