The 11th annual “For the Love of Arts” month will feature the work of Pop artist Andy Warhol on display at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, Feb. 5 – April 3, 2010.

The exhibition features over 20 pieces by Warhol and several from his well-known Pop Art contemporaries, including Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Dine, and Roy Lichtenstein.

A lecture about the cultural and historical importance of pop art will be given, in conjunction with the exhibition, by Art Historian Debora Rindge on Feb. 6. The lecture, titled “The Transformative Power of Pop Art: Celebrating the Mundane and Taming Celebrity,” will begin at 11 a.m. in the museum.

The exhibition will also feature a poetry reading about Warhol, Warhol’s iconic images (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Mick Jagger, Sigmund Freud, Campbell’s Soup, etc.) and more generally, popular culture, that will be presented on Feb. 20. The reading entitled, “Warholed: Poetry and Pop Culture,” will begin at 11 a.m. in the museum.

Organized by the Las Cruces Museum of Art, the exhibition, titled, “Warhol & Pop Art,” includes art work from the New Mexico State University Art Gallery’s permanent collection, as well as, works belonging to a private collector, some of which have never been publicly displayed.  The opening reception is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 and will include a musical performance by La Cella Bella and a screening of an excerpt from the Andy Warhol film, Empire.
 
Recognized as one of the most important artists of the last century, Andy Warhol created a body of work that transformed and revolutionized our understanding of art. Blurring the boundaries between art and popular culture, his now iconic work has influenced generations of artists and continues to resonate with audiences today.  Classic Warhol images, such as Marilyn Monroe and Campbell’s Soup Cans, are on display.

The Las Cruces Museum of Art is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and is closed on Sunday. It is located at 490 N. Water Street.

In addition to the exhibition, there will be a large number of events, throughout Las Cruces and Mesilla, as part of, “For the Love of Arts month,” sponsored by ArtForms. “For the Love of Art month,” will include a variety of special art exhibits, performance art events at area restaurants, galleries and businesses that are expected to take place throughout the month.

“There will be arts in all forms for this celebration,” said Cheryl Fallstead, event coordinator. “You can find jewelry, collage art, photography and sculpture, just to name a few.”

An ArtForms member show, featuring paintings, sculptures, photography and multi-media works, exemplifying the variety of art created by artists in Las Cruces, will be held at Branigan Cultural Center, located at 500 N. Water Street, on Feb. 5 at 5 p.m., and will run through Feb. 27. 

In conjunction with the month long event, artists all over the city will be opening their studios and galleries, offering new works for sale the weekends of Feb. 13 and 14 and Feb. 20 and 21. The public is encouraged to visit the studios, view art, meet artists and see demonstrations. Maps and venue lists are available at the Las Cruces Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, located at 211 N. Water.

Fallstead said “For the Love of Art Month,” began when a group of ArtForm members got together and came up with a way to promote the arts in Las Cruces.

“We really wanted to make Las Cruces a destination location for the arts,” said Fallstead.
           
For more information, contact the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau at (575) 541-2150, or by email at media@las-cruces.org
 

For the Love of Art event on the Mesilla Plaza

Mesilla, N.M. – The Eighth Annual For the Love of Art event in Mesilla is Saturday, Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature artwork by artists from around the area. The Border Jazz Trio will play on the plaza from 2-3 p.m.

Some of the artists include Nancy C. Anderson, Latana Bernier, Greta Burger, Frances de Garcia Conklin, Pamela Enriquez Courts, Ramon Escalante, Sherwood Hoffman, Rudy Lucero, Preciliana Sandoval, Jan Severson and Jovita B. Thomas.

In 1999, February was declared For the Love of Art Month in Las Cruces. The event in Mesilla is held in conjunction with the Las Cruces celebration in an effort to promote art and the business of art.

For more information, call the Town of Mesilla at (575) 524-3262 ext. 116.