For a day that saw the tragic end of contemporary writer David Foster Wallace, a fortuitous counterbalance was found in Dallas with life expressed by author Junot Diaz. Diaz participated in a vibrant discussion of his work for the Writers Studio at the Dallas Museum of Art. His first novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of [...]

According to the NY Times, Timothy Potts, the former director of the Kimbell  Art Museum is on the list to succeed Philippe de Montebello at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. After 30 years at the Met’s helm, de Montebello announced on Tuesday that he’s retiring at the end of this year. Potts recently left the Fort Worth museum to [...]

Today is my last day at KERA. After working with my colleagues for nearly 25 years to produce the best broadcasting can offer, I’m forging a new path. I will join SMU as an assistant dean at the Simmons School of Education and Human Development.
So before I pack up the ol’ saddle bags, I want to thank all [...]

Although this is day-old from The Dallas Morning News, I wanted to note the article on Laura Wilson, the accomplished Dallas photographer. Her collection of images depicting a West Texas ranching family, Watt Matthew of Lambshead , was re-issued by Texas A&M Press, and The News’ Michael Grandberry does a nice job of relating her work.
I first met Laura when she worked [...]

OK, Jerome has inspired me to seek out more on news about the decline of reading, which at times, he believes is overblown. See below for his posting on the Times -Picayune’s decision to expand its coverage of books. This is good news. But now for the not-so-good, but realistic:
As I vegetated over the holidays, [...]

If you are curious to see the work behind the voice of a KERA art reviewer, then go see Matthew Bourbon’s solo exhibit, Parts and Players, at El Centro’s College’s H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery in Dallas, January 2-25.
Bourbon is a painter interested in collecting images and manipulating them through the use of different sources, such as advertising, film and [...]

The following is a theater review by KERA’s critic at large, Jerome Weeks. It airs December 20 on KERA’s Morning Edition.
The Undermain Theatre has long been expert at presenting dark, ironic works, their basement space becoming a troll’s cave where the theater takes full advantage of the dank atmosphere and the ghostly lights.
But every so [...]

Pix2 is a UTD exhibit focusing on artists who should be more visible: either they are relatively new artists or older ones who haven’t been showcased. Curated by John Pomara, a UTD faculty member and artist, Pix2 is composed of selections made by art writers and critics, including Matt Bourbon who is doing reviews for [...]

The following is a theater review by KERA’s critic at large, Jerome Weeks. It aired today, December 14, 2007 on Morning Edition.
Before there was National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, before there was A Christmas Story or Bad Santa or all the other dysfunctional families-at-Christmas comedies, there was Alan Ayckbourn’s stage play, Season’s Greetings. Written in 1980, [...]

These days when you say Ike Turner’s name, you think of Tina Turner and all of the terrible abuse she says she endured in her marriage to him. But his death marks the passing of a talented  and groundbreaking musician. Those of us from certain generations, and perhaps even younger ones, can vividly call up his music [...]