Mind Expansion

This week I parallel parked liked a boss, and checked out the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, or CAMH. CAMH is a non-collecting museum, which means that it has rotating exhibits and few items in its permanent collection. I will openly admit that I have really never been a fan of contemporary arts...I did minor in Art History, but that was mostly focused on decorative arts and renaissance paintings. Contemporary arts confuses me, but CAMH does its best to bring the world of contemporary arts to the masses and I appreciate that.

Perhaps CAMH’s most famous permanent piece, and also one of my favorite art installations in Houston, is the giant palm tree that sits behind the building. If you’re slow like me you probably thought that this was a real palm tree...it’s not. It’s actually an art installation called “Manila Palm: A Oasis Secret”, by the artist Mel Chin. You can read more about it here. I like the palm tree, I appreciate the palm tree, I don’t understand the palm tree.

Anyway, moving into the building, the exhibits sit on two floors. The current exhibit on the upper floor is a fantastically interactive exhibit by Paul Ramírez Jonas called Atlas, Plural, Monumental. There is a giant horse. I like the horse, I appreciate the horse, I don’t understand the horse.

The current exhibit on the bottom floor features a few different artists: JooYoung Choi , Jack Early, and Lily van der Stokker. These exhibits discusses each artist’s interpretations of their pasts and how it has impacted their futures. There is a pillow family. I like the pillow family, I appreciate the pillow family, I don’t understand the pillow family.

All-in-all CAMH is a pretty neat place. Its free and it's also right across the street from the MFAH. If you’re spending the day exploring the arts CAMH would be a great place to begin or end your day. The staff is friendly, the docents are knowledge, and the gift shop is adorable. Enter with an open mind and leave with an expanded universe.

Who: The exhibits at CAMH are mostly good for all ages. If you’re worried about content check the website to see if there are any current disclaimers. Also there are not a lot of barriers around the art installations so be mindful of what your little ones touch.

What: CAMH is a great place to explore the depths of contemporary art without being too highbrow, BTW CAMH is always free too!

When: CAMH is always closed on Mondays. It is opened 10am-7pm on T, W, F; 10am-9am on Thursday, and 10am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays

Where: CAMH is located at 5216 Montrose Blvd, Houston, Parking can be a bit tricky. You can either look for parking in the residential neighborhood behind the building or you can pay to park at the MFAH.

Why: Why not?