Each October, one of the most innovative exhibitions in Dallas takes over a Gilded Age home on Swiss Avenue. Founded by artists Joel Murray and Clint Bargers, the four-year-old Chateau Show has managed to be simultaneously under the radar and highly anticipated.
A select crowd of curators, museum directors, and art world insiders pop by for informal viewings of envelope-pushing work that juxtaposes and complements the classic surroundings of the Aldredge House.
Built by cattleman William J. Lewis in 1915-17, the building was purchased by the Aldredge family in 1921 and is currently maintained by the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation. When Murray joined the house as caretaker in 2018, it seemed a logical extension of his practice to use the space to showcase emerging, mid-career and established talent in what he calls a kind of “visual equity.” The altruistic curators also allow 100% of proceeds to go to the artists themselves. For them, the Chateau Show is a labor of love for the local scene.
“We’re particular art nerds and art lovers, and we really wanted to support known, respected, and loved artists we know from all the time we’ve spent in Dallas,” says Murray. “We give artists carte blanche to do whatever they can dream up in the space, whether it's site specific or something more controlled and commercial.”
Launching in 2022 with 17 artists, the curators allow participants to let their freak flag fly, leading to surprises around every corner. In past editions, sculptor Rachael Henson’s silicone spine scented with a milk and fungus perfume perched on a radiator. Sheryl Anaya’s dreamy videos were projected on Delftware table settings in the dining room. And Brent Birnbaum’s irreverent toy mashups took over the parlor.
From the backyard to the bathroom, you never know what you’ll find (or where you’ll find it), and the 21 participants in this year’s edition (among them Alicia Eggert, Luke Harnden, Virginia L. Montgomery, and Arthur Peña) are sure to dream up something visionary to align with the house’s elegant environs.
Details
The Chateau Show at Aldredge House Museum, 5500 Swiss Ave., is on view noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 19-25. Free visits can be made by appointment via the event’s Instagram.
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