September 7, 2022 749 PM
MARFA — Chinati Weekend, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, will take place from October 7-9 at locations around Marfa.
The three-day event hosted by The Chinati Foundation was inaugurated in 1987 by the museum’s founder, the artist Donald Judd, as a means to bring together Chinati’s local, national and international communities. Events are free and open to the public, kicking off Friday evening with “Made in Marfa,” where local business owners and community organizations host events around town and throughout the weekend. Chinati’s artist in residence Jesus Benavente will hold an open studio at the Locker Plant.
On Saturday, October 8, Chinati opens its gate for an opportunity to freely explore the collection, which is otherwise only accessible on guided tours. A focus of Chinati Weekend 2022 will be the restored John Chamberlain Building, which is part of the newly-designated downtown Central Marfa Historic District.
A major commission by the artist Sarah Crowner, titled Platform (Blue Green Terracotta for JC) (2022), goes on view on Chinati grounds. At an artist’s talk Saturday afternoon Crowner will discuss her commissioned work within the context of her painting practice. The 2,000-square-foot platform of turquoise-blue tiles, handmade by Cerámica Suro, in Guadalajara, Mexico, invites viewers to step into a pool of reflective light, saturated color, and fluid shapes. The installation pays homage to John Chamberlain, another artist who gave painting a physical sculptural form.
Also on view will be an installation of photographs and sculptures by John Chamberlain from the permanent collection as well as the temporary installation of Dan Flavin’s untitled (in memory of my father, D. Nicholas Flavin) (1974).
A community supper Saturday night with ranch fare and mariachi music will be held free for all at the Arena on Chinati’s grounds. Once a gymnasium in the 1930s, the Arena continues to serve as a space for hosting ever since Judd invited the public to the first Chinati Weekend Open House in 1987.
Sunday starts at sunrise with open viewing of Judd’s 15 untitled works in concrete (1980–84) and 100 untitled works in mill aluminum (1982–86), as well as Robert Irwin’s untitled (dawn to dusk) (2016).
For more information, visit chinati.org.
