Abilene celebrates 44 years of outdoor sculpture with new additions

AUGUST 5, 2024 - For more than four decades, the Abilene Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition has provided an opportunity for acclaimed Texas artists to present their work.  Abilene’s exhibition is the longest running community initiated public art exhibition in Texas.

The 38th biennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition is celebrating 44 years of bringing contemporary outdoor sculpture to Abilene made by award-winning artists. The exhibition is a juried, invitational exhibition with a focus on Texas artists.

The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council’s Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee organized the exhibition in partnership with the City of Abilene Community Services Department, McMurry, Hardin-Simmons and Abilene Christian universities, The Grace Museum and the Center for Contemporary Arts. This year’s sculptures and their artists are:

- “Two Prisms with Molecular Eyes” by James Surls, an internationally recognized artist now living in Colorado

- “This Way Up” by Michael Christopher Matson, Albany

- “~Used Tyres~” by Jack A. Massing, Houston

- “Bad Hair Day” by Jeffie Brewer, Nacogdoches

The sculptures will be on exhibit along North 1st Street (between Beech and Grape streets) for two years. 

To celebrate the creators of the outdoor sculptures, as well as artists opening their exhibits at other local galleries, receptions open to the public will take place at:

FRIDAY, Sept. 20

5 p.m. – Reception for Deborah Ballard’s exhibition at Amy Graves Ryan Fine Arts Gallery, 1642 Sayles Blvd., McMurry University.

5:45 p.m. - Reception for Allison Evonne Streett’s exhibition “Wilderness” at the Ira M. Taylor Memorial Gallery at Hardin-Simmons University, 2200 Hickory St.

SATURDAY, Sept. 21

3:30-4:30 p.m.  – Reception for “Into the Woods” exhibition by Bonny Leibowitz, Deborah Kapoor and Pilar Uribe at Shore Art Gallery at the Don Morris Center at Abilene Christian University. The artist talk will be at 4:30 p.m.

6:15 p.m. – Reception at the Center for Contemporary Arts for the featured outdoor sculptors and an exhibition by sculptor Adela Andea, juror for this year’s CCAN show at the Center.