I saw Tamara de Lempicka again for a third time last Friday.

Maybe this sounds excessive, but let me explain. I was there for a jazz performance by The RedLoc Collective, an event inspired by the Tamara de Lempicka exhibition. Held in the Kinder building, rows of chairs filled the main room and almost every single seat was taken by the time I arrived. I grabbed a glass of my current drink of choice when the selection is bare, bubbly Cava, during MFAH’s happy hour Friday’s and found a corner in the back to listen to the sounds of Timothy Lea and the band playing “The Look of Love” by Dusty Springfield.

When the music ended, it seemed natural to wander back to the exhibition. MFAH extended its run by another couple days due to popular demand, which says something about Lempicka’s magnetism.

You enter the exhibition and immediately confront a portrait of Tamara serving a face card in a way that belongs on a magazine cover. There’s something both unsettling and perfect about having the artist welcome you into her own retrospective. Born in 1894, here’s a woman who existed between many spaces: countries, between identities, between what was acceptable in polite society. The exhibition includes over 90 art pieces and studies starting with her signature Art Deco portraits of people throughout her life. Some models, some are friends or family, some are lovers. Her style is unmistakably sleek featuring figures in luxury, satin-like fabrics that cling to skin much like sculptures of the Hellenestic period but with a modern edge.

As you move through the rooms, wall texts reveal bits and pieces of her personal life. Born to Jewish parents who converted to Christianity, she spent much effort hiding her ancestry out of necessity and fear. From Poland, to Paris, to Hollywood, and eventually Houston and Mexico, her public persona was as bold and glamorous as her paintings. In a 2020 PaperCity Magazine interview, her daughter Kizette Lempicka-Foxhall recalled Tamara saying: “I began selling my paintings, and they became very sought after and I became a very successful painter. After every painting I sold, I would buy myself a diamond bracelet. And I would not stop painting until I had bracelets from here to here”–gesturing from wrist to elbow. Painting glamorous portraits, in turn, bought her a glamorous life, but it sounds to me like it bought her armor.

Her first husband, Tadeauz Lempicka, was displeased with what he considered marginal habits: cocaine and women amongst other things. Tamara took both men and women as lovers. Her second husband ushered a new era and identity for Tamara. She became Baroness Kuffner and took a step back from the art world, at least publicly. During her Houston chapter when she came to spend time with her daughter, she was a fixture in the society columns described by the Chronicle as “a bejeweled and caftaned regular at the symphony and theater” who “enjoyed swank luncheons at the Warwick and Houston Racquet Club.”

Throughout her life, Tamara made bold moves to ensure her success in her art career, and that success funded her lifestyle of high fashion, jewelry, beautiful homes, and access to high society’s inner circles at the time. What strikes me about Tamara is how it appears she never compromised on what mattered to her–her sexuality, her autonomy, her art. She pulled herself towards anything she wanted by her own sheer force of will. 

I first saw the Tamara de Lempicka exhibition at Art Crowd and then a second time at Spring Nights at Museum of Fine Arts (with DJ Kay Illah spinning house music in the background—another novel experience). What draws me back? There’s something comforting, yet instructive about Tamara’s approach to surviving. “I live life in the margins of society,” Lempicka says in Passion by Design. “And the rules of normal society don’t apply in the margins.” 

Maybe that’s the lesson here: create art, be unabashedly yourself, and stack diamonds on your arm from wrist to elbow.

💌 New community Q&A: Open House

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Question: What does the perfect day in Houston look like for you? Who are you with? What spots are you hanging out in? What dish or drink are you grabbing at your favorite restaurant?

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WEEKEND EVENTS

All Weekend

• Participate in The Houstonian Scheme for a chance to see Wes Anderson’s new film

• PLANTCON in Houston at NRG Stadium

• Two weeks left of AAPI Restaurant Weeks

• Last weekend to see musical comedy show Das Barbecü at Stages Theatre

• Last weekend to see In The Heights at Hobby Center 

Thursday, 5/29

6pm-8pm, Lotería | MFAH is hosting Lotería Game Night inspired by the art collections in the museum. “MFAH Lotería draws on the Museum’s art collections to create a traditional Latinx game board.” Free with museum admission. $24 or free for members. More info.

6:30pm, Film Screening | Kroma Art House is hosting a movie night where they’ll be screening The Biggest Little Farm. “Come prepared to discuss any ideas this movie may bring about and how this topic impacts our lives.” Bringing a snack to share is encouraged. Free. RSVP.

7pm-9pm, Artist Opening Reception | Head to Contemporary Arts Museum Houston for the opening exhibition of Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe. “Good Junk Vintage Records will be hosting a community-focused record exchange” and complimentary drinks will be available on a first come, first served basis. Free. RSVP.

7pm-Late, Live Performance | The Kennedy is hosting a black tie birthday soirée featuring Marilyn Monroe impersonators, red carpet, live singing and burlesque performances. Black tie affair. Make reservations.

9pm-2am, Dancing | MoodToMove is back again with another House music event at Numbers. $30. “Our residency continues with another night of pure rhythm, connection, and movement.” Buy tickets.

Friday, 5/30

12pm-4pm, Coworking | Stop by Neighbors for a coworking and connecting event called The Day Shift at Neighbors. If you’re a creative or remote worker, this is the perfect event to end your work week. Free. See flyer.

6pm-9pm, Opening Reception | Reeves Art Gallery is hosting a group art show for mental health awareness supporting All Girls Love, an organization that provides free art therapy. Free. See flyer.

6pm-9pm, Tarot | Tarot in Bloom event will be happening at The Mood Room Garden and Bar. “Join us for an enchanting evening of tarot readings, aura photography, and meaningful connections.” Free. Get tickets.

6pm-8pm, Literary Pop-Up | Starting on May 30 til August 16, The Reading Room will be having their fifth pop-up experience at Room 103 in the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University. Join them on Friday for their opening reception! More info.

Saturday, 5/31

9:30am-11am, Yoga | Experience a unique yoga event Beyond the Senses at Art Club’s Infinity Room. “Surrounded by cutting-edge art installations, this experience invites you to drop into presence, expand your awareness, and connect deeply—with yourself and the space around you.” $77. Buy tickets.

3pm-10pm, Art & Music Festival | BADDWKND is bringing BADDLANDS FEST to Houston for the first time at The podium at Porsche River Oaks. It’s an indoor & outdoor event featuring local talents, DJs, vendors, drinks and food. Starts at $40-95. Buy tickets.

5pm-11pm, Nightlife | Machine Elves and Tárab Garden are hosting Tárab Garden at Bohemeo’s kitchen. It’s “a vibrant new musical space where DJs, musicians, and dancers come together to create spontaneous collaborations.” $15. Buy tickets.

8pm, Dancing | @bgirlcity presents Houston’s newest dance party No Parking On The Dance Floor at The Mood Room. “Bringing back those club and warehouse party vibes to 2nd Ward.” $10 entry. See flyer.

Sunday, 6/1

4pm-7pm, Outdoor Concert | Last Jazzy Sunday featuring Charly Siaba and Los Souldees at Buffalo Bayou Park. Free. More info.

4pm-8pm, Day Party | Stop by Pop Up On The Plaza day party with DJs Kay Illah and Saynt Chris. “Pull up, catch a vibe, enjoy the beautiful summer days once a month with your friends in @midtownhou‘s Plaza in the heart of the city.” Every first Sunday of the month. Free. See flyer.

6:30pm, Film Screening | Watch Wicked outdoors during their sing-along viewing at Rooftop Cinema Club. Tickets start at $21. Buy tickets.

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