I meet House of Kenzo (HOK) on the University of the Incarnate Word Sky Bridge, a phobia-tweaking pedestrian catwalk over the zooming traffic on Highway 281. It’s a sunny afternoon, and House of Kenzo are mid-photo shoot. They are beautiful, self-assured, gender-flouting, working their rainbow fashion gear into wind-whipped battle flags visible for a half-mile.…
Artist Chris Sauter Talks Curators, Coming Out and Playing with Stereotypes
Chris Sauter’s big break came in 1999 when an Artpace curator told him to “go for it.” The San Antonio-born artist raised on his grandparents’ ranch outside Boerne proposed to cut pieces out of the gallery’s drywall and transform them into his childhood family dining room. Viewers had to walk through the oval circle in…
Adore Delano Brings Her ‘After Party’ to the Aztec
Competing on the seventh season of American Idol, Daniel Noriega made it into the top 16 but not without a few insults from Simon Cowell, who reportedly called the California native “useless” and even described one of his performances as “grotesque.” Five years later, Noriega re-entered the reality competition arena reinvented as Adore Delano on…
On and Off “Fred” Returns to the Deco District
Public artist Rolando Briseño was visiting Cuernavaca, Mexico, several years ago when he found inspiration for a work of art while standing on the balcony of a friend’s home, overlooking the street scenes below. Sticking to his signature symbol of tables and tablecloths, he hired models from the local art school and positioned two males…