Inaugural stARTup Houston Selection Committee
stARTup gathers a prestigious Selection Committee of curators, artists, and dealers for each fair to ensure that every event is fresh and exciting for people looking to discover new and emerging talent.
This jury brings local celebrity, global perspective, and expert experience to our first Houston fair. Apply Now to take part in our Houston fair — the fourth largest art market in the US! Applications close July 28th.
Kelly montana, houston
Kelly Montana is the Assistant Curator at the Menil Drawing Institute. Upcoming projects include an exhibition of drawings by Brice Marden. She previously held positions at the Dallas Museum of Art, Lawndale Art Center, and the Fabric Workshop and Museum.
ryan dennis, houston
Ryan N. Dennis is Curator and Programs Director at Project Row Houses. Since joining Project Row Houses in 2012, she has organized and co-organized ten Rounds of PRH group exhibitions with local, national, and international artists. Her writings have appeared in catalogs and journals, including Prospect.3 Notes for Now (2014), Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts, and the Studio Museum in Harlem’s Studio magazine. Dennis has been a visiting lecturer and critic at a number of art schools and art institutions throughout the country and has taught courses on community-based practices and contemporary art at the University of Houston.
Jakub Spanhel, Czech Republic
Jakub Špaňhel was born 1976 in Karvina in Czech republic. He has graduated Academy of fine art in 2002 in Prague. His paintings have inspiration in Baroque churches, Gas stations, old furniture, flowers and butterflies. He uses dark tones with combinations of black and gold color which compare his painting to German expressionism. He use also graphic of Bohumil Reynek as inspiration for black and white minimalist paintings. He is one of most important Czech painters from generation of contemporary Czech painters. His work can be found in the public collections of Czech National Gallery, Moravian National Gallery and many private collections in Czech, Slovak, Hungary, Germany, Austria, UK and USA.
robert hodge, houston
Robert Hodge’s art practice explores themes of memory and commemoration. Born in Houston, Texas and raised in the City’s Third Ward district, Hodge studied visual art at the Pratt Institute in New York and the Atlanta College of Art before returning to Houston. Hodge has exhibited his work in numerous national and international institutions. The artist has also received grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, Houston Arts Alliance and The Idea Fund. Hodge currently lives and works in Houston.
Cindy Lisica, houston
Cindy Lisica runs her commercial art gallery in the robust Museum District of Houston, her second location after the successful run of Revision Space in Pittsburgh. She holds a PhD and MA in Modern and Contemporary Art and has held positions at The Andy Warhol Museum, MOCA Los Angeles, Tate Britain, and the Menil Collection. Lisica is also a professor of art history and published writer on international contemporary art.
jonathon hopson, houston
Jonathan Hopson is the director and co-founder of Jonathan Hopson Gallery in Houston. Opened in 2016, Jonathan Hopson Gallery is Houston’s only contemporary art gallery exhibiting in a historic American Craftsman bungalow. The gallery has exhibited both local and international artists and participated in several international art fairs, including New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) New York and Miami Beach.
Prior to opening his own commercial gallery, Mr. Hopson gained extensive experience through varied positions at several Houston museums including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Blaffer Art Museum, the Menil Collection, and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.
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stARTup Houston will take place at the Hotel Icon, where authentic Texas charm meets contemporary luxury in the heart of downtown Houston. stARTup Houston runs concurrently with the Texas Contemporary gallery fair — only a few blocks away!