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Menil

Public Program

Dance Party at the Menil

In conversation with RESILIENCE, Drawing the Line, 2023, by Marc Bauer, and celebrating Queer histories, Houston artists Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin, Koomah, and Harrison Guy kick off the night with short performances.

The party continues with music by DJ Stephanie Saint Sanchez and lively outdoor video projections of Bauer’s animations projected on the outside of the building.

The Burger Joint food truck will be on-site.

Event Schedule

7–8 p.m.: Performances by Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin, Koomah, and Harrison Guy

8–10 p.m.: Dancing with music by DJ Stephanie Saint Sanchez and film projections by Marc Bauer

Attending the program:

Ride-share is strongly encouraged. Drop-off is located at 1501 Branard Street. Additional parking is available for $10 at The University of St. Thomas garage, located at 3807 Graustark.

This program takes place in the Menil Drawing Institute, located at 1412 W. Main St. Additional information regarding accessibility and parking can be found here. Menil green space policies apply and glass containers are prohibited.

In case of rain, performances will be held from 7–8 p.m. indoors. All outdoor activities from 8–10 p.m. will be canceled.

As always, Menil programs are free and open to all.

About the artists:

Nick Vaughan & Jake Margolin are Houston-based interdisciplinary artists creating an ongoing series of fifty installations made in response to little-known pre-Stonewall queer histories from each state. This multi-decade endeavor draws from recent groundbreaking academic work, the artists’ own archival research, and significant time spent learning from and collaborating with local LGBTQ community members.

Koomah is an intersex & genderfluid multidisciplinary artist, performer, and filmmaker currently residing in Houston, Texas. Koomah has facilitated several interactive public art projects including: Chalked around the outside of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Intersex Welcome Mat at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and the immersive multi-sensory interactive art experience No Such Thing As A Free House inside a home in South Park. Koomah has performed, showcased artwork, presented workshops & lectures, and screened films across the US & internationally.

Harrison Guy is the Director of Arts and Culture at the DeLUXE Theater and he is the Artistic Director of Urban Souls Dance Company, an award-winning company that’s treading new ground and making its voice heard throughout the community and nationally. He is a 2022 Dance/USA Artist Fellow recipient. Using his personal identity as a Black gay man as a catalyst, Harrison is interested in how Black life and African American traditions might be accessed in the pursuit of healing.

Stephanie Saint Sanchez is an award-winning Houston based multi-media artist/filmmaker with ties to many of the city’s vibrant art communities. Her work has been featured locally and internationally. She is the founder and executive director of Senorita Cinema, an all-Latina Film Festival, which was selected as an Idea Fund recipient. She was featured as one of Houston Press 100 Creatives and has served on the DiverseWorks artist board. Her favorite things are film, bringing artists together for collaboration, and putting on a show!