Centennial Renovation
As the University of Houston prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2027, the university campus will be undergoing a renovation and enhancement construction period, including a major renovation of the public areas and roads surrounding the Fine Arts District, of which Blaffer Art Museum is a part. Wilhelmina’s Grove, to the west of the Blaffer, will be under construction from December 9, 2024, until August 15, 2025.  Loop Road, the road directly in front of the Blaffer’s public entrance, will be under construction from December 16, 2024, until December 31, 2025. Additional information about the construction planning and impact can be found here and here. In the process of this construction, the museum’s loading dock and parking areas will be inaccessible; for phase two of the construction, the museum’s front entrance will be closed. We appreciate your support and patience as we navigate the impact this will have upon our exhibitions and programs in the 2025 calendar year.
Mariposa Relámpago
Most immediately, we regret to announce that the Blaffer Art Museum will not be able to present Guadalupe Maravilla: Mariposa Relámpago, previously planned to open in February 2025, to be on view through August 2025. Originally commissioned by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, the exhibition opened at the ICA Watershed in May 2023, and then traveled to Ballroom Marfa and The Contemporary Austin’s Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, where it closed in November 2024. Over this period of time, an estimated 47,000 people experienced Mariposa Relámpago, including through healing sound ceremonies led by artist Guadalupe Maravilla. The participating institutions are grateful to Maravilla, the sound healers, and local communities who embraced this incredible work.
We are grateful for how our colleagues and community members across Houston have deeply supported the planning and organizing surrounding this project since its inception and have served as important thought leaders for its development. Through the organizing efforts of Cynthia Woods Mitchell Associate Curator Erika Mei Chua Holum and with support from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, Mariposa Relámpago found community support among our colleagues in the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, peer arts organizations, dynamic grassroots organizers, and immigrant rights activists throughout Houston. Notably, we are grateful to Blaffer Advisory Board member, author, and physician at Ben Taub Hospital, Dr. Ricardo Nuila, who has been a long-time advocate for the intersections of medicine and art. While the installation of the exhibition is no longer feasible as planned at the Blaffer, Maravilla’s work raises important ideas that the Blaffer is dedicated to exploring through programs, publications, and community outreach in the year ahead, most especially on themes of healing, resilience, and wellness.
We received news of this updated construction plan in late November, and we will continue to monitor its impact as more information becomes available. Construction projects at universities often evolve due to shifting timelines and logistical adjustments, and we appreciate your patience as we navigate these changes. To keep our community informed, the McGovern College of the Arts has created the following page to communicate updates on timelines, navigation practices, and other relevant details: Loop Road Parking Update.
Please stay tuned for additional information and announcements. We are grateful for your support and patience, and we wish you a wonderful new year.
