James Drake
The Heart Has Many Rivers (For Carmen)
Drawings 1962-2023
January 13 – February 24, 2024
Reception for the Artist: Saturday, January 13, 3-5 pm, Artist Talk 4 pm
Book Signing: Saturday, February 24, 2-5 pm
Moody Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of work by James Drake. The Heart Has Many Rivers (For Carmen): Drawings 1962-2023 marks the artist’s eighth solo exhibition with the gallery. In support of the world premiere performance of Can We Know the Sound of Forgiveness, commissioned for the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and in collaboration with Carnegie Hall, the exhibition will feature James Drake’s major drawing of the same title, by which the performance is inspired. In conjunction with the large drawing, a survey of drawings from 1962 until 2023 will also be on view.
James Drake (b. Lubbock, Texas, 1946) currently lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles, California. Drake is the recipient of numerous awards, which include a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts Grants, and a Nancy Graves Award for Visual Arts. In 2007 his work was featured at the 52nd International Venice Biennale and in 2000 his work was featured in the Whitney Biennial. His exhibition at Moody Gallery in 2004 received a U.S. Art Critics Association (AICA) Award for Best in Show in a Commercial Gallery Nationally, 2nd Place. Drake’s work can be seen in many permanent collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Blanton Museum of Art, Dallas Museum of Art, San Antonio Museum of Art, Art Museum of South Texas, El Paso Museum of Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Mexico Museum of Art, Lannan Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (La Jolla), Whitney Museum of American Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Four books have been published on James Drake: James Drake (University of Texas Press, 2008); James Drake: Red Drawings & White Cut-Outs (Radius Books, 2012); and James Drake: 1242 (Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (La Jolla), 2014); James Drake: Tongue-Cut Sparrows (Radius Books, 2024).
Can We Know the Sound of Forgiveness is a groundbreaking multidisciplinary performance that merges visual art, music, dance, movement, and spoken word to create an urgent new language for collective expression. The production includes a score by world-renowned composer Gabriela Ortiz, text by bestselling author Benjamin Saenz, and performances by multidisciplinary artist Shaun Leonardo, flutist Alejandro Escuer, and the Grammy-winning chamber choir, The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally. Can We Know the Sound of Forgiveness debuts at the Morrison Theater at Brockman Hall for Opera at Rice University on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 8 pm. It is produced and directed by Stephen Jimenez and curated by Leila Hamidi
The production includes dancers from Houston Ballet Academy, student percussionists from the Shepherd School of Music, choreography by Harrison Guy with guest creative advisor Lauren Anderson, performances by actor Julia Krohn and Houston-area Military Veterans, photography by Adam Holender, and a guest appearance by the Houston Children’s Chorus.
Special Thanks to Executive Producers Deborah & Edward Koehler, and Small Difference Foundation; Matthew Loden, Co-Executive Producer and Dean of Music, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
Moody Gallery is open Tuesday - Friday 10:30 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. James Drake – The Heart Has Many Rivers (For Carmen): Drawings 1962-2023 can also be viewed online at www.moodygallery.com. For more information, please call or email the gallery at 713-526-9911 or info@moodygallery.com.