McNay Art Museum presents LOVEfest with screening of acclaimed film Paris is Burning

The 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning chronicles the diverse ball culture of New York City. Credit: Criterion Collection

The McNay Art Museum’s LOVEfest event this Saturday is a cinematic tribute to pop art icon Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture.

Built as a 12-foot Cor-Ten steel structure, the iconic image was also released as a MoMA Christmas card and a U.S. Postal Service stamp. Indiana’s sculpture has been a cornerstone of the McNay’s collection since 2015.

Despite its sentimental appearance, the sculpture reflects the artist’s provocative instincts, which mesh well with the outstanding documentary Paris is Burning (1990), which is being screened as part of the McNay Event.

Well before Madonna made millions off her single “Vogue,” young, marginalized people in NYC were walking makeshift runways, performing in the ballroom subculture of late ’80s and bringing home the gold for their illustrious houses — small but fierce communities of drag and trans youth that thrived in the face of the AIDS pandemic.

A ticket to the film covers general admission to the museum as well as admission to Indiana’s exhibition.

This event is for guests 18 and older, and registration is required.

Free-$23, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels, (210) 824-5368, mcnayart.org.

McNay Art Museum presents LOVEfest with screening of acclaimed film Paris is Burning

Tags: