Art Museum of South Texas

Introduction

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This vibrant regional art museum opened in 1972 and features the work of artists from throughout Texas and other states, as well as Mexico. In addition to seasonal exhibitions and special programs, the museum offers exhibitions from its collection of over 1500 works. The building features floor-to-ceiling windows and was designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson and is made largely from white shellcreete and plaster. Highlights of the museum include the collection of modernist painter Dorothy Hood and Texas artist Billy Hassell.

Images

The Art Museum of South Texas opened in this facility in 1972.

Corpus Christi's Centennial Museum was the art museum's first home. The Daughters of the American Revolution are working to save this building.

Backstory and Context

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Originally housed in the Centennial Museum, the Art Museum of South Texas began in 1945. In the 1960s, the Art Museum had overgrown the confines of the Centennial building, and local philanthropists and civic leaders began efforts to fund a new space for the museum. In October 1972, the current location on Shoreline Boulevard was officially opened to the public. Throughout the 1970s the Museum added several Modernist pieces as well as a collection of work from Dorothy Hood. In 1995, the Museum become officially associated with Texas A&M University - Corpus Cristi. After Dorothy Hood's death in 2001, the Museum acquired much of her estate, including her studio archives. The museum nearly doubled in size in 2006, under the supervision of architect Ricardo Legorreta.

Sources

History, Art Museum of South Texas. Accessed October 5th 2020. https://www.artmuseumofsouthtexas.org/about/#1601586008904-4f4ba48d-7f6c.