This innovative, non-traditional museum catalogue offers an 
intelligent and in-depth examination of new work by a group of 
eleven artists living and working in Texas.

    Come Forward is a richly layered experience with relevance and 
resonance beyond the Red River. It is a fascinating picture of a 
generation of artists now emerging and of the vigor and vitality of 
art in Texas. Not only does this group of imaginative and talented 
artists—Augusto di Stephano, Adrian Esparza, Joey Fauerso, 
Robyn O’Neil, Robert Pruitt, Juan Miguel Ramos, Irene Roderick, 
Chris Sauter, Brent Steen, Marshall Thompson, and Brad Tucker 
—provide a reminder of the high quality of art being made here, 
they also indicate a bull market in Texas art futures.

    The catalogue essays provide an overall investigation of the 
practices and strategies of a new generation of university and art 
school trained artists, who at the beginning, critical stages of their 
career are facing the current and challenging situation of making 
work that can emerge from the privacy of their studio and 
successfully address its public. Furthermore, there are three short 
essays in the catalogue by young writers associated with strong 
critical writing programs in Texas and artist statements, 
biographies and exhibition histories of the eleven selected artists.

    This book is being produced in conjunction with an exhibition of 
the same name taking place at the Dallas Museum of Art from 
February 23 through May 11, 2003. Both will kick off the DMA’s 
centennial anniversary by paying tribute to the energy and 
creativity that have always characterized Texas art and the 
traditions of excellence and innovation that carry through to the 
present day.

_________________________________________________________

SUZANNE WEAVER is associate curator of contemporary art at 
the Dallas Museum of Art. LANE RELYEA, formerly associate 
director of the Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, 
Houston, is an assistant professor of art theory and practice at 
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.


Distributed for the Dallas Museum of Art