14 DALLAS OBSERVER • KALEIDOSCOPE Textures of Spring: A Preview of This Season’s Best Art Exhibits Jewelry, balloons and surrealist furniture are already ripe for artistic appetite this season. BY KENDALL MORGAN, ALEC SPICER W e often forget how privileged we are to have access to some of the most sought-after, awe-inspiring art as it reg- ularly cycles through our city. This sea- son, some of the best exhibits are washing our home with broad strokes, illuminating stories through a myriad of fibers and mediums. Dallas has become a magnetic force for attracting im- mersive art experiences, marrying visual interpretation, which is often impalpable, with the ability to make it tan- gible. If art is life, Dallas is its source of photosynthesis. Of course, art, in its more traditional form, is aplenty across the city’s cultural canvas, too. Both surrealism and abstract approaches take center stage at some of North Texas’ best museums this spring. Additionally, a special, limited installation inspired by the stars above under- scores the intersection of fashion and the intangible with stunning wearable art. Here we offer a brief look at some of this season’s can’t-miss exhibits in Dallas. The Balloon Museum, Let’s Fly Art Has No Limits through April 26, 2026 In the hands of artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Andy Warhol, balloons are much more than helium-filled amuse- ments — they’re ethereal subjects ripe for exploration and re- invention. Founded in 2021 in Rome, The Balloon Museum builds on this tradition with 65,000 square feet of in- flatable objects that beg to be touched and played with, mak- ing it the ideal time filler for little ones and tweens. There are plenty of Insta-worthy moments in the mix at this “museum,” but pieces like Karina Smigla-Bobinski’s kinetic, charcoal-stud- ded “Ada” are serious works that are still fun to play with. “Hy- perstellar” by Hyperstudio serves as a grand finale to this effervescent experience. Under a supersized disco ball, kiddos can frolic and play in a ball pit to an escalating EDM soundtrack. Baby’s first rave, if you will. Dallas Contemporary, Chris Wolston: Profile in Ecstasy Feb. 1, 2026, and Pam Evelyn: Savaged Future through March 15. On view are the vivid abstract works of Pam Evelyn. Pas- sages of oil are scraped and reapplied by the artist to reflect the London-based painter’s frame of mind, making each over- sized canvas an “emotional field” that defies obvious interpre- tation. Dallas Museum of Art, International Surrealism through March 22, 2026, and Constellations: Contemporary Jewelry at the DMA through May 3. Developed in the aftermath of World War I, surrealism is one art movement that hasn’t lost its luster over the years. To better display some of the iconic works from the Tate Modern, the Dallas Museum of Art built an engaging gallery space that embodies the dreamlike aspects of sur- realism. An eye cutout in the opening wall sets the stage for works by Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte, as well as lesser-known pieces by Latin American and British surre- alists. Culminating in a dark and dreamy room filled with paintings, sculpture and prints, the show is a fantastic CliffsNotes that explores the enduring appeal of a mind-bending movement that still has art lovers enrap- tured 100 years after its debut. If you didn’t get diamonds in your stocking this year, you can still bask in the dazzle of the wearable works of art featured in Constellations. Drawn from the museum’s own holdings, the exhibition challenges traditional no- tions of jewelry through rings, necklaces and bracelets made from unconventional materials such as eggs, paper and plastic. Even a cursory look at these treasures will in- spire one to think outside the (jewelry) box and level up their accessories for a shiny new year. You don’t need big balls to explore the dark rooms of the Balloon Museum — they’re already included in the admission. Jordan Maddox Dallas Museum of Art Ornate jewelry takes center stage at the Dallas Museum of Art’s Constellations: Contemporary Jewelry.
