6 January 8-14, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Art Affairs Your last chance to catch a glimpse of some of North Texas’ best art exhibits this winter. BY KENDALL MORGAN N ow that we’re settling into 2026 and those emails are “cir- cling back,” we’re faced with what feels like the longest month of the year. How do you fill that time? Try taking in some art, but don’t dawdle. Some of these exhibitions will be leaving soon. The Balloon Museum Let’s Fly Art Has No Limits Through April 26 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 reinvention. Founded in 2021 in Rome, The Balloon Mu- seum builds on this tradition with 65,000 square feet of inflatable objects that beg to be touched and played with, making it the ideal time filler for little ones and tweens. There are plenty of Insta-worthy mo- ments in the mix at this “museum,” but pieces like Karina Smigla-Bobinski’s ki- netic, charcoal-studded “Ada” are serious works that are still fun to play with. “Hy- perstellar” by Hyperstudio serves as a grand finale to this effervescent experi- ence. Under a supersized disco ball, kid- dos 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 Through Feb. 1 Pam Evelyn: Savaged Future Through March 15 Since his earliest days creating furniture for the contemporary design gallery The Future Perfect, sculptor Chris Wolston straddled the worlds of craft and art with a (Dr.) Seussian twist. Whether he is explor- ing terra cotta, bronze or wicker in his work, his gestural chairs and nature-in- spired coffee tables are functional, sculp- tural, and a hell of a lot of fun to look at. For his first museum show at the Dallas Con- temporary, a “greatest hits” of old and new work is displayed across four catwalks in the manner of a fashion show or drag ball, interspersed with videos highlighting his imaginative process. Also on view are the vivid abstract works of Pam Evelyn. Passages of oil are scraped and reapplied by the artist to re- flect the London-based painter’s frame of mind, making each oversized canvas an “emotional field” that defies obvious inter- pretation. Dallas Museum of Art International Surrealism Through March 22 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 lustre over the years. To better dis- play 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 surrealism. An eye cutout in the opening wall sets the stage for works by Dali and Magritte, as well as lesser-known pieces by Latin American and British surrealists. Culminating in a dark and dreamy room filled with paint- ings, sculpture and prints, the show is a fantastic Cliff’s Notes that explores the en- during appeal of a mind-bending move- ment that still has art lovers enraptured 100 years after its debut. If you didn’t get diamonds in your stock- ing this year, you can still bask in the dazzle of the wearable works of art featured in Con- stellations. Drawn from the museum’s own holdings, the exhibition challenges tradi- tional notions of jewelry through rings, necklaces and bracelets made from uncon- ventional materials such as eggs, paper and plastic. Even a cursory look at these trea- sures will inspire one to think outside the (jewel) box and level up their accessories for a shiny new year. Kimbell Art Museum Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection Through Jan. 25 Myth and Marble draws on the best of a col- lection once assembled by the French-Ital- ian banker Prince Giovanni Torlonia in the 19th century. Hewn from marble, gods and goddesses, animals and emperors are among the 58 sculptures crafted to ensure the epic grandeur of ancient Rome wouldn’t fade through the centuries. Considering how many men think of this time period on a reg- ular basis, this show is a fun way to time- travel to the days of Marcus Aurelius without leaving the area. While you’re there, take a moment to gaze on Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Ho- loferne, a groundbreaking classic on loan from the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica, Palazzo Barberini, Rome. On view through Jan. 11, this boldly realistic portrayal of femi- nine rage captures the mood of everyone who has recently paged their way through the Epstein files. Meadows Museum Roaming Mexico: Laura Wilson Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Visions of Mexico Through Jan. 11 If you wanted to celebrate the season in CDMX this year, dual shows at the Mead- ows Museum at SMU offer a glimpse of Mexico Lindo without leaving the Metro- plex. Dallas-based documentary photogra- pher Laura Wilson’s vivid diptychs and triptychs capture the denizens of border towns and vibrant Oaxacan parades with an unerring eye. Having assisted Richard Avedon in his iconic American West series, Wilson has a well-honed ability to high- light the humanity in her subjects. These supersized, colorful images should be re- quired viewing for any errant uncle who still approves of ICE. Also on view is a complementary exhibi- tion of the silver gelatin prints by Latin American photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo from the 1920s through the ‘80s. Re- flecting the complexities of Mexican iden- tity, these meditative studies of light and shadow highlight subjects ranging from Day of the Dead to Frida Kahlo while avoiding folkloric cliches. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting Through Jan. 18 The fantasy and reality of flesh is writ large in British painter Jenny Saville’s epic can- vases. On view at the Modern in Fort Worth, works such as “Fulcrum” (which measures 16 feet across) demand a reaction — positive or negative. Some viewers might be repelled by her vast bodies coming together in love or conflict, while others may feel drawn to the intimate flaws of her subjects, including cloudy eyes and port-wine birthmarks. Yet even flaws become more beautiful under her adept hands. It may take a well-trained eye to fully appreciate these paintings, but each one serves as a welcome contrast to our fil- ter-obsessed society. ▼ THINGS TO DO NEW YEAR, NEW THRILLS THESE ARE THE MOST EXCITING ENTERTAINMENT ATTRACTIONS SET TO OPEN IN 2026. BY ALYSSA FIELDS T his year was full of openings: Netflix House Dallas, the Skims store at NorthPark, Burger Schmurger’s brick-and-mortar and the DART Silver Line. What a busy year. Now that it’s all up and running, you may want to kick up your feet and relax, but don’t lean back too fast, because 2026 has a whole new roster of ex- citing openings, from fashion to fun. The blueprints of our region is forever changing, and while discussions about ma- jor closings (looking at you, City Hall) wage on, we prefer to rally up excitement over what’s to come in empty lots and vacant storefronts. Here’s what to mark on your calendar with a big red circle. Tormenta Rampaging Run at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington In celebration of the theme park’s 65th anni- versary, Six Flags Over Texas is opening its most daring coaster, the Tormenta Rampag- ing Run, inspired by the Spanish Running of the Bulls. The record-breaking thrill ride will be the tallest, fastest, longest and only “giga dive” roller coaster in the world, ac- cording to the launch website. A giga coaster is any ride with a peak between 300 and 399 feet. The massive 309-foot drop on the Tor- Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Flaws are made beautiful in Jenny Saville’s The Anatomy of Painting. ▼ Culture Kevin Todora Chris Wolston: Profile in Ecstasy features works like clay sculptures, metal tables and a fountain inspired by Grace Jones.
