The Big Show
Upcoming
The Big Show
About the Exhibition
The Big Show is an ambitious exhibition of new work by artists practicing within a 100-mile radius of Lawndale. The 2025 edition will be Juried by Dr. Phillip A. Townsend, Curator of Art, Art Galleries at Black Studies (AGBS) and Lecturer in the Department of African and African Diaspora Studies at The University of Texas at Austin.
Support \ Join us in celebrating The Big Show 2025!
All supporters receive entry to The Big Show Preview Party with The Big Show artists and juror (guest quantity below). The Big Show Preview Party will take place on Friday, June 6 from 5 – 7 PM. The public opening will be Friday, June 6 from 7 – 9 PM.
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Individual Sponsor for The Big Show 2025
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Preview Party Admission ($125)▼
The Big Show 2025 Preview Party (5 - 7 PM)
Curatorial Statement by the Juror
“Between Lines and Faces explores the intersection of three seemingly disparate elements: text, portraiture, and the mundane. When woven together, these themes reveal profound insights into the human condition and the society we inhabit. By examining how we represent ourselves and others, both in words and imagery, we invite reflection on the complexities of identity, the banality of everyday life, and the unnoticed beauty in the ordinary.”
— Excerpt from Dr. Phillip A. Townsend’s curatorial statement
Featured Artists
Ieda Acunzo, Mehek Ahmed, Nadia Al-Khalifah, Victoria Armenta, Saj Baldwin, Mathieu JN Baptiste, Darla Barolini, Nohelia Vargas Bolivar, Lily Borrero, Root Bradford, Tori Marie Briggs, Joseph Bui, raymond burgos jr., Lisa Cain, Dea Campbell, Emilio Carrera, Sonya Cuellar, Esther Delaquis-Baidoo, Lee Deleon, Jacinto Deleon, Michael Diaz, Tess Doyle, Justin Dunford, Karen Eisele, Darren Emanuel, Jai España, Juli Estrada, Julia Fisher, Jacq Garcia, Diane Gelman, Val Glitsch, Lauren Janelle, Brian Junior, Michael Godoy, Erika Grench, Marcus John Guillory, Lucy Malone Haslam, Antonio Hurtado, charlie king, Christie Leday, Kevin Lopez, Renata Lucia, Jason Makepeace, Márcia, Willie Maxen, Julia McLaurin, Gabriela Monterroso, Kerri Lyons Neimeyer, Angy Newell, Morgan Newton, Carlos Ocando, Margarita Gil Ortega, Carolina Otero, Anthony Pabillano, Quentin Pace, Ismael Perales, Josh Peterson, Julon “JD” Pinkston, Preetika Rajgariah, Shawna M. Rasmussen, Jenny Reed, Chayse Sampy, Lane Schaefer, Drew O. Scott, Loren Siems, Simon Silva, La’Toya Smith, Oluseyi Soyege, Constintine St.John, Carrington T., Trent Teinert, Justin Tran, Charles VanMeter, Robin Whalan, Chris Wicker, Syalisa Winata, RANDY WROSIV, and Angelina Yoon
About the Juror
Dr. Phillip A. Townsend is the Curator of Art at the Art Galleries at Black Studies (AGBS) at The University of Texas at Austin. A graduate of UT’s doctoral program in Art History, he specializes in modern and contemporary art, with a focus on BIPOC artists and identity politics. Before joining AGBS, he co-founded the Austin-based Neon Queen Collective. Townsend has curated retrospectives on artists such as Melvin Edwards, Alicia Henry, and Nicole Awai, as well as multi-institutional exhibitions on María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Charles White. His scholarly work appears in peer-reviewed journals and exhibition catalogs, including CAA, UT Press, and Getty Publications. Notable curatorial projects include Wura-Natasha Ogunji: earth, body, spirit (2022) and Melvin Edwards: WIRE(D) + CHAIN(ED) (2022), highlighting African diaspora artists. Exhibitions like Michael A. Booker: Wave Patterns (2024), Alicia Henry: (un)knowing (2024), Rashaun Rucker: Patron Saints of a Black Boy (2024), and Jacob Guzman: The World We Live In (2024) reflect his dedication to amplifying diverse artistic voices and fostering dialogue around identity and expression. His recent exhibition, Transcendence: A Century of Black Queer Ecstasy, 1924–2024, examines Black queer ecstasy over the past 100 years, addressing its absence in historical records and honoring the resilience, beauty, and transformative power of the Black queer community. Dr. Townsend is a lecturer in the African and African Diaspora Studies Department at UT, where he teaches a course on ethics in the contemporary art museum.
The Big Show's Spicy Sponsors (as of May 27, 2025)
Serrano
John Bradshaw • Scott R. Sparvero
Cayenne
Mary Catherine & Bailey Jones • Michelle & Bill Matthews • Jeryn & Walter Mayer • Sara & Bill Morgan
Patron
Jereann Chaney • Elizabeth & Anthony A. Garcia • Emily & Ryan LeVasseur • Adrienne Moeller • Stephanie Roman • Nicole & Joey Romano
Friends
Rob Greenstein • Afton Baily Griffin • Marco Hernandez • Yu-Ru Huang • Caroline & Ben Jansen • Cindee & Curtis Klement • Janet Phelps • Teresa Porter • Jessica & Blake Seff • Sarah Stauder • Anna Walker • Jo Zider
The Big Show 2025’s media sponsor is Glasstire.
Upcoming Exhibitions