Events
Dallas Art Fair Online Makes Its Debut
Dallas Art Fair Online launched on Tuesday, April 14, giving visitors the opportunity to explore and collect works from 84 participating galleries such as Kasmin, McClain Gallery, and Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art. The online edition, complete with virtual viewing rooms, runs through April 23. The original fair was scheduled to take place in the Dallas Arts District from April 11 to 14 but was postponed to October 1 to October 4, 2020, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
MFAH Debuts Virtual Experience
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, director Gary Tinterow announced a new Virtual Experience destination on its website, the culmination of efforts of an ad hoc committee that combed through the digital archives. New and historic films, concerts, lectures, interviews, and exhibition tours are becoming available, with new features set to be released weekly. The MFAH announced that the exhibitions Glory of Spain, Francis Bacon: Late Paintings, and Radical: Italian Design, which were cut short due to the pandemic, will remain on view when the museum eventually reopens.
EarthX Launches Environmental Programming Online
EarthX, the largest environmental exposition in the world, will be held virtually this year, according to D Magazine. Trammell S. Crow founded EarthX to raise awareness for environmental issues and an eco-friendly lifestyle. EarthX Film will launch online on Friday, and EarthX will begin on April 22.
Dwell With Dignity Thrift Studio Goes Digital
Dwell with Dignity’s annual pop-up shop fundraiser Thrift Studio was yet another event that had to be canceled this spring. The organization has now launched Thrift Studio Live, an online auction of furniture, bedding, home accessories, and artwork at accessible prices.
Business
Laura U Interior Design Rebrands and Expands Scope
Laura U Interior Design has rebranded as Laura U Design Collective after welcoming Gina Brown to the team. Previously the principal at Newberry Architecture, Brown will now serve as director of residential building design at the firm. The collective plans to offer residential interiors, renovation, and new-construction design services.
“So many of our clients are hoping for a seamless, integrated design experience,” founder Laura Umansky tells AD PRO. “By offering ground-up planning along with interiors, we are able to address every part of the design process from start to finish." Over the years, Umansky and Brown have collaborated on many projects, including the 10-month renovation of Umansky’s own Boulevard Oaks historic residence.
Sales
Kufri Hosts Sale to Benefit Indian Artisans
Dallas-based Kufri is hosting an artisan sale to help the weavers and dyers who are being deeply affected during India’s COVID-19 lockdown. Customers will receive 40% off of the company’s finished goods, including pillows, table linens, and ceramics, and Kufri will give 40% of proceeds to artisans. The sale runs through April 30 with the code GIVEGET40.
Product Launches
Biscuit Reveals New Colorway and Donates Masks
Houston bespoke-bedding company Biscuit debuted a new lilac colorway of its Truvy print on Friday. The brand celebrated the launch by donating 800 face masks, constructed from the lilac sheeting, to Masks for Heroes. The masks were hand-sewn in Southern California for Biscuit.
Real Estate
Dallas Real Estate Rapidly Slows Amid Pandemic
A new report from NBC5 in Dallas–Fort Worth says the industry is bracing to be hit hard due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fewer homes have been listed on the market than in a typical spring season, tenants are asking landlords for rent deferrals for commercial properties, and the number of people looking for new apartments has gone down.
“We know things are going to be different,” Southern Methodist University business professor Mike Davis told the local affiliate. “We’re entering into this horrific recession, and [with] recessions this bad, you feel the echoes of that for two or three, maybe even longer, years after that.”