The Modern Art Gallery (The MAG) and IYO Visuals, with support from GreenStreet, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation (CRC), Downtown District, Prauper Studios and Paramount, present a collaborative exhibition entitled Southern Glory, featuring more than 20 local and globally recognized visual artists.

The Southern Glory exhibition was curated by Emmanuel Alia of Prauper Studios with Isaac Yowman of IYO Visuals, to support and pay tribute to IYO Visuals documentary film, Memory Builds the Monument. The film premiered as an Official Selection at SXSW, won nearly a dozen film festivals globally and was recently acquired by Paramount. Compelled by vivid memories of the legendary Club Matinee by Houston’s elders, Memory Builds the Monument is an artist-led project to document the rich history of the Greater Fifth Ward and highlighted the cultural and social strengths and challenges of African American Houstonians in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. The IYO Collective partnered with the Fifth Ward CRC and SOURCE Studio to create the film through their film/TV production company, IYO Visuals.

Southern Glory will be on view February 5, 2023, through March 31, 2023, and will include works that support the film’s storyline. Featured artists and organizations include:

Alvin Roy

Azubuike Akunne

BET

Cameron Reed

Chandrika Metivier

Cindee Klement

Downtown Houston

END

Fifth Ward CRC

Forbes The Culture

Greenstreet

Jaylen Pigford

Jesse Lott

KNKY Hairshow

Mark Francis

Marlon Hall

Mel Chin

Mitchell Reece

NelxArt

Roberts Markland LLP

Rontaye Butler

Sanman Studios

Source Studios

Trazail Tucker

Veronica Ibarguengoitia

Verny Sanchez

Zulma Vega

In addition, Houston’s own Sanman Studios will contribute works from their in-house collective of emerging artists.

Southern Glory will also serve as the grand opening exhibition for The MAG, a 23,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery located at GreenStreet, downtown Houston’s premier mixed-use district. The MAG aims to distinguish itself as an artist first gallery concept, collaborating with artists and sharing their visionary work with local and global audiences.

The exhibition is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 am until 8 pm. Weekly events, activations and programming will be presented throughout the exhibition run. Opening events include:

Opening Ceremony

Friday, February 3, 2023, from 6-9pm

RedM Non-Profit Dinner

Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 6pm

Opening Day

Sunday, February 5, 2023, at 11am

Keys Open Doors Artist Talk - with Emmanuel Alia and Alvin Roy

Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 6pm

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit www.themagdowntown.com.