Art in Context: Art, Architecture and the Middle Landscape

The Rice School of Architecture, in collaboration with the Chinati Foundation, proudly presents a two-part symposium exploring the complex interplay between art, architecture, and the environment. This multidisciplinary initiative bridges Chinati’s legacy of engaging with place and preservation and the Rice School of Architecture’s commitment to advancing architectural discourse and addressing planetary challenges. 

Since 1995, the Chinati Foundation’s symposia have provided a forum for critical reflection on its mission and collection. This year’s event expands the series through a partnership with the Rice School of Architecture, creating connections between the contexts that support art practice in both Marfa and Houston. Troy Schaum, associate professor at Rice and principal at Schaum Architects; Caitlin Murray, Executive Director of The Chinati Foundation; and Stephen Martin, Director of Preservation and Planning at The Chinati Foundation; are orchestrating the symposia.

Part I: Marfa
April 4–6, 2025

The first session will be held at the Chinati Foundation, focusing on the relationship between art, architecture, and land. A central topic will be the iconic artillery sheds that Donald Judd repurposed to house his 100 untitled works in mill aluminum. Sessions will examine the history of these structures, their influence on museum architecture, and ongoing conservation efforts. Discussions will address Judd’s artistic interventions, the preservation of artworks, and stewardship of the surrounding landscape.

Part II: Houston
November 14–15, 2025

The second session, hosted at the Rice School of Architecture, will extend these conversations to contemporary challenges in art and architecture. Panels will explore the tension between environmental and cultural conservation, imagining new strategies for sites of ecological precarity and cultural significance. This session will coincide with an exhibition at the Rice School of Architecture’s new public galleries, running November 7, 2025 through February 6, 2026.

Exploring the Middle Landscape
Inspired by cultural historian Leo Marx’s concept of the “middle landscape,” the symposium will connect the urban and rural through dialogue and practice. Judd’s work at Chinati exemplifies this idea, situating art and architecture within layered historical and ecological contexts.

Art in Context: Art, Architecture, and the Middle Landscape aims to illuminate the role of creative practices in navigating today’s social, political, and environmental turbulence. By emphasizing maintenance and repair, adaptive reuse, and conservation, the symposium envisions innovative futures for both art and architecture.

Speakers and panelists will be announced in the coming months. For updates and further details, visit here and here.