This First Friday, local artists and the public are invited kick off Contemporary Art Month (CAM) in the 210 with new exhibitions.

Contemporary at Blue Star will unveil brand new exhibitions featuring the works of JooYoung Choi, Hiromi Stringer, Juan de Dios Mora, Zeke Peña, and People’s Homes — a collaborative project created by artists Emily Fitzgerald and Molly Sherman.

The 2023 CAM kick-off party will be held today, Friday, March 3 from 6-9 p.m. on the front steps of the Contemporary. Attendees can expect special remarks — including the announcement of the Contemporary’s next four SATX artists to take part in the 2023-24 Berlin Residency Program —and complimentary drinks, food, live music, and an outdoor screening of CAM’s High School Film Festival.

🖼️ JooYoung Choi: Songs of Resilience from the Tapestry of Faith | JooYoung Choi
Now-Sunday, May 7

This exhibition introduces the "Cosmic Womb" multiverse and highlights some of its key characters and narratives, creating a world that explores loss, healing, and growth.

JooYoung explores issues of identity, belonging, trauma, and resilience through the fantasy genre. | Photo by Chadwick Redmon

🖼️ The Dog Show: Time Traveler Umeyama’s Drawings from the 21st Century | Hiromi Stringer
Friday, March 3–Sunday, June 4
Inspired by a chance encounter when artist Hiromi Stringer saw someone walking a Siberian Husky dog on a busy street in Bangkok, Thailand, Umeyama "reports" on a variety of dogs and their owners

Dogs and art — what's not to love about Hiromi Stringer's work? | Courtesy of the artist

🖼️ In Passing: Fronteño Epics Across Time | Juan de Dios Mora and Zeke Peña
Friday, March 3–Sunday, June 4
This two-artist exhibition explores themes of belonging and community through vivid and fantastic imagery.

"La Escoba Voladora" by Juan de Dios Mora is straight out of a science fiction graphic novel. | Courtesy of the artist

🖼️ People’s Homes | Emily Fitzgerald and Molly Sherman
Friday, March 3–Sunday, June 4
This project is a collaborative effort that celebrates the lives and experiences of longtime residents, while also examining expanded ideas of home.