From the Barrio Santa Rosa, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, to the beautiful El Presidio district, Tucson is home to history and culture, but its contemporary art scene is not lagging behind. Many private art collections, as well as public institutions dot the city, showcasing art from Arizona and beyond. We take a look at ten of the best spaces and galleries to see modern-day art in Tucson.
Madaras Gallery is the brainchild of Diana Madaras, a popular artist whose work and dedication to the local art scene has earned her the title of Best Artist in Tucson for four years running. The gallery – with its two locations – is a showcase of Diana’s paintings, decorative pieces inspired by life in Arizona, fauna and flora, as well as local landscapes. Specialising in painting with watercolours and acrylics, she has, over the years, developed a recognisable style where colour is a dominant aspect of each new work. Diana’s personality is as bold as her paintings, so drop by and have a chat about her practice as an artist.
Madaras Gallery, 3001 East Skyline Dr, #101, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520-615-3001; and 1535 East Broadway, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520-623-4000
Conrad Wilde Gallery supports emerging artists with the aim of promoting their work and making it accessible to the wider public. Much of the work hung and exhibited at the gallery is abstract in nature, but styles vary, making for a panorama of colour and shape. Emily Silver, for example, is a Californian painter inspired by the desert, whose works combine geometry and texture to suggest land; local artist Emilia Arana’s paintings convey a sense of balance through complexity of layer and harmony of colour; and Deborah Kapoor, an encaustic artist and sculptor, has played around with surface and form during exhibitions across the USA
Conrad Wilde, 439 N 6th Ave. #171, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520-622-8997
The Metal Arts Village is situated in the Ft. Lowell Furniture and Art District and could be described as the heart of the neighbourhood, home to several art galleries and studios. The metal artisans who work here come from different backgrounds, but their collaboration is loyal and makes the village a tight-knit community, from Tucson-born Joe Brown, who works with stone, to Lynn Rae Lowe from Colorado and her metal creations. Every full moon, the Metal Arts Village hosts an open studios night, which is a good opportunity to visit all the exhibition spots in one go and meet the artisans themselves. Don’t forget to drop by the village’s own coffee loft, Big Moe’s Coffee Emporium.
Metal Arts Village, 3230 N Dodge Blvd, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520-975-9792