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The Orange Show

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The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art is an artist-built environment and cultural institution located in the East End of Houston, Texas. Created by Jeff McKissack, a mail carrier, over the course of 20 years is an homage to the orange, a fruit which Jeff considered to be a model for living a full life. The OSCVA preserves, promotes and documents visionary art environments including the Beer Can House and the Hyde Park Miniature Museum. The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art also hosts events, educational programs, and exhibitions to promote and support visionary art in various forms. In addition, the OSCVA has produced the world famous Art Car Parade since 1988.

 

 

 

 

Further exemplifying OSCVA’s long-time mission to preserve and promote visionary architectural environments, a newly launched residency program now brings both cutting-edge artists to Houston to create new work and lead community workshops, which in tandem engender the most recent in a series of legendary performances by self-taught artists at OSCVA that push the boundaries of what music and art are capable of. Inaugural resident Lonnie Holley—bona fide art world superstar and now a favorite on the music festival circuit—worked with a cohort of fine arts students from local universities to create an original sculptural installation using castoff material that then served as the site-specific stage setting for his concert at the the culmination of his residency. 

OSCVA’s most recent artist-in-residence, former Houstonian and experimental sound artist Maria Chávez, returned to the city whose innovative music scene helped inform her practice as an abstract turntablist, taking discarded vinyl and repurposing them into sonic sculptures. In keeping with OSCVA’s mission, Chávex hosted workshops for local adults and teens, as she created a sound-absorbing sculptural installation, a DJ set, and durational sound performance—bringing her practice full circle back to the community that first inspired her.

Learn more about upcoming programs at OSCVA: www.orangeshow.org

 

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The Orange Show (exterior front) Built by Jeff McKissack over two decades from scraps of building material and discarded farm equipment, the site is a monument to the Orange, which according to Jeff, a source of perfect energy.

The Orange Show (exterior front) Built by Jeff McKissack over two decades from scraps of building material and discarded farm equipment, the site is a monument to the Orange, which according to Jeff, a source of perfect energy.

Orange Show Creator, Jeff McKissack, 1979, photo by Ken Hudson- Shot just shortly before Jeff opened the site to the public. He was convinced thousands would show up. Only about 100 did.

Orange Show Creator, Jeff McKissack, 1979, photo by Ken Hudson- Shot just shortly before Jeff opened the site to the public. He was convinced thousands would show up. Only about 100 did.

Orange Show Monument (interior 'pond' with steam boat) Originally filled with water, the steamboat would be attached to the central pole and make laps around, to everyone's amazement.v

Orange Show Monument (interior 'pond' with steam boat) Originally filled with water, the steamboat would be attached to the central pole and make laps around, to everyone's amazement.v

 Orange Show, Joanna Newsom performs, 2014, The Orange Show is a favourite venue for musical acts both large and small. Many choose to perform there as opposed to larger, more purpose-built spaces.

 Orange Show, Joanna Newsom performs, 2014, The Orange Show is a favourite venue for musical acts both large and small. Many choose to perform there as opposed to larger, more purpose-built spaces.

Beer Can House (exterior front), John Milkovisch kept all of the beer can's he drank. When they filled his and his mother-in-law's, he went to work repurposing them to adorn his house. He used every part of the can in different, innovative ways and loved how people thought it was art.

Beer Can House (exterior front), John Milkovisch kept all of the beer can's he drank. When they filled his and his mother-in-law's, he went to work repurposing them to adorn his house. He used every part of the can in different, innovative ways and loved how people thought it was art.

Beer Can House creator, John Milkovisch, 1980, photo by Janice Rubin

Beer Can House creator, John Milkovisch, 1980, photo by Janice Rubin

Art Car Parade, Rickey Polidore's 'Hermesillac', 2022, The Orange Show organizes one of the largest free public events in the nation, the Art Car Parade. Over 100,000 attend yearly, and an average of 250 art cars parade through downtown Houston.

Art Car Parade, Rickey Polidore's 'Hermesillac', 2022, The Orange Show organizes one of the largest free public events in the nation, the Art Car Parade. Over 100,000 attend yearly, and an average of 250 art cars parade through downtown Houston.

Smither Park (exterior central pavilion) Next to the Orange Show is a park dedicated to the art of mosaic. Begun in 2011 there are over 100 artists represented with their individual creations melding into one another.

Smither Park (exterior central pavilion) Next to the Orange Show is a park dedicated to the art of mosaic. Begun in 2011 there are over 100 artists represented with their individual creations melding into one another.

Conservation of Orange Show with Briana Vargas, 2023, The Orange Show's mission is to preserve and protect acts of extraordinary creativity. Constant vigilance of preservation strategies are implemented such as the Conservation Corps, a volunteer group of local community members, as well as professional standardization through awarded grants such as the Save America's Treasures grant from the National Park Service.

Conservation of Orange Show with Briana Vargas, 2023, The Orange Show's mission is to preserve and protect acts of extraordinary creativity. Constant vigilance of preservation strategies are implemented such as the Conservation Corps, a volunteer group of local community members, as well as professional standardization through awarded grants such as the Save America's Treasures grant from the National Park Service.

The Orange Show (exterior front) Built by Jeff McKissack over two decades from scraps of building material and discarded farm equipment, the site is a monument to the Orange, which according to Jeff, a source of perfect energy.

The Orange Show (exterior front) Built by Jeff McKissack over two decades from scraps of building material and discarded farm equipment, the site is a monument to the Orange, which according to Jeff, a source of perfect energy.

Orange Show Creator, Jeff McKissack, 1979, photo by Ken Hudson- Shot just shortly before Jeff opened the site to the public. He was convinced thousands would show up. Only about 100 did.

Orange Show Creator, Jeff McKissack, 1979, photo by Ken Hudson- Shot just shortly before Jeff opened the site to the public. He was convinced thousands would show up. Only about 100 did.

Orange Show Monument (interior 'pond' with steam boat) Originally filled with water, the steamboat would be attached to the central pole and make laps around, to everyone's amazement.v

Orange Show Monument (interior 'pond' with steam boat) Originally filled with water, the steamboat would be attached to the central pole and make laps around, to everyone's amazement.v

 Orange Show, Joanna Newsom performs, 2014, The Orange Show is a favourite venue for musical acts both large and small. Many choose to perform there as opposed to larger, more purpose-built spaces.

 Orange Show, Joanna Newsom performs, 2014, The Orange Show is a favourite venue for musical acts both large and small. Many choose to perform there as opposed to larger, more purpose-built spaces.

Beer Can House (exterior front), John Milkovisch kept all of the beer can's he drank. When they filled his and his mother-in-law's, he went to work repurposing them to adorn his house. He used every part of the can in different, innovative ways and loved how people thought it was art.

Beer Can House (exterior front), John Milkovisch kept all of the beer can's he drank. When they filled his and his mother-in-law's, he went to work repurposing them to adorn his house. He used every part of the can in different, innovative ways and loved how people thought it was art.

Beer Can House creator, John Milkovisch, 1980, photo by Janice Rubin

Beer Can House creator, John Milkovisch, 1980, photo by Janice Rubin

Art Car Parade, Rickey Polidore's 'Hermesillac', 2022, The Orange Show organizes one of the largest free public events in the nation, the Art Car Parade. Over 100,000 attend yearly, and an average of 250 art cars parade through downtown Houston.

Art Car Parade, Rickey Polidore's 'Hermesillac', 2022, The Orange Show organizes one of the largest free public events in the nation, the Art Car Parade. Over 100,000 attend yearly, and an average of 250 art cars parade through downtown Houston.

Smither Park (exterior central pavilion) Next to the Orange Show is a park dedicated to the art of mosaic. Begun in 2011 there are over 100 artists represented with their individual creations melding into one another.

Smither Park (exterior central pavilion) Next to the Orange Show is a park dedicated to the art of mosaic. Begun in 2011 there are over 100 artists represented with their individual creations melding into one another.

Conservation of Orange Show with Briana Vargas, 2023, The Orange Show's mission is to preserve and protect acts of extraordinary creativity. Constant vigilance of preservation strategies are implemented such as the Conservation Corps, a volunteer group of local community members, as well as professional standardization through awarded grants such as the Save America's Treasures grant from the National Park Service.

Conservation of Orange Show with Briana Vargas, 2023, The Orange Show's mission is to preserve and protect acts of extraordinary creativity. Constant vigilance of preservation strategies are implemented such as the Conservation Corps, a volunteer group of local community members, as well as professional standardization through awarded grants such as the Save America's Treasures grant from the National Park Service.

The Orange Show

2401 Munger Street 
Houston, TX 77023
+1 713 926 6368
oranges@orangeshow.org
orangeshow.org

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