The Marfa Untitled Studio Tour (MarfaMUST) has announced an arts weekend on May 29-30, featuring a tour of local artist studios, the return of the Martha Invitational at Rule Gallery, and a pop-up group exhibition titled "Homecoming" at New Star Marfa. The Martha Invitational, a spoof of the larger Marfa Invitational, will showcase works by co-founders Martha Hughes, Leslie Wilkes, and Diana Simard, along with Bettina Landgrebe. The weekend also includes tintype portraits by Carolyn Macartney and other Marfa artists.
This event matters because it highlights the grassroots, artist-led energy of Marfa's art scene, offering direct engagement between audiences and working artists in their studios. The Martha Invitational's playful critique of the more commercial Marfa Invitational underscores ongoing tensions between local artist communities and larger art fair structures, while the weekend's programming reinforces Marfa's identity as a destination for authentic, community-driven contemporary art.