Alameda Theater

sarider on July 16, 2006 at 4:43 pm

Don….you need to make your photo on Flicker “public”. It’s presently marked as “private” and not viewable.

Don Lewis on July 16, 2006 at 12:41 pm

My pix of the ALAMEDA …http://static.flickr.com/44/190982631_be62bea3dc_b.jpg

sarider on January 29, 2006 at 8:19 pm

I was lucky enough to get a tour of the Alameda by its Houston based operator while it was still in operation back in the mid 80’s a couple months after they torn down the Texas Theater. He was adamant that his theater would never suffer the same fate.

I returned to the theater in 2004 when it was included in a Houston Street tour promoted by the local public radio station. Although the seating in the main floor had been removed for the renovation, the huge wall murals on each side of the main auditorium depicting the history of Mexico and the history of Texas were still there, albeit with some water damage from the previous roof leaks. The 3D effect when they turned out the lights and let the murals glow was striking.

The guide spoke at some length regarding the assistance they were receiving from experts brought in by the Smithsonian who had been intensely studying the murals. Turns out they were interested, not just due to their size, but because their age (1948) predates other holdings they have of black-light florescent paintings from the 60’s pop art era. They want to use what they learn here to develop strategies to conserve and protect other artwork. The real sticky puzzle is the murals were painted with water soluble pigments and were created to be visible under normal as well as ultra-violet light. Ultra-violet light is one of the main ways in which conservators identify previously altered paintings, so whatever in-fill they use has to integrate seamlessly and still be undetectable under both lighting sources. An in-depth discussion on the challenges can be found at the Smithsonian’s website:

http://www.thealameda.org/theater_muralstudy.htm

icebrg on October 16, 2004 at 1:22 pm

This theater is now, in association with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the The Smithsonian Institution, will be a part of The Alameda National Center For Latino Arts & Culture which will showcase educational programs, films, performing arts in the theater as well as exhibits in an adjacent museum, Museo Americano. The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2005.

The following information about the theater’s interior architecture and murals is taken from www.smithsonian.org:

“The Alameda was one the first organization to sign an implementation agreement with the Affiliate Museums. To date, this multi-faceted affiliation has included an international conference coordinated as a collaborative effort between the Alameda and the Smithsonian’s Office of Community Affairs (now, the Smithsonian’s Center for Latino Initiatives). A recently completed study of the paintings in the historic Alameda Theater by the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education suggests the artworks are an international treasure, possibly the largest existing example of a brief trend in theatre design that flourished in the ‘40s and '50s, during the last hurrah of the great movie palaces. The Smithsonian study will be presented this fall at the conference of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works at the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, a prestigious gathering of art conservators from around the world. The affiliation is also involving the long-term loan of artifacts and works of art for the museum’s inaugural exhibitions.”

bobditt on April 8, 2004 at 12:32 am

I remember this theater.I never went in because I don’t speak Spanish.The exterior was outstanding.Didn’t have the interest in old movie houses at the time.

Emil on December 25, 2001 at 9:49 am

there are no other San antonio movie palaces? what about the San Antonio MAJESTIC?!!!?!?!?!?!

probably important considering the new Carrie film?! Its on East Houston Blvd in San Antonio I believe it sat 3500!