Totemic Marquees and Neons of San Anto

In the Tricentennial exhibition, “Signs of Their Times: Totemic Marquees and Neons of San Anto,” photorealist painter Ben Ortiz celebrates iconic signs of San Antonio. He centers most of his images on 3-by-2-foot vertical canvases, an exception is the horizontal “Tip Top Café,” which visually links all 13 signs as revered totems.

These signs, normally noticed from the window of a passing car at night, their brilliant neon, flashing lights and impressive size designed to momentarily mesmerize the viewer, have been re-contextualized by the artist. They appear at the viewer’s eyelevel, flush with the plane of the canvas.

The exhibition opens with a reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, April 13 at Bihl Haus Arts. It continues through May 19. The reception includes poolside music by The Michael Waid Trio, food and drinks.