Inside Arts

• After the enormous success and popularity three years ago of Austin Museum of Art's "22 to Watch: New Art in Austin," the buzz surrounding the second version of the now-triennial show started months ago when 150 Central Texas artists were invited to submit their work for review. And it's no wonder there was scuttlebutt. What up-and-coming artist wouldn't want to see their work in a museum exhibit that previously drew enthusiastic crowds and reviews? In 2002, AMOA executive director Dana Friis-Hansen meant to select 20 artists but was so tickled by what he saw he didn't follow his own parameters and chose 22.

Oops, he did it again. Come Aug. 20, the museum will mount the next version with another "22 to Watch."

And while there's nothing worse than reading a bold-faced list of names, the 22 are Sterling Allen, Candace Briceńo, Ledia Carroll, Jerry Chamkis, Hunter Cross, Jeffrey Dell, Peat Duggins, Jonathan Faber, Alia Hasan-Khan, Hana Hillerova, Heather Johnson, Young-Min Kang, Barna Kantor, Shaune Kolber, Samantha Krukowski, Michael Osborne, Zack Booth Simpson, Jason Singleton, Karen Skloss, the Sodalitas collaborative (Shea Little, Joseph Phillips, Jana Swec), Daniel Tackett and Trent Tate.

True to the exhibit's adventurous style (last time Mark Schatz installed a real wrecked car in the galleries), the latest roster of artists use everything from film, painting and printmaking to sticky notes, vinyl lettering, Astroturf and bubbles.

Actually it took a curatorial village to sort through all the talent in town. Friis-Hansen collaborated with AMOA adjunct curator James Housefield and education director Eva Buttacavoli and also invited Joan Davidow, the director of the Dallas Center for Contemporary Art, and Clint Willour curator of the Galveston Arts Center to join in on the fun. And that statewide participation means that after its summer opening, the exhibit Davidow and Willour will host the show in November and April 7 respectively.

Texas, here comes Austin. -- Jeanne Claire van Ryzin

• It's your last chance. The Blanton Museum of Art will close the doors of its Art Building galleries for good on Sunday as it prepares to move to its swanky new digs on the other side of the University of Texas campus. Yes, the sweet-but-way-too-small '60s space will be shuttered as the staff prepares the new 100,000-square-foot Mari & James A. Michener Gallery Building on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Congress Avenue for the grand opening in February 2006. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 23rd Street and San Jacinto Blvd. Free. 471-7324. -- J.C.v.R.

• A dozen local galleries have joined to produce yet another round of cooperative marketing collateral via a catchy name, Web site and locator map. "The Map: Art in Austin" will show you the way to 2040 Gallery, Fluent Collaborative/Testsite, Butridge Gallery at Dougherty Arts Center, Iron Gate Studios and Camp Fig among other art spaces. See www.themapaustin.com. -- J.C.v.R.

• Actor Ed Begley Jr. hit town this weekend to begin auditions for "Cesar and Ruben," his new play about the life of Chicano activist César Chávez. Begley will direct the production, which open Sept. 28 at St. Edward's Mary Moody Northen Theatre. -- J.C.v.R.