Dallas Life

100 Dallas Creatives: No. 5 Kevin Rubén Jacobs, Irreverent Art World Organizer

Mixmaster presents "100 Creatives," in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. Kevin Rubén Jacobs isn't your average Dallas curator. In a city that worships blue chip artists and lets money do most of the talking in the art world, Jacobs is far more interested in shaking...
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Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order.

Kevin Rubén Jacobs isn’t your average Dallas curator. In a city that worships blue chip artists and lets money do most of the talking in the art world, Jacobs is far more interested in shaking things up. He’s a young, energetic curator who, just a few years out of his undergraduate studies at University of Texas at Arlington, has already worked as a curator at Goss Michael Foundation and started both his own alternative space, Oliver Francis Gallery, which he describes as having “the in-your-face sensibility” you might find in New York’s Lower East Side.

He’s tenaciously irreverent and critics have praised both his taste and enthusiasm. After a short hiatus, he’s recently rebranded Oliver Francis Gallery as OFG.XXX, because a visit to his space after a day spent in the Design District feels adventurous and off color, in all the best ways.

What inspired OFG.XXX in the first place?
Space. Opportunity. Feeling in the dark. As the story goes, I was looking for a studio space as I had just started to work full-time at the Goss-Michael Foundation as Educational Programmer (mind you I was still in undergrad at UTA working on my BFA in Studio Art after completing my BA in Philosophy). I was still living with my parents at the time and had a salary for the first time ever. 209 S. Peak St. was the cheapest commercial space I could find and I went for it. With great excitement I invited my dear friend Francisco Moreno to check it out and he proposed to create an exhibition for the space. At that moment, I created Oliver Francis, made a Facebook page for the gallery and then promoted the first exhibition of many. I never thought I would be running a gallery, or “curate” exhibitions. It all just kind of happened and I keep looking forward.

Why add the .XXX?
Impulse.xxx

How would you compare the experience you had as curator at The Goss-Michael Foundation with that of curating and running OFG.XXX?
While I was at the Goss-Michael Foundation for the last four years, I was a part of a great team of people. That team made things happen, especially with the incredible support of Kenny Goss. With OFG.XXX, it’s just me and I love that challenge. I have to create my own way and there’s nothing else I’d rather do.

What should we expect from OFG.XXX in the future?
OFG.XXX is inviting artists and galleries/curators you’ve never heard of (BUT WILL and SHOULD KNOW) to create the best exhibitions Dallas has ever seen come out of a small hole-in-the-wall space … ever. More “educational/public” programs. I’d still like to get a chess club going.

What are some side projects or pursuits you’re dirtying your hands with these days?
I’d like to curate exhibitions in Chicago, New York, Berlin and Mexico City by the end of next year. I am planning on several trips — some random/ some strategic.

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You’ve got quite a bit of experience under your belt for someone in their mid-20s, what world will you conquer next?
I’m an INFP and Sagittarius, so if that means anything to you, I will be spending the rest of my life restless and floating about pursuing things that are super important to me and give me meaning in life. I’ll just keep doing what I am doing and be guided by my principles and excitement, while striving to be flexible, accepting, tolerant and open-minded.

100 Creatives:
100. Theater Mastermind Matt Posey
99. Comedy Queen Amanda Austin
98. Deep Ellum Enterpriser Brandon Castillo
97. Humanitarian Artist Willie Baronet
96. Funny Man Paul Varghese
95. Painting Provocateur Art Peña
94. Magic Man Trigg Watson
93. Enigmatic Musician George Quartz
92. Artistic Luminary Joshua King
91. Inventive Director Rene Moreno
90. Color Mavens Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger
89. Literary Lion Thea Temple
88. Movie Maestro Eric Steele
87. Storytelling Dynamo Nicole Stewart
86. Collaborative Artist Ryder Richards
85. Party Planning Print maker Raymond Butler
84. Avant-gardist Publisher Javier Valadez
83. Movie Nerd James Wallace
82. Artistic Tastemakers Elissa & Erin Stafford
81. Pioneering Arts Advocates Mark Lowry & Michael Warner
80. Imaginative Director Jeremy Bartel
79. Behind-the-Scenes Teacher Rachel Hull
78. Kaleidoscopic Artist Taylor “Effin” Cleveland
77. Filmmaker & Environmentalist Michael Cain
76. Music Activist Salim Nourallah
75. Underground Entrepreneur Daniel Yanez
74. Original Talent Celia Eberle
73. Comic Artist Aaron Aryanpur
72. Classical Thespian Raphael Parry
71. Dance Captain Valerie Shelton Tabor
70. Underground Culture Mainstay Karen X. Minzer
69. Effervescent Gallerist Brandy Michele Adams
68. Birthday Party Enthusiast Paige Chenault
67. Community Architect Monica Diodati
66. Intrepid Publisher Will Evans
65. Writerly Wit Noa Gavin
64. Maverick Artist Roberto Munguia
63. Fresh Perspective Kelsey Leigh Ervi
62. Virtuosic Violinist Nathan Olson
61. Open Classical’s Dynamic Duo Mark Landson & Patricia Yakesch
60. Rising Talent Michelle Rawlings
59. Adventurous Filmmaker Toby Halbrooks
58. Man of Mystery Edward Ruiz
57. Inquisitive Sculptor Val Curry
56. Offbeat Intellect Thomas Riccio
55. Doers and Makers Shannon Driscoll & Kayli House Cusick
54. Performance Pioneer Katherine Owens
53. Experimental Filmmaker and Video Artist Mike Morris
52. Flowering Fashioner Lucy Dang
51. Insightful Artist Stephen Lapthisophon
50. Dallas Arts District
49. Farmer’s Market Localvore Sarah Perry
48. Technological Painter John Pomara
47. Progressive Playmakers Christopher Carlos & Tina Parker
46. Purposive Chef Chad Houser
45. Absorbing Artist Jeff Gibbons
44. Artistic Integrator Erica Felicella
43. Multi-talented Director Tre Garrett
42. Anachronistic Musician Matt Tolentino
41. Emerging Veteran Actor Van Quattro
40. Festival Orchestrator Anna Sophia van Zweden
39. Literary Framer Karen Weiner
38. Man Behind the Music Gavin Mulloy
37. The Godfather of Dallas Art Frank Campagna
36. Rising Star Adam A. Anderson
35. Artist Organizer Heyd Fontenot
34. Music Innovator Stefan Gonzalez
33. Triple Threat Giovanni Valderas
32. Cultural Connector Lauren Cross
31. Critical Artist Thor Johnson
30. Delicate Touch Margaret Meehan
29. Fashion Forward Charles Smith II
28. Dedicated Artist Carolyn Sortor
27. Political Cyber Banksy Wylie H Dallas
26. Dance Preserver Lisa Mesa Rogers
25. Rob ‘Ain’t No Creative Like A Bow-Tie-Wearing Creative’ Shearer
24. Scholar of the Stage Susan Sargeant
23. Photographer of Record Justin Terveen
22. Music Man Jeffrey Liles
21. Keeper of the Safe Room Lauren Gray
20. Playwright Jonathan Norton, Man of Many Words
19. Filmmaker and Funniest Comic in Texas Linda Stogner
18. Gallerist Jordan Roth, the Art Scene Cheerleader
17. Artful Advocate Vicki Meek
16. Ballet Queen Katie Puder
15. Carlos Alejandro Guajardo-Molina, the Book Guy
14. Janeil Engelstad, an Artist with Purpose
13. Will Power, Playwright and Mentor
12. Gallerists Gina & Dustin Orlando, Boundary Pushers
11. Moody Fuqua, Music Community Organizer
10. Joshua Peugh, Choreographer to Watch
9. Allison Davidson, Advocate for Art Accessibility
8. Ben Fountain, Man of Letters
7. Fashion Maven Julie McCullough
6. Contemporary Curator and Artist Danielle Avram Morgan

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