Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Jesús Alberto Flores moves fluidly between architecture, curation, and cultural production, shaping experiences that transcend borders. As the founder and director of Colector, a gallery and advisory with spaces in Monterrey, Houston, and Dallas, he has established a cross-border platform that, since 2019, has brought ambitious exhibitions, public art projects, and collaborative ventures to life. His early training in architecture infuses each undertaking with a sensitivity to form, space, and context, while his curatorial vision unfolds across art, music, and civic engagement. Guiding Colector with both rigor and openness, Flores cultivates dialogues that stretch from Mexico to Texas and outward to the international stage—expanding the scope of contemporary practice and building enduring bonds with artists and communities alike.
Jesús spoke to Whitewall about the sacred light of the Menil, the experimental edge of the Blaffer Art Museum, the transformative power of Project Row Houses, and the hidden sanctuaries that reveal Houston’s unexpected depths.
Installation view of Colector; Courtesy of Jesús Alberto Flores and Colector.
WW: Best spot to find inspiration in Houston?
JESÚS ALBERTO FLORES: The Menil Collection never fails to inspire me. With a professional background in architecture, I am continually struck by the building itself (designed by Renzo Piano, one of my favorite architects). The way natural light filters into the galleries creates a rhythm that feels almost sacred, allowing each work to breathe. The recent Tacita Dean exhibition was extraordinary; precise, poetic, and deeply moving, reminding me how Houston continues to host some of the most important artistic voices of our time.
“Houston continues to host some of the most important artistic voices of our time,”
Jesús Alberto Flores
And the Menil is never just one stop. Across the street, the Menil Bookstore offers an exceptional selection of catalogues, books, and posters, the kind of place where you can extend the experience through study and discovery. In the same area, the Cy Twombly Gallery and the Menil Drawing Institute create a rare cultural constellation. Together, they make this pocket of Houston one of the most inspiring places to spend an afternoon immersed in art, architecture, and reflection.
WW: Best off-the-beaten-path to see art in Houston?
JAF: The Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston. It may not be the first stop for visitors, but it is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous spaces in the city. Blaffer’s programming reflects a fearless embrace of experimental and boundary-pushing contemporary art, hosting exhibitions by artists like Tomás Saraceno and Urs Fischer that expand the conversation around scale, material, and imagination.
Installation view of Colector; Courtesy of Jesús Alberto Flores and Colector.
“Blaffer’s programming reflects a fearless embrace of experimental and boundary-pushing contemporary art,”
Jesús Alberto Flores
What makes Blaffer especially compelling is its innovation. Through interdisciplinary projects and educational outreach, it redefines what a university-affiliated museum can be. It goes beyond exhibition-making to cultivate research, dialogue, and social agency, creating a space where academic rigor and artistic experimentation intersect.
In a very different way, Project Row Houses also stands out as a transformative site. Rooted in the Third Ward, it has long been a benchmark for socially engaged art in the United States. It is not only about installations, it is about how art can live within and uplift a community. I feel an additional resonance here because Angelbert Metoyer (the artist we are presenting in a solo booth at UNTITLED Art Fair Houston) began his career there. Project Row Houses exemplifies how civic space can nurture emerging voices and generate new models of cultural dialogue.
WW: Best-kept secret in Houston?
JAF: Two places come immediately to mind: the Byzantine Fresco Chapel and the Cistern at Buffalo Bayou Park, each revealing Houston’s depth beyond its major institutions.
The Byzantine Fresco Chapel is a space I return to often. With its distinctive architecture and remarkable history, it offers a rare encounter with sacred art in a contemporary setting, minimal, contemplative, and filled with light. Stepping inside feels like entering a sanctuary that fuses history, spirituality, and modern design.
“The Byzantine Fresco Chapel is a space I return to often,”
Jesús Alberto Flores
The Cistern, on the other hand, is unforgettable in a completely different way. Once an underground reservoir, it has been transformed into a site for contemporary art installations, sound projects, concerts, and audiovisual events. Its vast scale, resonant acoustics, and cavernous atmosphere make every program uniquely impressive, the echoes and expanse of its grounds heightening the experience. Together, these two spaces exemplify the city’s ability to surprise; art and architecture reimagined in forms that are hidden in plain sight.
Houston Gems from Jesús Alberto Flores:
1. The Menil Collection
Courtesy of The Menil Collection.
The Menil Collection is committed to its founders’ belief that art is essential to human experience. Located in central Houston, the Menil fosters direct personal encounters with works of art and welcomes all visitors free of charge to its museum buildings and surrounding green spaces. – The Menil Collection
2. Cy Twombly Gallery
Cy Twombly Gallery; photo by Lauren Marek.
The Cy Twombly Gallery—the only permanent retrospective exhibition of Cy Twombly’s (1928-2011) work—holds five decades of his paintings and sculptures. The artist selected the artworks and arranged the galleries, wanting each to have a shared “emotional and atmospheric” quality. – Cy Twombly Gallery
3. Menil Drawing Institute
Courtesy of The Menil Drawing Institute.
The Menil Drawing Institute program was established in 2008 in recognition of drawing’s centrality in the lives of artists and its crucial role in modern and contemporary artistic culture. The Menil’s drawing collection comprises some 3,000 works. The museum is actively expanding its holdings, focusing largely on 20th- and 21st-century drawing. – Menil Drawing Institute
4. The Blaffer Art Museum
Courtesy of Blaffer Art Museum.
Founded in 1973, the Blaffer Art Museum endeavors to further the understanding of contemporary art through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. As the gateway between the University of Houston’s Central campus and the City of Houston, Blaffer Art Museum is a catalyst for creative innovation, experimentation, and scholarship. – The Blaffer Art Museum
5. Project Row Houses
© Alex Barber, Courtesy of Project Row Houses.
Project Row Houses is a community platform that enriches lives through art with an emphasis on cultural identity and its impact on the urban landscape. We engage neighbors, artists, and enterprises in collective creative action to help materialize sustainable opportunities in marginalized communities. – Project Row Houses
6. Byzantine Fresco Chapel
Courtesy of FISHER MARANTZ STONE.
In 1983, two 13th century Byzantine frescos, stolen from the Church of St. Euphemianos’ in Cyprus, were recovered and restored by the Menil Foundation. The 4,000 square foot building, designed by Francois de Menil, combines rough stone, glass, and rich woods, to create a design that is both art museum and spiritual space, evoking the original site in Cyprus. – Byzantine Fresco Chapel
