Hillerbrand+Magsamen, "A Device to Restrain Contempt," 2019. From the series "147 Devices for Integrated Principles," 2018–20. Courtesy of the artists.
Hillerbrand+Magsamen: nothing is precious, everything is game
- Wed, Oct 8, 2025 - Sat, Nov 22, 2025 12pm - 5pm On view
- Saturday, Oct 11, 2025 2pm - 5pm Art Reception
Silver Street Studios2000 Edwards Street
"nothing is precious, everything is game" is the first career survey of Houston-based artist duo Stephan Hillerbrand and Mary Magsamen. Collectively known as Hillerbrand+Magsamen, the duo transforms the everyday into something extraordinary—turning household items, family rituals, and domestic environments into profound reflections on art, life, and togetherness. Their creative practice embraces a playful and inclusive approach to artmaking, rejecting notions of elitist exclusivity in the art world.
Carried by this playful spirit, "nothing is precious, everything is game" unfolds through a collection of photographs, videos, sculptural objects, and performances spanning the artists’ career. Highlights include "Air Hunger" (2001), which explores intimacy and trust through the act of blowing and sharing chewing gum bubbles; "House/Hold" (2012), a series of staged family portraits reflecting on consumerism and suburban life; and "Expand" (2024), a project that transforms fragments of the artists’ own home into digitally processed images probing memory and transition.
About the Artists:
Hillerbrand+Magsamen are the collaborative artistic team of Stephan Hillerbrand and Mary Magsamen, a husband-and-wife duo based in Houston, Texas. For over 25 years, they have been making work together that blends photography, video, performance, sculpture, and installation—all grounded in the messiness and beauty of everyday life. Often featuring their own children and home as material, their projects playfully reimagine the ordinary, transforming domestic rituals and consumer clutter into poetic, humorous, and sometimes absurd acts of resistance and reflection.
Their work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Portland Museum of Art, the Everson Museum, and many others. They have received support from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, Houston Arts Alliance, Mid-America Arts Alliance, and the Austin Film Society, among others.
When not making art together, Stephan is a Professor at the University of Houston’s School of Art, and Mary is the Manager of Public Programs at the Menil Collection.