Opening Thursday:

Sculpture by Sergio Garcia, on view at Williams Tower Gallery“Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art 2010,” group show at Williams Tower Gallery. Over 50 Texas artists’ work is displayed in this show curated by John Zarobell, assistant curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Three of the artists will receive cash awards. The opening reception (and announcement of the winners) is Thursday from 6 to 8 pm, and the exhibit runs through February 19.

Opening Friday:

• “Transmutations: Material Reborn” at the Center for Contemporary Craft. This group show looks like a lot of fun. It consists of jewelry made from unconventional materials, such as rubber, latex, vinyl, resin and more. (There is at least one necklace made from Legos.) The opening reception is 5:30-8 p.m. Friday. Runs through March 21.

Emiko Oye, The Duchess, 2008

• “Doubled Vision,” video, painting, installation and photography by Jonathan Marshall at Art Palace. This is the inaugural show at Arturo Palacio’s new Houston gallery. Previously located in Austin, it seems he was wowed by both the number of and eagerness of Houston’s collectors. The Jonathan Marshall show looks like just the right kind of multimedia spectacular to launch this new venture. Opens 6-8 p.m. Friday. Runs through March 6.

• “Michael Brims: Recent Work” at Rudolph Projects. This is Rudolph Projects' first video show. We don’t know much about Michael Brim’s work, but through the magic of the internet, we can see some of it here.

Nipple from Michael Brims on Vimeo.

Opening reception 6-8 p.m. Friday. The exhibit runs through January 30, so catch it quick!

• “Wishing Well for Houston,” installation by Heath Hayner, Aram Nagle, and Brian Piana at the Art League Houston. These three artists will be presenting their collaboratively constructed sculpture which depicts the per capita median income in each of Houston’s “super-neighborhoods.” (Shocking revelation: it varies a lot.) In the tradition of Hans Haacke, this great-looking piece will probably give viewers some guilt about their lives of privilege. Opens 6-9 p.m. Friday. Runs through Feb. 26.

• “The New Normal,” group show at DiverseWorks. This show deals with the “new normal” of increased surveillance, public closed-circuit cameras, luggage searches, etc., through the work of 17 artists working in a variety of media. Included are some heavy hitters like Sophie Calle (perhaps the nosiest artist ever), Eyebeam R&D, Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher, Thompson & Craighead, etc. Opening reception 6-8 p.m. January 15. Runs through February 20.

• “Tropical Depression,” audio installation with mixed-media collages by Carlos Pozo at labotanica. Electronic sounds from a former UH architecture student and current experimental audio label proprietor (Pitchphase) are the focus of this show, which will also feature Pozo’s vivid collages. We don’t know what to expect, but feel the opening will be entertaining. Opens 6-8 p.m. Friday. Runs through February 20th.

• “Persuasion,” shows by Francis Giampietro, Michael Dee, and Domokos Benczedi at the Temporary Space. The Temporary Space is another new venue, an artist-run space with the grandiose, somewhat scientific-sounding mission of "research and experiments for emergence of alternative and autonomous society. [sic]” Since the Temporary Space is only open by appointment, it's probably a good idea to check out the opening 8-10 p.m. Friday. The show runs through February 5.

• “Pictures,” paintings by Dana Frankfort, and “Cantilever,” large scale works by various artists at Inman Gallery. Houston native Dana Frankfort does big colorful, gestural paintings of words. The group show includes David Aylsworth, Katrina Moorhead, and others. Opening reception Friday from 6-8 p.m. Frankfort’s show runs through March 6, while “Cantilever” runs through March 9.