February is a good month to be bewitched, fascinated and delighted. And even if it’s not with the perfect Prince/Princess Charming, these San Antonio art exhibits – showcasing a variety of awe-inspiring works in video and photography, figurative and surrealist arts, American modernism, fashion, fibers and textiles – will dazzle and delight, inform and entertain, like the best kind of blind date. Get swept up in art this month in San Antonio.
San Antonio Art Museum
“Wendy Red Star: A Scratch on the Earth”
From February 11 to May 8
Drawn from the collection of the Newark Museum of Art and museums across the country, Wendy Red Star’s mid-career survey features photography, textiles, and film and sound installations produced over a 15-year period. At the heart of the exhibit is an immersive video that is projected inside a recreated sweat lodge. A member of the Apsáalooke (Crow) tribe, Red Star works across disciplines to explore the intersections of Native American ideologies and colonialist structures, both historically and in contemporary society. Drawing inspiration from pop culture, conceptual art strategies, and the Crow traditions she was raised on, Red Star pushes photography in new directions to bring her unique perspective on American history to life. The importance of family, the Indigenous roots of feminism, Crow mythology, the history of the Montana landscape, and the pageantry of Crow Fest are among the topics Red Star brings to life in this exhibit.
Carver Cultural Community Center
“Shawn Artis: ART is the imitation of life”
From February 24 to April 15
The prolific style and original approach of Houston native Shawn Artis has established him as one of the country’s top emerging visual artists. His work has been exhibited in numerous museums, including the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Houston Museum of African American Culture, and the Art Institute of Houston. His multi-faceted exhibition, “ARTis the Imitation of Life”, is designed to create an environment conducive to dialogue and resolutions.
McNay Art Museum
“Georgia O’Keeffe and American Modernism”
Now until May 8
“Georgia O’Keeffe and American Modernism” presents an overview of the American modernist movement through 65 diverse works of art from McNay’s permanent collection, the Harmon and Harriet Kelley Foundation for the Arts, and rare loans from all the countries. The early 20th century was a time of great change for America, as evidenced by the artistic movement known as American Modernism. American artists have been inspired by the diversity of immigrant cultures and, in many cases, by their own experiences as first-generation American citizens. Enter Georgia O’Keeffe, the “Mother of American Modernism”, who figured prominently in the movement from the late 1910s. The synthesis of abstraction and representation in her work is a prime example of the movement . This exhibition is curated with an emphasis on a broader and more inclusive view of the development of American modernism, combining key loans from the Whitney Museum of American Art and other sister institutions with works from McNay’s renowned collection. O’Keeffe is the common thread running through the exhibition, his work evoking the spirit of American modernism in his varied subject matter and unique style.
Centro de Artes Gallery
“Exhibition of the Immigrant Artist Mentorship Program – Round 2”
Now until July 3
The Centro de Artes reopened in late January with the New York Foundation for the Arts Immigrant Artist Mentorship Program exhibit – Round 2. This exhibit is inspired by NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentorship Program, which combines emerging foreign-born or first-generation artists with experienced artists. artists for mentorship, development and encouragement. The multidisciplinary exhibit explores the unique, lived experiences of 34 San Antonio-based artists connected to the program and includes partnerships with local organizations. The Centro de Artes Gallery is an exhibition space dedicated to telling the story of the Latino experience in the United States, with a focus on South Texas, through art, history and culture local and regional venues, and showcasing Latino artists and Latino-themed artwork.
Ruiz-Healy Art
“Neo-surrealism & magical realism”
From February 16 to April 23
This exhibition includes dreamlike and figurative works that refer to and react to the current political and ecological context. Fantasy visions, mythology and magical thinking influence genres. Featured artists include Juan Alcazar, RF Alvarez, Bruno Andrade, Victor Chaca, Juan de Dios Mora, Pedro Friedeberg, Luis Gal, Irma Guerrero, Roger Von Gunten, Rodolfo Morales, Katie Pell, Gugger Petter, Jose Luis Rivera-Barrera, Shinzaburo Takeda, Leticia Tarrago, Patssi Valdez and Bettie Ward.
N4U Gallery, Studios on the Blue Star floor
“Emily Sandoval: Rain or Shine”
From February 4 to 19
“Rain or Shine” is the first solo exhibition of Emily Sandoval, best known as the creator of Hazel Laine Studio, which can be found in many pop-ups across the city. “Rain or Shine” is about the artist’s experience of “masking my anxiety and depression.” The work depicts surreal images drawn from still lifes of mundane objects representing the dissociation experienced by Sandoval. “I’m referring to an escape into my ideal reality: everything is as sure as rainbows and butterflies. However, the bright color palettes and seemingly positive symbolism mask my mental illness. The artistic collective was inspired by her struggle with crippling anxiety, depression and dissociation.
Blue Star Contemporary
“Bare Sons”
From February 4 to May 8
“Threads Bare” is an exhibition that investigates the intersections of art and fashion through textiles and related materials as a medium or subject to generate a broader understanding of how fashion and adornment play a role in the definition of individual and cultural identities. While questions of identity remain at the forefront of political and cultural discourses, the activation of fashion as a means of self-expression is constantly evolving. At a time when identity performances are increasingly virtual, “Threads Bare” sheds light on the importance of materiality and its underpinnings in these simulations. Artists include Preetika Rajgariah, Juan Escobedo, Mickalene Thomas, Audrya Flores, C. Rose Smith and Luis Valderas.
Rojo Gallery
“Rachel Comminos: Passing by”
Now until February 26
Rachel Comminos creates upholstered pieces of color that turn into eye-catching works of art. “I surround myself with my collection of fibers and start with one or two color combinations and then build from there,” the artist explains. From preparing and arranging the thread, to the finishing touches of hand-stitched edges or cutting and sanding the wood to prepare the suspension, it’s all done by the skilled hands of Comminos. Comminos is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Harlingen, TX currently focusing on textile work and design.
