McNay Art Museum Unveils Major Survey Celebrating Two Decades of Contemporary Collecting
SAN ANTONIO — On Friday, the McNay Art Museum opened “untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art,” a sweeping exhibition that traces the institution’s bold commitment to living artists and emerging voices over the past two decades.
Spanning the Tobin Exhibition Galleries, Sculpture Gallery and Frost spaces, the show brings together more than 100 works — including paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos and installations — acquired since 2006. The presentation runs through September 6, 2026.
Curated as a vibrant survey organized by formal elements such as line, shape, color, form, texture, value, space and pattern, the exhibition mirrors the tenure of former Head of Curatorial Affairs René Paul Barilleaux. During his 20 years at the museum, Barilleaux oversaw the acquisition of more than 200 contemporary works, fundamentally shaping the McNay’s holdings and bringing cutting-edge art to South Texas audiences.
The show opens with one of Barilleaux’s earliest purchases: Susie Rosmarin’s “Blue (#267)” (2002), an acrylic-on-canvas piece that set the tone for a collection unafraid of geometric precision and optical play. Subsequent acquisitions reflect an expanding dialogue between established figures and younger practitioners, placing traditional media in conversation with experimental forms and highlighting materiality across diverse practices.
Museum officials describe the exhibition as both a milestone and a forward-looking statement. “This collection represents our dedication to the best of contemporary art and to making it accessible in San Antonio,” said a museum spokesperson.
Visitors will encounter fan favorites alongside lesser-seen gems, underscoring how strategic collecting can build a dynamic, regionally resonant yet internationally relevant contemporary program.
The opening arrives as museums nationwide reassess their roles in documenting the present. At the McNay, “untitled” stands as quiet testimony to the power of sustained, thoughtful patronage in an ever-shifting art world.
