McNay Art Museum Opens ‘untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art,’ Celebrating Two Decades of Visionary Collecting

Now on view, the exhibition presents more than 100 works in a vibrant survey that parallels the tenure of former Head of Curatorial Affairs, René Paul Barilleaux

SAN ANTONIO (March 27, 2026) — Witness the evolution of the McNay Art Museum’s contemporary collection over the past two decades with “untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art,” now on view through Sept. 6. Presenting more than 100 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos and installations, the exhibition demonstrates the McNay’s dedication to contemporary art and celebrates the curatorial impact of René Paul Barilleaux, former head of curatorial affairs. Over his 20-year tenure, Barilleaux played a pivotal role in shaping the Museum’s collection, overseeing the acquisition of more than 200 works.

In a departure from chronological and thematic frameworks, “untitled” offers visitors a fresh, innovative way to explore the collection and discover new connections across media and time periods. The exhibition presents unexpected pairings by organizing objects according to the seven elements of art — line, shape, color, form, texture, value and space — and one principle of design — pattern. Visitors will find works by established and emerging artists in the galleries and on Museum grounds. Many of the artists have ties to San Antonio and several have longstanding relationships with the McNay. An audio guide narrated by the McNay’s curators will offer deeper insight into the works on view.

“‘untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art’ is designed to surprise visitors. Grouping works by the fundamental elements of art allows us to place traditional art in direct conversation with experimental works, highlighting materiality and encouraging visitors to compare their textures, materials and processes,” said Barilleaux. “The exhibition also celebrates the development of the McNay Art Museum’s collection over time, charting the Museum’s journey from a strong focus on American artists to embracing a broader international and diverse scope with acquisitions that intentionally convey diversity in both media and perspective.”

The exhibition opens with Barilleaux’s first acquisition for the McNay, Susie Rosmarin’s “Blue (#267)” (2002). The acrylic on canvas work entered the McNay’s collection in 2005 through a competitive acquisition process that presented several artworks for voting. Rosmarin’s work serves as a recent example of geometric abstraction.

“Susan Rosmarin pairs precise mathematical formulas and deeply saturated colors in ‘Blue (#267),’ a painting that is at once quietly meditative and subtly animated, drawing the viewer in with a hypnotic effect,” said Barilleaux. Barilleaux attended Pratt Institute with Rosmarin. 

Opposite Barilleaux’s first acquisition for the McNay is his final acquisition for the Museum, Margaret Evangeline’s “Other Voices 3,” one of two works in the Museum’s collection by the artist. The addition of “Other Voices 3” creates a link between the artist’s paintings that present the illusion of space and her signature gunshot works in which she punctures a metal plate with a bullet to create tangible space. Both Barilleaux and Evangeline hail from Louisiana. Evangeline also specializes in video, performance and installation art and finds inspiration in her Louisiana background. She was the first female to earn a Master of Fine Arts from the University of New Orleans.

The exhibition also includes Sandy Skoglund’s 1992 installation “The Cocktail Party.” By covering a group of partygoers and their venue in Cheez Doodles, Skoglund offers commentary on the artificial nature of American culture. A visitor favorite, “The Cocktail Party” will be featured on the McNay’s 2026 Fiesta medal, to be released in April. Skoglund’s relationship with the McNay spans 20 years and she is best known for using unconventional objects, handcrafted sculpture and live models to meticulously construct scenes that she photographs.

Letitia Huckaby’s “Koinonia” brings together photographs and wallpaper to confront the inequality African Americans face in the United States. “Koinonia,” Greek for Christian fellowship, features silhouettes of young girls to recall the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four children. The images rest on floral patterns that reference upcycled flour, sugar and cotton sacks that were used to create clothing and linen during the Great Depression. The embroidery hoops represent the enduring legacy of women’s work that is passed down through generations.

Also on view is Ian Dawson’s vibrant, playful hippos “Henri and Henrietta,” bright pink and blue sculptures made from repurposed plastic trash bins; and Jennifer Steinkamp’s “Botanic 3,” computer-generated plants that drift in space. Additionally, the exhibition includes works by Bettie Ward, Donald Moffett, Einar and Jamex de la Torre, Benny Andrews, Deborah Roberts, Michael Tracy, Jane Hammond, Lesley Dill, Lance Letscher and John Fraser.

“‘untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art’ is a fitting tribute to René Paul Barilleaux’s legacy,” said Matthew McLendon, Ph.D., director and CEO of the McNay Art Museum. “His commitment to elevating established and emerging artists and introducing new scholarship were instrumental in shaping and growing the Museum’s contemporary holdings. Through his vision, he secured the acquisition of more than 200 significant works, transforming the collection and ensuring the McNay remains a vibrant hub for contemporary art dialogue.”

Barilleaux retired as head of curatorial affairs in September 2025. During his tenure, the Museum strengthened its postwar and contemporary art collections and developed new focus areas, including photo-based artworks and installation art. Barilleaux’s acquisitions included works by established and emerging talent, including pieces by Deborah Butterfield, John Chamberlain, vanessa german, Sam Gilliam, Martine Gutierrez, Whitfield Lovell, Kiki Smith and others including the artists featured in the exhibition. Barilleaux joined the McNay in 2005 as curator of art after 1945 and served as chief curator for 10 years before he was named head of curatorial affairs in 2017.

The collection’s growth in the areas of modern and contemporary art was made possible through years of support from a wide community of donors, patrons and contemporary art enthusiasts. This generous support assisted in acquiring important works by women and artists of color, as well as art by emerging and regionally recognized artists.

“untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art” is organized for the McNay Art Museum by René Paul Barilleaux, former Head of Curatorial Affairs.

Major funding is most generously provided by the Joan and Herb Kelleher Foundation. Lead funding is provided by the Arthur and Jane Stieren Fund for Exhibitions. Additional support is provided by the Richter Responsibility Fund; and Semmes Foundation, Inc. Special thanks to the exhibition Host Committee.

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About the McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Built in the 1920s by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’ first modern art museum when it opened in 1954. Today, 200,000 visitors a year enjoy works by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Joan Mitchell, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds include sculptures by Willie Cole, Robert Indiana, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Alejandro Martín, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro, Kiki Smith, Tom Wesselmann and others. 

For more information about the McNay, visit www.mcnayart.org.

The McNay is open Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.