Whether you're drawn to vibrant paintings, intricate sculptures, or immersive installations, there's something to captivate every art enthusiast in this month’s exhibitions.
This month, you'll find artists reclaiming narratives and celebrating often-overlooked stories. Several artists engage with their heritage, exploring themes of spirituality, ancestry, and the complexities of identity in the modern world. Others challenge traditional representations, offering new perspectives on femininity, motherhood, and social justice
Raeanne Schachter amplifies the voices of women through bold, multi-media works at Unchained Art Contemporary Gallery. At the Contemporary Austin, Katarina Janeckova Walshe explores the transformative power of motherhood, while Rashaun Rucker's work at the University of Austin examines the intersection of faith, heritage, and Black identity.
Davis Gallery
William Wahlgren: Both Sides Now— through October 12
This exhibition takes its title from Joni Mitchell's song of the same name, which reflects on the changing perspectives of life, using clouds as a metaphor. Influenced by both Western oil painting traditions and the minimalism of certain Asian art forms, Wahlgren captures the elusive and fleeting moments of beauty found in the natural world. His artistic inquiry, rooted in a childhood spent observing the skies and horizons of the rural Midwest and Lake Michigan, also draws inspiration from 17th-century Dutch painting.
Unchained Art Contemporary Gallery
Raeanne Schachter: DAMES: AMPLIFIED — through October 26
Canadian artist Raeanne Schachter explodes onto the US art scene with Dames: Amplified at Unchained Art Contemporary Gallery. This powerful solo exhibition showcases Schachter's vibrant, multi-media works celebrating the resilience and strength of women. Inspired by personal experiences, literary heroines, and feminist icons, Schachter's "Dames" are bold, unapologetic, and refuse to be silenced. Through a dynamic fusion of painting, sculpture, found objects, and even LED lights, she amplifies their voices, urging viewers to truly "hear" their stories and recognize the societal barriers women face. Each piece, some years in the making, carries its own unique narrative and timeline.
Women & Their Work
Hiba Ali: Lullabies for the stars in our eyes — through November 17
Ali invites viewers on a somatic journey through this large-scale installation, encouraging them to create patterns within the artwork while experiencing integrated video and sound elements. Using their ancestral languages of Arabic, Arwi, and Tamil, Ali explores emotional expression, the creation of new realities, and the use of breath as a coping mechanism. Combining historical research with personal storytelling, the exhibition examines love, loss, and queer joy within a dynamic and evolving framework of understanding.
Davis Gallery
Nicole Awai: In the thick of it — through December 7
This exhibition showcases Awai's innovative use of "the ooze" — both as a material and a metaphor — in her mixed-media practice. Awai employs viscous, perpetually shifting materials like synthetic polymers to explore the fluidity of cultural, historical, and personal narratives. By interweaving elements of her Caribbean heritage with themes of globalization and diaspora, Awai's work pushes traditional artistic boundaries. In the thick of it invites viewers to reconsider the complexities of cultural identity and embrace the dynamic interplay of diverse influences in a globalized world.
University of Austin
Rashaun Rucker: Patron Saints of a Black Boy— through December 7
Detroit artist Rashaun Rucker's Patron Saints of a Black Boy is a powerful exploration of faith, heritage, and Black identity. Through sculpture, mixed media, and photography, Rucker blends Christian iconography with symbols of Black American churches and ancestral veneration. He reimagines traditional religious objects, incorporating images of his own family members as "personal saints," challenging the historical absence of Black figures in Christian imagery while celebrating his lineage's strength and resilience. Patron Saints of a Black Boy is a moving testament to the power of faith and heritage in shaping the Black experience.
The Contemporary
Katarina Janeckova Walshe: Mother Land — through December 8
Slovakian-born, Texas-based artist Katarina Janečková Walshe presents Mother Land, a thought-provoking exhibition at The Contemporary Austin that explores the transformative power of motherly love and care. Through a new series of paintings and her first foray into sculpture, Janečková Walshe contemplates a world where nurturing and interconnectedness are paramount. Her vibrant, often humorous works, incorporating elements from her own experiences as a mother and drawing inspiration from her young daughters, invite viewers to consider a future where compassion and respect for the next generation inspire constructive change. This exhibition marks Janečková Walshe's first solo museum presentation, offering a glimpse into the evolution of an artist whose critical eye and transgressive methodologies challenge societal norms and champion social justice.
Mexic-Arte Museum
Rafael Navarro Barajas:"The Origins of Medicine"— through December 31
Born in Tonala, Jalisco, in 1921, Navarro Barajas’ work often explored humanity, mythology, and the cosmos. After decades at Austin's Medical Park Tower, Barajas' murals, "The Origins of Medicine," are on display at the Mexic-Arte Museum. The dual murals blend Greek mythology, medical symbolism, and Mexican artistic traditions to create a vibrant visual epic. Saved from obscurity by a community-led effort spearheaded by musician Sara Hickman, these murals celebrate Barajas' unique artistic legacy. This exhibition also features a portrait of the artist and early sketches of his work
Courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin
Rashaun Rucker's art blends Christian, Black spiritual, and ancestral themes.
