The Contemporary is making it easier to see its current exhibits before they close and are replaced with spring 2026 shows.
Photo by Rebekah Flake
Art-lovers can catch up on the fine art scene for free this week, January 7-11, at the Contemporary Austin. The annual initiative, called Free Week at The Jones Center, opens the museum up so all visitors can view current collections before they close and new ones open for the spring season.
There are three exhibitions to check out before they end:
HOST: Raul De Lara – Mexican sculptor Raul De Lara, raised in Austin and now based in New York, shows off seven larger-than-life wooden sculptures in his first solo Texas museum show. The wood is sourced from Texas and Mexico to become cartoonish wildflowers and strange cacti. A press release hints that the works "examine cultural duality, queer identity, and the immigrant experience."
Teddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of Art – This retrospective is the first to look back at Los Angeles artist Teddy Sandoval's multimedia work in a museum. Sandoval, who lived from 1949-1995) portrayed queer and Chicanx people to explore their many facets of identity. Faceless men with mustaches were his signature imagery.
The Canvas Can Do Miracles – Five contemporary artists come together in this exhibit that's housed at the Jones Center as well as Laguna Gloria, the Contemporary's other location. The colorful abstract paintings are beautiful to look at, but they contain deeper explorations about "environmental engagement and coded resistance."
Guests don't need to register to stop by, but it is recommended since space is limited. More information and photos of the current exhibitions are available at thecontemporaryaustin.org.
The Contemporary Austin's Jones Center is open Wednesdays from noon to 9 pm and Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 6 pm.
Whether or not you agree with actor Timothée Chalamet's viral assessment of ballet's popularity, it's practically inescapable on the internet right now. Some onlookers are shrugging their shoulders while others leap (jeté, if you will) to the art form's defense; Ballet Austin is taking this unique opportunity to turn a hot topic into a promotion for its next production.
In conversation with Austin actor Matthew McConaughey at the University of Texas at Austin this February, Chalamet said, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it's like, 'hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership."
Chalamet immediately seemed to experience a twinge of regret, awkwardly adding, "But um...damn, I just took shots for no reason." He also sang a note and hid his face behind the cards he was holding.
In response, Ballet Austin posted a clip of the interview March 10 inviting anyone named Timothée, Timothee, or Timothy to claim a free ticket to the world premiere of Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles.
"Timothée… you were in Austin? We were literally down the street," the post says. "Austin has brisket. Austin has music. Austin also has ballet."
If they wanted to be a bit wordier, the company also could have added, "Austin has opera," since Austin Opera is, in fact, another local organization that even performs at the same venue, the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
Even if Chalamet's words were dismissive, he's obviously not wrong about the relative distribution of public interest between the classical arts and major films like Marty Supreme, the late 2025 film he stars in and is busy promoting. The film's commercially successful release set a record for A24, an already renowned studio.
Chalamet brought up ballet and opera in service of a larger point about pacing in movies. He said he exists in a middle ground as a consumer between wanting to be drawn in early and being more patient as a film progresses. Ultimately, he juxtaposed Barbie and Oppenheimer with the classical arts, pointing out that if the masses want to go see a film, they will "be loud and proud about it" organically, without needing performers to advocate for the seriousness of the art form.
Coincidentally, there couldn't be a better counterpoint to this argument than Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles.
As the title suggests, the story follows historical figure Marie Antoinette as she chooses to become a vampire, seeking "power, immortality, and vengeance," according to an earlier press release about the production. It takes a somewhat silly premise and gives it dramatic gravitas, with an original score by Austin composer Graham Reynolds, who is known outside of classical circles and sometimes composes for movie soundtracks.
"For Ballet Austin, the moment is an opportunity to remind audiences that ballet isn’t fading away," says a short press release about the new promotion. "It’s evolving, drawing new audiences and continuing to thrive in creative cities like Austin."
If Chalamet really does fall in the middle of instant and delayed artistic gratification, this sounds like the perfect production to draw him in. And perhaps Ballet Austin should add people named Matthew to their promotion, since McConaughey threw the younger star a bone after his momentary walk-back, saying, "That's not a shot — I hear what you're saying."
All Timothées and folks with similar names will have to do to claim a ticket is send a message to Ballet Austin on social media and show identification. Everyone else who wants to see the supernatural show where "the line between victim and villain blurs" will have to purchase a ticket ($25-$125) at balletaustin.org. The show only runs for three performances from March 27-29.
