Across media and generations, Austin’s exhibitions in August explore the power of identity. The theme is found in the layered histories of immigrant families, the inner worlds of students, or the collective vision of artists reimagining tradition.
This month’s shows range from the intimate to the monumental: from celebratory group exhibitions marking milestones for Austin’s art scene, to solo presentations deeply rooted in personal and cultural memory. What connects them all is a spirit of experimentation and connection, and a willingness to blur boundaries between past and present.
Austin Public Library
Group Exhibition: Roots Unveiled: Exploring the Chinese Experience — Now through August 31
Blending traditional visual art with modern video storytelling, the show spotlights curated still lifes alongside a compelling video series by Austin vlogger Michael Wei, who profiles 10 legendary Chinese Americans and traces the journey of Chinese immigrants in Texas since the 1800s. A highlight of the exhibition is the work of Houston-based June Xu, who fuses her heritage as a descendant of jade sculptors in China with the bold spirit of Texas. Her mixed-media pieces weave Chinese symbolism into the colors and stories of Texan life, offering a vibrant meditation on identity, tradition, and cultural fusion.
Group Exhibition: My Dyslexic Journey — Now through August 31.
Students from Rawson Saunders School present a heartfelt exhibition inspired by their personal experiences with dyslexia. Through playful, expressive canvases — where words are rearranged, reversed, or swapped — these young artists invite viewers into their world, capturing the way things shape their daily lives. The show offers powerful visual stories of struggle, resilience, and imagination, providing a window into the lived experience of dyslexia.
Blanton Museum
Photo courtesy of the Blanton Museum of Art
Cao Fei made Whose Utopia while spending six months as an artist-in-residence at the factory.
Cao Fei: Whose Utopia — Now through August 31
In her acclaimed 2006 video Whose Utopia, multimedia artist Cao Fei transforms the OSRAM lighting factory in China’s Pearl River Delta into a stage for self-expression. Filmed during a six-month residency, Fei documents daily routines and production lines before shifting into poetic, surreal performances by the workers themselves. From ballerinas to musicians, each worker steps out of the industrial rhythm to blur the boundaries between labor and creativity.
Women & Their Work
Group Exhibition: Form Works — Now through August 28
Bringing together the bold vision of 22 Austin-based women artists and artisans, Form Works showcases a range of design—furniture, tableware, lighting, textiles, and more. The exhibition celebrates women redefining form and function, with pieces that challenge convention and honor materiality. Highlights include Yasmeen Arkadan’s hand-carved marble vases and “Hot and Squished” side table, as well as Tawa Threads’ vibrant, sweeping textile designs. Form Works is a playful, inspiring look at how contemporary makers are reshaping the future of craft and design.
Cloudtree Studios & Gallery
Group Exhibition: Summer Salon Session 2 — August 9 through 30
This lightly curated show features a mix of 2D and 3D works across different media, and marks many exhibitors’ first time sharing their art with the public. Founded and curated by multi-disciplinary artist Brian David Johnson, the Salon emphasizes the value of participation, creative growth, and building community over sales.
Lora Reynolds Gallery
Karla Garcia: Grass Flower — Now through September 20
Grass Flower is Karla García’s debut exhibition at Lora Reynolds, presenting ceramic sculptures inspired by the desert flora of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. García’s work explores transformation and identity through forms echoing wild grasses and cacti. Each piece is a poetic meditation on her roots as a Mexican woman and artist. Drawing on myth, memory, and philosophy, García weaves personal and cosmic histories into her ceramics, infusing them with both ancestral and universal significance.
Wally Workman Gallery
Group Exhibition: 45th Anniversary Group Show — August 9 through 31
Wally Workman Gallery marks its 45th anniversary with a group exhibition featuring 45 of its represented artists. Since 1980, the gallery has fostered connections between artists and collectors worldwide, championing both emerging talent and established names. This celebratory show reflects decades of creative growth and community, with works by artists such as Lance Myers, Hildi Malcolm, and Patrick Puckett on display.
