About this event
Fifty-three years ago, McNay Art Museum mounted Michael Tracy’s first-ever museum exhibition, “Seven Gold Paintings,” at what was then the Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute. Next spring, the McNay will honor Tracy’s enduring artistic legacy with the last exhibition with which the artist was directly involved before his passing on June 15 at age 80.
“Michael Tracy: The Elegy of Distance”, on view March 1-July 27, 2025, surveys approximately two decades of Tracy’s career and debuts many never-before-seen paintings, sculptures and mixed-media objects from the artist’s personal holdings alongside artworks on loan from other collections. Together, the works promote critical thinking, empathy, thoughtful exchange and healing as viewers consider faith, ritual, immigration and the environment. An original soundscape by musical composer Omar Zubair will complement the works. The exhibition is organized by René Paul Barilleaux, the McNay’s head of curatorial affairs, in collaboration with Christopher Rincón, president of the Michael Tracy Foundation and director of the River Pierce Foundation.