This month, Austin’s art scene is exploring how history, identity, and relationships shape creative expression. At the Blanton Museum, A Family Affair: Artistic Dynasties of Europe (Part I, 1500-1700) showcases intricate woodcuts and etchings by European printmaking families, revealing an evolution over generations. Similarly, In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships examines collaboration and legacy.
Other exhibitions delve into individual experiences and their intersections with the environment. Aisha Imdad’s The Allegorical Gardens at Women & Their Work combines miniature painting with sensory elements to evoke the garden as a space of healing and cultural memory. Meanwhile, Relational Earth at the Doughtery Art Center explores the connections between ecology and human experience through textured, site-specific works.
Whether focused on familial bonds, cultural roots, or the natural world, these exhibitions highlight the diverse ways artists engage with themes of legacy and belonging.
A piece from Lance Myers: “Frequencies in the Static Bloom.”Image courtesy of Lance Myers via Wally Workman Gallery
Blanton Museum
Group Exhibition: A Family Affair: Artistic Dynasties of Europe (Part I, 1500-1700) — Now through June 15
Woodcuts, etchings, and engravings across a nearly 200-year span are on display in this group exhibition. Together, the pieces tell the story of 16 European printmaking families. A Family Affair looks at the striking similarities and drastic differences families make in their creative work over generations. Incredibly detailed and intricate work, these etchings show both high fantasy scenes and realistic renderings. Persian ambassadors, dragons, drinkers, and sorcery all find their way into these works.
Group Exhibition: In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships— Now through July 20
Featuring six artists, this group exhibition looks at how artists are inspired through intergenerational connections, friendships, and family. Mexican printmakers José Guadalupe Posada and Artemio Rodríguez use dark humor in their works to interrogate social injustices. Arshile Gorky and Isamu Noguchi’s works reunite collaborative drawings the pair made in 1939. Mother-daughter pair Nora Naranjo Morse and Eliza Naranjo Morse work together for the first time at this scale to create an immersive artistic environment.
Doughtery Art Center
London Farris: Swammer — Now through June 21
This mixed media series was inspired by Farris’ experience as a swimmer, exploring body image, identity, and the challenges of competitive swimming. The artist uses shifting colors and tones to reflect the different phases of her journey, depicting the toll of competition and joy of celebration. Through rich textures, Farris highlights the resilience and beauty of athletes, offering a glimpse into their everyday realities.
Lindsey Millikan: Tides and Time — Now through June 21
Millikan blends celestial and aquatic elements, bold patterns, and surreal landscapes to explore the past, present, and future. Central figures transcend reality, inviting the viewer closer. Rooted in fine art and mural traditions, the work offers perspectives on the human psyche and our evolving world.
Melinda Barsales and Rachel Long: Relational Earth — Now through June 21
Relation Earth is a collaborative exhibition between Barsales and Long, looking at the connections between place, ecology, and the human experience. Melding visual, performing, and healing arts, the artists reconnect with the natural world through collage, texture, and site-inspired works, exploring reflection and belonging.
“Home” by Rachel Long.Image courtesy of Rachel Long via the Dougherty Arts Center
Lora Reynolds Gallery
Ewan Gibbs: TX/NY— Now through June 28
Gibbs’ intricate grayscale drawings celebrate the gallery’s 20th anniversary. Known for his meticulous “pin-pointillism,” Gibbs translates iconic landmarks like New York’s Empire State Building and symbolic Texas imagery into delicate, grid-based compositions. His works reflect a lifelong dedication to precision and capturing the passage of time. A highlight is Gibbs’ portrait of Lora Reynolds, created over seven months with 20 pencil grades, symbolizing their decades-long friendship and shared artistic journey.
Women & Their Work
Aisha Imdad: The Allegorical Garden — Now through July 3
Imdad draws inspiration from Indian, Mughal, and Persian miniatures and frescos, reflecting the artistic traditions of her birthplace, Pakistan. Her work blends traditional painting techniques with a contemporary approach. Imdad’s latest series, The Allegorical Gardens, explores the garden as a symbol of paradise, healing, and cultural memory. Through intricate large-scale paintings paired with sensory elements such as floral scents and birdsong, she creates immersive sanctuaries that celebrate the garden’s significance.
Austin Central Library
Group Exhibition: Roots Unveiled: Exploring the Chinese Experience — Now through August 31
This interdisciplinary project mixes traditional visual art with modern video storytelling to explore the Chinese American experience in Texas. Michael Wei, a prominent vlog artist, presents a video series highlighting the stories of Austin’s ten legendary Chinese Americans. Through curated still-life compositions and narratives of Chinese immigrants since the 1800s, the project offers a dynamic multimedia perspective on their journey and contributions.
Untitled painting by June Xu.Image courtesy of June Xu via the Austin Public Library
Wally Workman Gallery
Lance Myers: Frequencies in Static Bloom— June 7 through July 6
Myers’ oil paintings capture surreal scenes rendered in fine detail. From large beetles feasting on oranges to despondent artists sitting before their work, Myers bounces between painting still life and figurative pieces. Many of the pieces capture people in private moments of reflection, creating an intimate, almost voyeuristic connection with the viewer. Bursting across the canvas, Myers’ work showcases vivid, dynamic imagery.
“Home” by Rachel Long.Image courtesy of Rachel Long via the Dougherty Arts Center
Untitled painting by June Xu.Image courtesy of June Xu via the Austin Public Library
