7 Must-See Art Exhibitions in Austin This Spring
These are some of the spring art shows we’re most excited to see around town
Austin’s new and upcoming art exhibitions include everything from colorful outdoor sculpture and handcrafted textile works to American modernist masterworks and more. Here are some of the top shows to see around town this season.
“American Modernism from the Charles Butt Collection: From Edward Hopper to Alma Thomas”
The Blanton Museum of Art
On view from March 8 — Aug 2
The Blanton Museum of Art’s latest exhibition brings together more than 80 paintings and works on paper from the collection of Texas businessman and philanthropist Charles Butt. Now on view through Aug. 2, the show includes works by Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jacob Lawrence, Joan Mitchell and Alma Thomas. Spanning the late 19th century through the 1970s, it offers a focused look at the evolving styles, subjects and abstractions that shaped American modern art.
“Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe”
Mexic-Arte Museum
On view from April 17 — August 9
This spring, Mexic-Arte Museum will present 90 textile works by Mexican artists paying homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe. The exhibition pairs those pieces with photographs by Jesse Herrera documenting Austin’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, drawing a connection between devotional traditions in Mexico and Mexican American cultural life in Austin. The show opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 17, 2026; admission is free for members and $10 for the general public.
“HOST: Laura Lit”
Contemporary Austin’s Laguna Gloria
On view from April 23 — January 17
Austin artist Laura Lit’s first solo museum exhibition brings her vivid, colorful and ethereal abstract works to The Contemporary Austin this year. Opening April 23 at Laguna Gloria, the presentation features “Impossible Beings,” a newly commissioned outdoor installation of otherworldly sculptures placed around the Driscoll Villa. Beginning Sept. 18, the Jones Center will present a selection of colored-pencil drawings that trace the imaginative process behind the sculptures and further illuminate the distinct visual language of her practice. A public opening reception will be held at Laguna Gloria from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23.
“Get Wet!”
Link & Pin
On view from April 23 — May 17
Ruth Lauer’s “Get Wet!,” at Link & Pin, draws on the nostalgic pastime of summer days spent at local public pools. Through paintings, sketches and photographs, the Austin artist captures the shimmer of the water, the soft light and the communal spirit of these shared spaces. Warm and playful, the exhibition reflects on the simple rituals that make neighborhood pools such an enduring part of summer life.
“Women Who Wander”
UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum
On view from February 11 — June 7
“Women Who Wander,” on view at the UMLAUF, brings together works by Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Tammie Rubin and Yoshie Sakai in a thoughtful exploration of identity, migration and belonging. Across sculpture, video installation and mixed media, the exhibition considers what it means to live between cultures, generations and places, treating wandering as both a physical journey and a more personal, emotional state. Exhibition tours take place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday and are included with museum admission.
“I Was Never Meant to Survive This”
McLennon Pen Co.
On view from March 20 — May 10
Richie Shazam’s debut Austin solo exhibition transforms self-portraiture into a study of identity, memory and survival. On view through May 10 at McLennon Pen Co., the exhibition presents seven distinct characters staged in elaborate interior scenes, each built within a small wooden box and brought to life through costume, makeup, prosthetics and set design. The works trace the tension between trauma and self-invention, using the body, the home and the image itself as sites of reclamation.
“Love, Hunt”
West Chelsea Contemporary
On view from April 9 — May 24
West Chelsea Contemporary’s exhibition “Love, Hunt” offers an immersive look at Hunt Slonem’s exuberant visual world, bringing together more than 118 new works in painting, mosaic and sculptural glass. Known for his repeated motifs of bunnies, tropical birds and butterflies, Slonem uses pattern, color and accumulation to create an atmosphere that feels both maximalist and meditative. The exhibition also introduces work by Ash Almonte, whose presence adds a contemporary counterpoint to Slonem’s romantic, highly saturated universe. A public reception and artist talk is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11.
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