Art of public spaces
Bustling streets and sidewalks, parks alive with play and plazas filled with laughter and music — this is the heartbeat of community life. “Ferias, Parques y Plazas: A Celebration of Public Space” brings together artworks from the McNay Art Museum’s collection and loans from the San Antonio artistic community that capture the energy and vibrancy of public gathering spaces. On view January 8 through April 12, 2026, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how shared environments foster connection, creativity and collective joy.
The intersection of art, culture, and daily life is demonstrated through more than 15 works of art depicting markets, streetscapes, fairs, folk life, dancing and celebration across a variety of mediums and time periods. “Ferias, Parques y Plazas” explores how generations of artists have recognized the social and cultural value of public spaces and celebrates the enduring power of human connection in public life.
“Throughout the world, and especially in San Antonio, places like parks and markets are corridors of culture and heritage,” said Mia Lopez, the McNay Art Museum’s curator of Latinx art. “‘Ferias, Parques y Plazas’ reveals the rich narratives, creativity and emotion that emerge from public gathering places and celebrates the beauty of shared experience.”
Works featured in the exhibition include Diego Rivera’s 1935 painting “Tehuanas in the Market,” illustrating a public market scene from the Oaxacan city of Tehuantepec on the Pacific Coast. Howard Cook’s 1932 etching “Taxco Market” was created during the artist’s first trip to Mexico, made possible by a Guggenheim Fellowship. The work was a bequest of Marion Koogler McNay and was part of the founding McNay collection. Another exhibition highlight is “Mis Hijos,” (1956) by Elizabeth Catlett. The linoleum engraving depicts the artist’s three sons celebrating Dia de los Muertos and demonstrates her love for her adopted home of Mexico, where she moved in 1946.
The exhibition also includes works by San Antonio based artist Adriana M. Garcia. Garcia creates murals, outdoor installations, paintings and illustrations that honor her community’s heritage and histories. Her work is publicly displayed throughout San Antonio and in award-winning children’s literature.
“San Antonio is known for its vibrant public life, and the McNay Art Museum is proud to play a part in empowering community connection,” said Matthew McLendon, director and CEO of the McNay. “‘Ferias, Parques y Plazas’ embodies not only the energy and creativity of communal settings but also invites visitors to consider how these spaces bring people together and foster a sense of belonging.”
“Ferias, Parques y Plazas: A Celebration of Public Space” is organized by the McNay Art Museum and curated by Mia Lopez, curator of Latinx art. Generous support for the exhibition is provided by the Leadership in Art Museums initiative from the Mellon Foundation, in partnership with Alice L. Walton Foundation, Ford Foundation and Pilot House Philanthropy.
About the McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Built in the 1920s by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’ first modern art museum when it opened in 1954.
Today, 200,000 visitors a year enjoy works by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Joan Mitchell, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds include sculptures by Willie Cole, Robert Indiana, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Alejandro Martín, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro, Kiki Smith, Tom Wesselmann and others.
For more information about the McNay, visit www.mcnayart.org.
