“Elegy of Distance” honors Michael Tracy’s artistic legacy. His work emphasizes empathy, thoughtful exchange and healing as viewers consider faith, ritual, immigration and the environment. Located in the Tobin Exhibition Galleries at the McNay Museum until July 27, the exhibit honoring the late activist featured some of his never-before-seen pieces, including many color-saturated paintings, cast sculptures and mixed-media objects, alongside artworks on loan from other collections.
At age 80, Tracy peacefully passed away in his studio compound in San Ygnacio, Texas, on June 15, 2024. His work is described as transgressive and heterogeneous. His sculptures excite viewers, and some have a sense of hidden sacred mysteries. He left a legacy behind, and his work will forever be remembered for its boldness and critical thinking.
The exhibit featured pieces from some of his series, including “Speaking with the Dead,” “Cruz de la Paz Sagrada VII” and “Gulmohar.”
“Gulmohar” had some of the brightest and most colourful pieces. His painting, made of acrylic, reflected India’s chartreuse blooms and beautifully represented them.
His works, such as “To Ishtar: The Palace Which Crushes Valiant Warriors” and “Flower Sacrifice,” captivate audiences. The pieces will leave someone staring for hours trying to decipher their purpose and what led the artist to create such a piece, with knives sticking out of random spaces and metal hearts with crosses surrounding the display of hot pink flowers.
The pieces in the exhibit represent a sense of violence and sensuality, each presenting a different story relating those themes. Although each piece had a different story, they were all bold and followed the artist’s creative designs.
“Cruz to Bishop Oscar Romero, Martyr of El Salvador” was one of the most special works from the collection. With acrylic over wood, horns, iron spikes, hair, cloth braids, oil paint and silk-covered rods, this piece screamed bold and was larger than most in the collection. It conveys a sense of despair and angst in a way that the others do not.
The McNay mounted Michael Tracy’s first museum exhibition, “Seven Gold Paintings,” in 1971. This exhibit, being his last after his passing, is poetic. In a way, it comes as a full-circle moment for Tracy’s artistic career — featuring some of his best work on display at the McNay.
“Michael Tracy: Elegy of Distance” is on display until July 27 at the Tobin Exhibition Galleries at the McNay. The McNay is open Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Entrance to the McNay is free to all UTSA students, while access to special exhibits is $10. For more information, visit the McNay website.
