Visitors to the Lawson Gallery in McNay Art Museum will be greeted by an immersive and colorful sight as they enter the nostalgic, whimsical and yet poignant world of Angelica Raquel’s exhibition, “Mystic Threads.” Consisting of 18 artworks, the exhibition primarily features fiber sculptures, wall hangings of folkloric and personal scenes rendered in textiles, paintings and a simulated fireplace where a recording plays of the artist describing her work and intention behind this collection.
Hailing from Laredo, Texas, Raquel evokes the nostalgic feeling of stories shared over a campfire between friends, family memories and recollections of childhood experiences that contribute to making a person who they are today. The exhibit mixes folklore from her hometown, cherished memories of her family and deeply personal experiences.
The first piece one is likely to notice upon entry is the “Cursed Spirit of Downtown Laredo,” a full-sized dog-man sculpture that seems to slightly change the angle it is facing when one is not looking. This is not the only work directly incorporating folklore. San Antonio residents might recognize the Donkey Lady in “He Followed A Woman Walking Alone at Night,” though this spirit is reframed as a protector of women, only revealing its true form to men who stalk women at night.
While folklore is present in Raquel’s work, it is just one part of her broader theme of stories and their transmission. One of the most arresting pieces is “Grandpa’s Magic,” a vibrant wallhanging of fabric depicting Raquel’s grandfather performing ear-coning on a man using a large newspaper while children in the foreground look on. The smoke from the burning newspaper curls around the scene to make a frame. Raquel describes this as a vivid memory from her childhood. The piece reflects her nostalgia while also depicting a medicinal practice that has been passed down through generations.
The artwork that ties the messages together is a large canine head called “Howl Together,” a piece meant to be a “visual representation of what it means to carry our stories along on our backs, and the connections those stories provide,” according to the artist. What defines this work is how it is meant to evolve over the duration of the exhibition. Raquel will be leading needle-felt workshops open to all, and community members participating will get to see the products of their labor added to the back of “Howl Together,” making the piece both dynamic and reflective of Raquel’s goal of illustrating how stories and their telling act as a thread connecting people to one another and to their past.
Angelica Raquel’s Mystic Threads exhibition will be on display in the Lawson Gallery of the McNay Art Museum until July 5. Art enthusiasts of UT San Antonio can enjoy free general admission if they provide a valid student ID.
Free general admission to non-students is offered on Thursdays from 4-9 p.m. and on the first Sunday of every month from 12-5 p.m., with access to exhibitions such as Mystic Threads costing only $10. An artist-led needle-felting workshop is offered on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Valero Learning Center. Those interested can register on the McNay website.
