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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Faith, pain and danger: See the art of late Texan Michael Tracy in San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO — Has there ever been another Texas artist like the recently deceased Michael Tracy? The sculptor, painter and maker of rare objects — as well as sometime magus who oversaw fantastically staged rituals — lived his life as an expansive art project, especially since 1978, when he established sprawling studios and residences in tiny San Ygnasio, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border. "He was big, much bigger than life," says retired graphic artist Lorne Loganbill, who got to know and admire Tracy during the 1990s. "His art was big, his opinions were big, his passions were big. His studios and living spaces were full of sights, sounds and smells that were overpowering, earthy and exciting. Art, religious iconography and crumbling relics of different cultures accented his panels, canvases, bronzes and over-sized mesquite furniture, and created a warm and welcoming environment — with an edge of danger." We'll get back to that "edge of danger" soon. More to do in San Antonio: Do visit the Pearl District, a jewel among the city's tourist sites Now admirers and detractors, veterans and rookies alike can experience a slice of Tracy's visions through "Michael Tracy: The Elegy of Distance," a right-sized exhibit at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio through July 17. Originally from Ohio, Michael Tracy earned degrees from St. Edward's University and the University of Texas at Austin. In 1978, he set up sprawling studios in San Ygnacio, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border. This is Tracy at the Zaragosa Dominguez Studio, Jan. 21, 2015. What will we see at the McNay Museum? The McNay — a former residence that sites atop a gorgeously landscaped hillside that has been expanded during the past decades to include modern galleries and other amenities — is the natural venue for this show, in part because the museum was the first to give Tracy an exhibit in 1971. In addition, while Tracy's former home base in San Ygnacio lies 200 miles south in Zapata County, San Antonio is a natural cultural gateway to South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Michael Tracy's expansive work draws from ancient traditions, especially Catholic iconography. In the foreground at the McNay Art Museum is "Resurrection" (1980-2000). This is by no means a comprehensive retrospective. Many of the pieces installed in the six galleries at the McNay date from this century. You will not stumble on any photographic or video evidence of his startling performances, for instance, or see any of his truly monumental work, which could encompass the entire village of San Ygnacio. Instead, "The Elegy of Distance" satisfies a hunger for his densely saturated art in confined, but not crowded spaces. If you access the McNay through the main lobby and walk past the "Sport and Spectator" exhibit, you are faced with a choice of entries. Each preliminary room — one introduced in Spanish, the other in English — instantly confronts the viewer with sensory overload in the form of multiple paintings grouped in series. The first thing one notices are the colors. Lots of colors that, in a knee-jerk way, might remind one of India, Mexico — or maybe a counterculture festival in the 1960s. Look a little closer to see the vast topographies of accumulated acrylic paint on wood panels. One can't help wondering how Tracy manipulated the paint so that it resembles sculptural clay. It might take a few seconds to focus on the faint images of objects and symbols hidden in the mounds of paint. Take the time. More on San Antonio Meet me in San Austin: It's time to explore the idea of an Austin-San Antonio 'mega-metro' The next three rooms are devoted mostly to Tracy's sculpture, some of which has been mixed with other elements for muscular, aggregated works of art. Here the artist's Catholic iconography is not subtle. Altars, hearts, medals, relics and architectural remnants pile up, often pierced by knives, spikes, scissors or swords. Rarely overstated, Tracy weaves in references to border policies, forced labor, social justice or environmental disaster. This is our invitation to the artist's "danger zone": A type of faith that is obsessed with death, pain, blood, sacrifice, guilt, fear, decay, martyrdom and bodily harm. At the same time, one absorbs the baroque beauty of it all, the layers upon layers of feeling and visions materialized. He once wrote: 'To carve an aesthetic out of realization of pain, suffering and death — can one live doing that?' The final room functions like a devotional chapel. The lighting is low and the walls are dark. Directional lighting picks out paintings and sculpture, but also two benches hewn from mesquite and backed by the instantly recognizable Tracy grillwork. Spend time here. Echoes of Houston's Rothko Chapel are unavoidable. But while the viewer is invited to contemplate the unseen infinite within Mark Rothko's finely graded fields of color, one is more likely to peer deeply into Tracy's images to engage actively with the religious symbolism. Tracy has absorbed an immediate, heavy, visceral form of Catholicism, or in some cases, Hinduism or Indigenous spiritual traditions. Intense, electric colors saturate Michael Tracy's paintings, informed in part by his travels in South Asia and Latin America. Although the thickly encrusted paintings look entirely abstract from a distance, they contain ghostly images of real objects and religious symbols. Who was artist Michael Tracy? Although Tracy was discovered and rediscovered by art commentators from the East and West Coasts, this artistic "maximalist," as Glasstire digital magazine aptly called him in a tribute article, remained for much of his career a Texas phenomenon. A native of Ohio, Tracy earned his first college degree at St. Edward's University in Austin. After study back in Ohio at the Cleveland Institute of Art, he picked up his MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. Residences in Galveston and other charismatic spots — as well as travels to South Asia and Latin America — seemed to lead indirectly to his studio, home and party life in San Ygnacio, a town of 500 or so souls on the Rio Grande. More on San Antonio: Not the Alamo: Fields near San Antonio yield evidence of deadliest battle in Texas history Although he devoted much of his later life to preserving the historical fabric of that town, while bringing artists from around the world to work there, not all locals liked him, especially when masses of his admirers gathered to take part in rituals such as "The River Pierce: Sacrifice II" in 1990, which included nude participants covered in mud, or the ritual burning of the artist's cross-like "Cruz: La Pasión" (1982-1987). Tracy soaked it all up, missing almost nothing about his stretch of the border. 'Living on the 'northern' edge of the Rio Grande, on what officially is the edge of Latin America has had immeasurable impact on my life and work," Tracy wrote. "I have had a front-row seat in the ongoing drama of two distinct cultures hemorrhaging into each other; the physical migration itself, the cultural nullity, the sociological angst and despair, and the legal miasma. The monstrous political cynicism has infected my soul and heart, and probably my body.' For those who have followed Tracy's career — which faded in the 21st century, I'm not sure why — you will be delighted to know that the McNay team, led by curator René Paul Barilleaux, has assembled many pieces that have never before have been exhibited in public, displayed side-by-side with older works. Part of me, of course, longs to see a more comprehensive exhibit, that the visitor could absorb bit by bit over the course of months. That might happen in the future with help from the Michael Tracy Foundation — and the related River Pierce Foundation — both directed by Christopher Rincón. On the other hand, I'm grateful for the highly selective show at the McNay, which is just about the right size to absorb such overwhelming art on a pleasant spring afternoon. "Although the artist withdrew from the museum and gallery ecosystem for years, the issues his work addresses have become increasingly urgent," Barilleaux says. "The McNay's exhibition will bring attention to this significant American artist's work, introducing a new generation to him." Michael Barnes writes about the people, places, culture and history of Austin and Texas. He can be reached at mbarnes@ Sign up for the free weekly digital newsletter, "Think, Texas," at One room in the Michael Tracy exhibit at the McNay Art Museum combines the Texas artist's paintings, sculpture and furniture, which one can use for contemplation. 'Michael Tracy: The Elegy of Distance' When: Through July 27 Where: McNay Art Museum, 6000 North New Braunfels Ave., San Antonio Tickets: Up to $20 (multiple discounts available) Info: This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texan Michael Tracy's legacy lives on at McNay Museum in San Antonio
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas school choice bill heads to Abbott's desk: TWITP
AUSTIN, Texas - In This Week in Texas Politics, it was the end of the line for several big issues like school choice. But, we also saw a new partisan battle line being drawn at the state capitol. FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts discussed the hot political topics this week. What they're saying RUDY KOSKI: This week in Texas politics, we saw a lot of verbal fistfights, some chemtrail turmoil, and some laws literally going up in smoke. Let's get the headlines from our panel, and we'll begin first with Brian Smith from St. Edward's University. Brian, what's your headline? BRIAN SMITH: What seems like a lifetime of legislative sessions, school choice becomes a reality. RUDY KOSKI: Karina Kling, what's your headline for the week? KARINA KLING:I think I'm sticking with that same theme. Governor Abbott finally gets his private school vouchers win. RUDY KOSKI: And Philip Jankowski from the Dallas Morning News. Give me a headline. PHILIOP JANKOWSKI: Yeah, same deal, school choice wins. RUDY KOSKI: And we'll start off with that. Governor Greg Abbott got his school choice bill sent to his desk. Brian, there's a lot of political blood on that bill. BRIAN SMITH: Yeah, the governor outright threatened Republicans with vetoes. They brought in the President of the United States, and now it's up to the governor to make it work. PHILIOP JANKOWSKI: My sources are really talking about a sort of power shift with the governor, kind of looking more powerful than ever within the Capitol. RUDY KOSKI: What's in a name? Well, a few political actions under the Capitol Dome tried to answer that this week. We had votes on legislation to rebrand the New York strip steak to the Texas strip and Texas jumped in on flipping the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. KARINA KLING: I think it's kind of a fun back and forth on some of these issues, as we see with bets on games among governors and various things like that, but probably some more pressing issues we need to be focused on here in the state. RUDY KOSKI: Legislation creating a special dementia research initiative group passed this week. That's the good news. The bad news, it's funding bill involving legislation for a constitutional amendment may fall victim to some school choice payback by Democrats. This tactic may also deep six some bail bond reform. Philip, you know, this is a strange political hill to fight and die on for Democrats. PHILIOP JANKOWSKI: Yeah, don't forget homestead exemptions too. I mean, there are a lot of really popular things that could be held up by this tactic. And Monday, which is where a bunch of them got delayed to is where you could really see a standoff. RUDY KOSKI: Earlier this week, the Senate gave initial approval to a bill to track costs incurred by undocumented migrants on Texas. Democrats argued that the study should also document the annual benefits of migration. BRIAN SMITH: Now this is a real partisan issue. Everybody knows it's short-sighted just to look at the costs. And also, we don't know how many people are in Texas who are unauthorized. So, any report's going to be partisan to the core and expect this document to show that immigrants are a huge drain on Texas because we're only looking at one side of the issue and through one lens. RUDY KOSKI: The House pushed out a school cell phone bill. It even includes restricting smartwatches. You know, I've seen support for this idea, but I also think it could be a paper tiger. KARINA KLING: I think that one of the key arguments that has also been raised, aside from policing it and enforcing it, is just the ability for students to have a device on them to be able to contact them very quickly at school. So maybe some communications and some issues that may need to be worked out there with schools as well in terms of being able to get a hold of your student. RUDY KOSKI: State lawmakers took up some climate and energy-related bills pushing natural gas. No surprise there. Restricting renewables, no surprise there with the exception of nuclear power, they love nuclear power, apparently. We also had a hearing on a bill that would ban seeding the atmosphere with reflective particles to address climate change. Philip, you did a series of articles on this topic. PHILIOP JANKOWSKI: You have like one wing of the leadership saying we need an all of the above, we need all the power that we can get, especially in light of these concerning demand projections coming from ERCOT. Then at the same time, they really only want one kind of power generation, that's natural gas. RUDY KOSKI: Along with the energy issues, this was a moving week for a lot of bills. Karina, are there any other items that really caught your attention this week? KARINA KLING: Yes, legislature-related, not necessarily a bill they're working on, but A through F school ratings finally released after a 19-month legal battle showed one in five schools getting a D or F rating. BRIAN SMITH: Well, it looks like destination casinos are not going to pass again this year, but I'm still really confused about the DOGE bill considering that we have a pretty lean state that doesn't spend a lot of money. RUDY KOSKI: You can see this full discussion on the Fox 7 YouTube page, but let's wrap everything up now with one word for the week, and we'll start off with Karina. Karina, what's your word for week? KARINA KLING: Yeah, with the month of May just around the corner, things starting to move more quickly, I'm going to say, accelerated. BRIAN SMITH: I didn't think I would ever say this, but measles. PHILIOP JANKOWSKI: Yeah, and in the same vein as Karina, I'll say, Coffee. RUDY KOSKI: And that is This Week in Texas Politics. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOGE cut my grant-funded project at St. Ed's. Our history is worth fighting for
Ten years ago, I used a sabbatical to begin my work as an oral historian. I type the words 'oral historian' with hesitation: I had no degree or training in oral history, and it is not part of the formal curriculum at St. Edward's University, the small, Catholic, Hispanic Serving Institution where I have taught for nearly 16 years. Nevertheless, determined to use my time away from the classroom to gather the stories of people adopted from China (my daughter, 19, is a Chinese adoptee), I set about learning how to conduct oral history interviews. Ultimately, I launched an oral history collection called Our China Stories. After three different grant applications for National Endowment for the Humanities funding, I was approved last spring for a two-year grant, just shy of $60,000, to create a two-course oral history sequence to be embedded in a new Digital Storytelling major. Students would gain an introduction to oral history, a method of gathering, interpreting and studying the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. They would conduct interviews with participants in the Our China Stories collection, allowing young people of similar age but different life experiences to learn about one another as they learned this new discipline. One day our students — 30% of whom are first-generation college students — could share the stories of their communities. Thanks to NEH funding, I finally had time to dig into ambitious work that would elevate our curriculum and give our students a crucial means of connection, empathy and exploration. Then DOGE wielded its chainsaw. This month our funding was cut, along with 85% of the grants NEH funded. The termination letter read, in part: 'NEH has reasonable cause to terminate your grant in light of the fact that the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President's agenda.' What does furthering the president's agenda mean? According to an April 10 New York Times article, some of the lost grant support will be redirected to 'build President Trump's proposed National Garden of American Heroes, as part of a reorientation toward the president's priorities of celebrating patriotic history.' The article explains that the 24-member NEH advisory council, a mix of scholars and educators appointed by Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden, were given no notice of the cancellations. NEH staffers were also left in the dark. The DOGE emails arrived from outside the portal NEH uses to communicate with its awardees. In many cases, they landed in spam folders. The realization that the work we do in communities, libraries, museums and universities holds no value to the knife-wielders cutting down our federal agencies is a bitter pill. How unpatriotic can they be? By capturing the voices and experiences of everyday people, oral history is truly pluralistic and democratizing. It is international and also quintessentially American. How can we find solace? I'll tell you how I'm managing. Next year, I will make time to complete the grant work. My husband, who is not a wealthy man, has offered to pay my research assistant. Most of the other budgeted items will have to go, but I realize how lucky I am to continue at all. I remain grateful to the NEH professionals who helped me navigate the grant application process. Their expertise has supported the efforts of countless academics, documentarians, artists and others who contribute so much to the cultural life of this country. Many of those NEH staffers were placed on administrative leave this month. These experts deserve our gratitude, not the disregard and disrespect of recent weeks. Like many, I have hesitated to speak out, but the time has come for us to raise our voices. Please make yours heard. If you can, consider donating to institutions you value that have lost funding. Call your representatives and U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Demand that NEH funding be restored. Our rich cultural history crosses boundaries of race, sex, class and political ideology. Together, we must fight for it. Jena Heath is professor of Journalism & Digital Media and an associate dean in Arts and Humanities at St. Edward's University. She can be reached at jennah@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: DOGE cut my grant-funded project at St. Ed's. I'm pushing on | Opinion
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Edward's achieves research university designation
AUSTIN (KXAN) — St. Edward's University announced Thursday that it has achieved a historic milestone by attaining a designation as a research university. The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognized St. Edward's under the Research Colleges and Universities classification for investing an average of at least $2.5 million per year in research and development opportunities, according to a release from the university. The Carnegie Foundation and ACE recently updated the methodology for Research Activity Designations and announced the changes on Thursday along with a list of institutions that received a designation. The Research Colleges and Universities designation is new this year. The other categories are Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production and Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production. St. Edward's University says over $10M from donors going to School of Health Sciences According to Carnegie, the Research Colleges and Universities designation identifies research happening at colleges and universities that historically have not been recognized for their research activity, including institutions that do not offer many or any doctoral degrees. The new designation includes any non-R1 or R2 institution that spends more than $2.5 million on research annually, accounting for 218 institutions. 'This landmark achievement is a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our faculty, their scholarship, creative endeavors and research. We have advanced our research mission and our commitment to creating opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in innovative research programs,' said St. Edward's University President Montserrat Fuentes. 'Earning research university status is a significant milestone for our university, reflecting the steadfast support of our faculty, staff and community partners who are devoted to opening doors for students to graduate education and pathways to success in an ever-evolving workforce.' The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education had previously recognized St. Edward's in the Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs category under the Basic Classification Methodology in 2021. St. Edward's will keep its research university status until the next evaluation in 2028. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Edward's University says over $10M from donors going to School of Health Sciences
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Donors gave more than $10.3 million in one year to St. Edward's University in Austin, and the institution said most of that money will support the School of Health Sciences and enhance undergraduate scholarships and scientific research programs. St. Edward's nursing program aims to help with healthcare worker shortage The university said in a press release that the monetary support reflects 'increasing momentum to realize the goals of the St. Edward's University Strategic Plan 2027' and 'strengthens our commitment to the success of our students and to creating a more just world.' St. Edward's shared details about some of the donations and what the money will go toward. According to the release, more than $2 million was from longtime donor and former university trustee Patricia 'Pat' Munday. Of that, $1.5 million will support the Bill and Patricia Munday Endowed Scholarship, which provides tuition assistance for up to 140 students each year, per the release. Part of the total donation will also go toward the Bill Munday Outstanding Business Student Endowed Scholarship. St. Ed's said Munday and her late husband, Bill, are the most generous individual donors to St. Edward's, giving more than $50 million in total gifts. The Ladies of Charity of Austin awarded the university $1 million in the fall of 2024 to support the renovation of the new School of Health Sciences and its state-of-the-art instructional labs. The university said that investment will 'help St. Edward's address a critical industry need while equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills, expertise and ethical foundation necessary to shape the future of healthcare.' The university named The Ladies of Charity of Austin Women, Children and Family Suite in the charity's honor. Kathleen Wilburn, who the university referred to as an esteemed faculty member and continuing benefactor, pledged $1 million to support scholarships, five mission and student-focused initiatives, and an endowed professorship within The Bill Munday School of Business. YMCA and St. Edward's University apply for $20 million climate resilience grant The Welch Foundation, based in Houston, gave the university a $135,000 grant to fund faculty chemical research initiatives and provide hands-on laboratory experiences for students pursuing careers in chemistry. The university added that the Welch Foundation has given over $1.3 million to St. Edward's University since 1990. A gift of more than $112,000 from Roger Thornton, who the university called a friend of the Wild Basin Creative Research Center at St. Edward's, will enhance staffing and environmental educational programs for young learners at Wild Basin, according to the release. 'We are deeply grateful for the continued generosity of our donors and their extraordinary investments in our students and faculty. This funding plays a pivotal role in advancing our commitment to academic excellence and research innovation while further strengthening our university's role as a collaborative partner in the Austin community. With these transformative contributions, we are able to enhance our academic programs, further our commitment to sustainability and enrich the lives of our students.' St. Edward's University President Montserrat Fuentes Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
