untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art at the McNay
A Living Collection
Inside untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art at the McNay
By Taylor Lane | Photos Courtesy of McNay Art Museum
At the McNay Art Museum, time doesn’t simply pass; it accumulates, layer by layer, through objects, ideas, and intuition. With untitled: 20 Years of Collecting Contemporary Art, former Head of Curatorial Affairs René Paul Barilleaux offers a final, deeply personal reflection on two decades of shaping the museum’s contemporary voice.
The exhibition began as a parting gesture. After announcing his retirement, Barilleaux was invited back to distill 20 years, more than 200 acquisitions, into a single show. The result is both expansive and intimate: nearly 120 works drawn from a collection that has never before been seen in conversation with itself.
“The challenge,” Barilleaux explains, “was how to make sense of 20 years of things that never lived together.” Unlike traditional retrospectives, where artists or movements guide the narrative, this exhibition brings together more than 100 distinct voices, most of whom are represented by just one or two works. The question wasn’t just what to include, but how to connect it all.
His answer is deceptively simple. Return to the fundamentals. Instead of chronology or theory, untitled is organized around the basic elements of art – line, shape, color, form, texture, value and space – and one principle of design – pattern. Across eight primary galleries, each element becomes a lens through which viewers can engage with the work. It’s an approach that feels both intuitive and refreshingly human.
In an age where exhibitions have trended towards ‘shock and awe’, Barilleaux shares, “I wanted to let the art speak.” The result is a show that invites rather than instructs, one that meets viewers where they are, whether seasoned collectors or first-time visitors.
That accessibility is immediately evident at the exhibition’s entrance, where two works quietly anchor the entire narrative. One is the first acquisition Barilleaux made in 2005, by Houston-based artist Susie Rosmarin. The other, a striking 2025-acquired piece by Margaret Evangeline, was created by firing a shotgun at a stainless steel panel, transforming force into abstraction. Together, they form a kind of visual time capsule. Two radically different approaches that capture the evolution of contemporary practice over two decades.
Between them, the galleries unfold like chapters, with each room revealing unexpected connections. A richly textured textile might hang near a photograph whose distressed frame was physically dragged through the streets of New York. A glowing sculptural form (one of Barilleaux’s personal favorites), seemingly lit from within, turns out to be a clever illusion of reflection and material. Everywhere, the work is tactile, immediate, and deeply considered.
That emphasis on materiality is no accident. A trained painter, Barilleaux has long been drawn to works that carry the imprint of the artist’s hand. “There’s a physicality,” he notes, “a feeling of the artist in the work.” It’s a through-line that ties together an otherwise diverse collection.
Equally important is the presence of the human figure. In contrast to more austere contemporary installations, untitled feels warm, alive with faces, bodies, and gestures that ground the work in shared experience. “There’s a presence,” Barilleaux says. “It changes how a space feels.”
Behind the scenes, the exhibition evolved almost up to the final hour. Works were added, removed, and rearranged as the team refined the story. “The checklist was changing the day before we opened,” he recalls. That fluidity reflects a larger truth: collecting itself is never static.
It’s also deeply collaborative. While Barilleaux’s vision guides the show, he’s quick to credit the broader museum team. From designers and educators to registrars and security staff. “It’s like theater,” he says. “My name’s on it, but it takes everyone.” Even the paint color on the walls throughout the exhibition was an intentional addition. A soft, inviting blue was selected by the talented graphic designer, Olga Maya, as part of the overall branding to unify the collection.
That spirit of collaboration extends beyond the museum walls. The McNay often turns to the community to weigh in on acquisitions, ensuring the collection reflects not just global trends but also local voices. Throughout the exhibition, local artists across Texas are shown alongside internationally recognized names, creating a dialogue that feels both rooted and expansive.
For Barilleaux, returning to the galleries after retirement is a personal experience. Many of the works carry memories of studio visits, conversations, and relationships with artists. “It’s like seeing old friends,” he says. Yet the exhibition also offers something new: the rare chance to see these works coexist, sparking connections that didn’t exist before.
Ultimately, untitled is less a retrospective than a living archive. One that continues to evolve even as it looks back. As the McNay moves forward under new curatorial leadership, the collection will inevitably take on new dimensions, shaped by fresh perspectives and priorities.
Barilleaux, for his part, is content to leave the story open-ended. “It’ll be exciting to see what comes next,” he says.
And in that sense, untitled lives up to its name, not as something unfinished, but as something still unfolding.
