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The Austin Museum of Popular Culture takes over Pershing Hall, albeit briefly, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Armadillo World Headquarters in 1970.

Use your smartphone to access self-guided tours of the outdoor public art sited by UT's award-winning Landmarks program any time you feel like it. BONUS: There's also a free, docent-led tour starting at Marc Quinn's "Spiral of the Galaxy" (1501 Red River) on Sun., Jan. 8, 11am.

No one else can be Shawn Cox, which is why his works are must-see manifestations of graphic power. This solo exhibition, a bright explosion of images across the gallery walls, explores how the wild-west-cowboy iconography celebrated in cinematic Westerns of the Forties and Fifties is linked to perpetuating the myth of manifest destiny.

The artists featured in this show — Dennis Delgado, Alicia Henry, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Titus Kaphar, Whitfield Lovell, and Lava Thomas — build upon the tradition of Black self-representation as an antidote to colonialist images. Using drawing, performance, printmaking, sculpture, and digital technology to transform the recorded image, these artists question our reliance on photography as a privileged source for documentary objectivity and understanding.

This three-person exhibition (at one of the Eastside's brightest gallery gems) showcases that wood-sculpting genius Aaron Michalovic, folk artist Adam Young, and Camille Woods with her pop-cowboy aesthetic.

Here's an exhibition of works by Jesus Treviño and Kelsey Baker, in which the artists approach the idea of existing in a state of flux from two distinct perspectives.

The Contemporary Austin presents the first-ever museum survey of works by Daniel Johnston. "Step into the surreal universe of this visionary musician and artist, filled with love, loss, ghosts, aliens, superheroes, and the eternal battle between good and evil."

This showcase of new work by Isabel Stensland – and earlier pieces representing the artist's various creative periods and influences – reveals a world of personal impressionist landscapes.

Marie Elena Ely’s show at the Ney Museum is a collection of photo/collage/paintings and prints.

Lance Letscher, widely known for his collage work, has artistic roots in printmaking. In 2020, he began a period of experimentation at Flatbed Press, using intaglio printmaking techniques. The resulting works – on display here – are straightforward and unpretentious, playing with color, line, and vision, always contrasting chaos with structure.

This juried group exhibition curated by Claire Howard reflects on the shifting relationships with our own bodies, each other, and the environment during this time of public health and climate crises. Featuring works by Essentials Creative, Brittany Ham, Marilyn Jolly, Aimee Jones, Magdalena Riley, Krystal Rodriguez, Brian Smith, Laurence Unger, and Tanya Zal.

This local treasure of a venue, run by those Contemporary Austin folks who also bring us the Jones Center shows Downtown, is all about the outdoors – which is perfect for these trickily navigated times of ours, n'est-ce pas? Recommended: Stop by and breathe in the air, enjoy the lawns and gardens and the many examples of world-class sculpture arrayed across the property, and (as Frankie used to say) r-e-l-a-x.

Here's a two-person exhibition that features painting, installation, videography, and sculpture by Moll Brau and Wes Thompson. It's a deep dive into a pool of loneliness, triumph, and rebirth. It's a forest of mazes where fireflies provide the light. It's a show of creations from a pair of terrific, hardworking local artists and you don't want to miss it.

Throughout 2021, Mexico is commemorating major events in history: the falling of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán, the invasion by Spain, and the Independence of Mexico. Mexic-Arte Museum presents this vibrant group exhibition and programs in conjunction with Mexico’s 2021 events, reaffirming their common cultural history. Also: "Los Pueblos Originarios," featuring photos of continuing traditions by Mary J. Andrade; and Las Flores – La Vida, a new show displaying flower-themed art from more than 200 local and regional artists.

Here's an exhibition of photographic works by Cian Moore, Enmi Yang, Riel Sturchio, Madison Lloyd, and Brendan Carroll: creatives who carve their own path and have established their roots in the communities of Austin and Houston.

The amazing maker Laura Lit has summoned the full range of her experience in painting, film makeup, special effects, and architectural restoration to create these new animal-sized wall reliefs of wood, resin, and clay. Twelve of these brilliants will hang in Northern-Southern, each "a deliberate dreaming, a spirit made solid, a tether to within." Note: The artist will be present at a Happy Hour every Friday, 4-6pm, throughout the run of the show.

Texas-based artist Sedrick Huckaby explores psychology, community, and the human condition in his powerful portraits painted from life. The catalog notes say: "Through his virtuoso facility with oil paint, Huckaby utilizes texture, dimensionality, and intensely saturated colors to extraordinary expressive effect." Says the artist himself: "The African-American family and its heritage has been the content of my work for several years. In large-scale portraits of family and friends I try to aggrandize ordinary people by painting them on a monumental scale."

Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011), a key figure in the development of color-field painting, was a tireless experimenter with color, form, and technique. This exhibition celebrates the generous gift from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation of ten prints and six proofs that span five decades of the artist’s career.

This powerful show, a traveling exhibition organized by the New-York Historical Society, explores the transformative years after the Civil War and the rise of Jim Crow, centering on stories of African Americans who pursued the ideals of Reconstruction and persevered in the face of a developing legal system promoting racial inequality.

This place, ah, it's one of our favorite places in the entire city; and of course they're properly corona-closed. But check 'em out online right now – it's a rich, wonder-filled website – to whet your appetite for when things get back to … uh … are we still calling it "normal," these days?

A bold new season opens at UT’s Visual Arts Center, with premiering exhibitions “The Blessings of the Mystery” by Carolina Caycedo and David de Rozas, “Wait For It” by Joey Fauerso, “Cycles and Loops” by Bill Morrison, “(Untitled) Fanon” by Madison Cooper, and a group show (curated by Megan Hildebrandt, presented in partnership with the Livestrong Cancer Institutes) called “Aesthetics of Health.”

Colombian-American artist America Martin describes herself as a painting anthropologist, working primarily with paint on canvas and paper to explore the human experience – and the human form.

This is WCC's biggest and most comprehensive exhibition of graffiti and street art to date, featuring works from the gallery’s 1000-piece collection, encompassing a diverse set of contemporary masters, including Blek le Rat, Cey Adams, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, Richard Hambleton, RETNA, LadyPink, PhoebeNewYork, Swoon, and more.

Through installations that invert the principles of architectural design, artist Rehab El Sadek questions existing power dynamics and contemplates the role of the individual within the built environment. Note: Talk with the artist, Sat., Dec. 11, 11am.

This is Ray Donley's gallery of art by Native Americans, located in that company of artistic glory called Canopy and resplendent with creations from the original people of our struggling country.

Ah, here's a terrific show of new paintings and prints from Jon Langford. You want to see a macabre and storied wonderland of Western skeletons boning up the bare truths of a life musically lived, then you'll be glad to feast your peepers on this wealth of weird beauty.

The local powerhouse of figurative painting, the art school that's the smart school for artists of all kinds, they've got a painting-along-at-home series going to help you keep your skills honed in these socially restrictive times, featuring live costumed models posing on camera and a thriving community of creatives rendering that lovely human biotecture from their separate studios. "Join us for a three-hour costumed-model drawing session. Use any supplies you wish, listen to music, share your work, chat with others. It’s a great way to stay connected with your art community!"