10 Houston Contemporary Art Galleries: The Best Art Venues in TX

Barbara Davis Gallery has been bringing groundbreaking contemporary art to Houston for 30 years. The gallery boasts an extensive roster of significant contemporary artists including Joseph Beuys, Kiki Smith, Jonathan Borofsky, Allan McCollum, and Gilbert & George among others and has been instrumental in launching the careers of international artists such as Julie Mehretu and Mie Olise. Showcasing an inspiring range of works across numerous mediums, owner Barbara Davis’s success has been driven by her own intuition and fresh vision coupled with a passion for innovative contemporary art. The gallery’s extensive exhibition program is accompanied by a series of educational panel discussions with prominent museum curators and artists encouraging public engagement within the community. Barbara Davis Gallery was also one of the first galleries in Texas to exhibit at the prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach art fair.

McClain Gallery is the go-to destination for museum-quality, collectible contemporary and 20th century art. With its global outlook, the gallery exhibits work by artists from Texas, New York, Europe and Asia across a broad range of media including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography and conceptual installations. Key artists include established figures Julian Schnabel, Peter Halley, Donald Baechler, and Louise Nevelson alongside a younger generation of emerging Texas-based artists such as William Betts, Aaron Parazette, Christian Eckart and duo Jeff Shore and Jon Fisher. McClain Gallery supplement their core exhibition program of solo shows with a number survey and thematic shows investigating current themes in contemporary art and create dialogue about art and its relationship to social, cultural and political issues.

Works of all media can be found at Moody Gallery showcasing a range of artistic ideas. Established in 1975 by Betty Moody, the Gallery is dedicated to presenting the best contemporary art from the region and exhibits work only by contemporary American artists, particularly those living and working in Texas or those who have a strong connection to the region. Moody Gallery also works to put these artists in context with established artists from other parts of the country. Many of the gallery’s represented artists including Debra Barrera, Michael Bise, Lamar Briggs and Dave Carpender are recognized on a national, sometimes international level although Moody gallery also represents a number of mid-career and emerging artists.

McMurtrey Gallery is one of Houston’s top destinations for contemporary paintings by early and mid-career artists. Established in 1983, the gallery represents a number of contemporary artists from Texas, many of whom are now nationally recognized and appear in prominent museum collections. Featured artists include Robert Jessup, Troy Dugas, Michael Guidry, Lance Letscher and Katie Maratta. Alongside established painters, McMurtrey gallery also represents a select group of internationally recognized photographers and several first-time exhibiting artists. McMurtrey Gallery was the debut venue for internationally acclaimed photographer Keith Carter. Their shows are always original, showing a broad range of fresh, contemporary artworks.

Works by first-time exhibitors and master artists come together at Redbud Gallery. The gallery opened in 1999 and has a global outlook, showing art that promotes the rich culture of the USA. Featured artists include the well known Lucas Johnson, Anglebert Metoyer and Al Souza. Works on display at Redbud encompass all media including prints, sculpture, ceramics, photos, drawings, glass, paintings, and installations on a local, national and international basis. Alongside their in-house exhibition program, Redbud promote Texan art abroad through their group exchange shows in Germany, China, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, and Greece, among others. In addition to contemporary works, the gallery also specializes in works on paper by old and modern masters. The gallery holds well-attended regular openings, usually coinciding with Houston’s First Saturday event, where visitors can enjoy contemporary art and engage with represented artists.

Established in 2006 by gallerist, art space director and art critic Wade Wilson, this gallery brings work of the highest calibre to Houston’s contemporary art scene. Representing over 20 nationally and internationally recognized talents, Wade Wilson displays consistently relevant, museum-quality works including paintings, photography and sculptures. The success of the gallery comes from Wilson’s extensive experience as a curator, critic and commercial art dealer. Wade Wilson’s dedication to the visual arts and arts education is shown through their cutting-edge exhibition program and interaction with non-profit arts communities. The Houston gallery also has a sister venue in Santa Fe which opened on 2013.