The Contemporary Austin: Laguna Gloria

With the Contemporary Austin, there’s more than meets eye. For starters, it’s one institution with two locations: The Jones Center downtown, and the 14-acre Laguna Gloria site just a bit further northwest. The former is closed until November 2016 for renovations, but typically hosts various contemporary exhibits and the building itself—outfitted with a projector screen visible from the street at night—functions as a standalone architectural installation piece. The latter houses an art school, the installation-ready Gatehouse Gallery and the recently expanded Betty and Marcus Sculpture Park, which to date has featured pieces by many acclaimed artists including John Grade, Charles Long, Paul McCarthy, Jim Lambie and Monika Sosnowska, among others. If you’re looking to explore an authentic link between “contemporary art and the fabric of [Austin] city life” with roots dating back more than a century, the Contemporary belongs near the top of your list.