AUSTIN, Texas — Artwork inside the Austin Convention Center has new life with just weeks to spare.
The existing convention center will close at the end of the month before demolition and construction on the new convention center begins.
However, some of the center’s legacy artwork – like Margo Sawyer’s 23-year-old “Index for Contemplation” – was at risk of being lost after the Austin City Council approved the deaccession of several pieces.
“They have no respect for the arts and no understanding of the importance of stewardship because it’s a museum in a public space,” Sawyer said following the decision.
Now, city leaders have decided to relocate and preserve four legacy art pieces after reaching agreements with three of the four artists.
What will happen to the convention center artwork?
According to the city, Sawyer’s piece, comprised of 233 pieces on nine walls, has been removed by Sawyer. The city of Austin’s Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment said it’s exploring options to retain the piece as a legacy installation in the new convention center, but would respect Sawyer’s decision to reclaim her work.
“It’s a big job to take the work down … It’s my child, in a way,” Sawyer told KVUE. “I want to make sure that it’s protected and looked after, and the convention center and the city has not done a good job.”
Here’s what’s happening with the other pieces:
- Waller Creek Shelves by Damian Priour
- The 21 hand-blown glass vessels inside the convention center’s rotunda have been around nearly 30 years. Those will now be relocated to the Austin Public Library and remain part of the city’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) collection
- Macro/Micro Culture by Rolando Briseño
- The mural, which is a series of dozens of giclée prints grouped into 12 sections, will also remain part of the city’s AIPP collection. The city said a digital version of the mural is being developed and future plans for relocation are also being considered
- Riffs & Rhythms by John Yancey
- The massive mural depicting the many traditions in Texas music is currently being removed from the convention center before ownership of the artwork is transferred to Yancey. However, the city said it’s discussing a possible reinstallation of the project in East Austin’s historic African American Heritage Cultural District
The city said it’s also planning to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the AIPP program to make sure its relevance and accessibility continue with Austin’s cultural and economic goals.
Construction on the new convention center is scheduled to be completed in late 2028, with the center reopening for the 2029 spring festival season.