▷ Michael Tracy | Buy Original Art Online

United States • 1943 - 2024

Biography

Michael Tracy, born in 1943 in Bellevue, Ohio, was a Texas-based contemporary artist known for his expressive works infused with Mexican Catholicism, Hindu pageantry, and border issues. His art, spanning painting, sculpture, photography, film, performance, and jewelry-making, explored themes of beauty, brutality, spirituality, and ritual, reflecting his deep understanding of the human soul.

Raised in a strict Catholic environment during the Cold War era, Tracy's education played a crucial role in shaping his artistic vision. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1964 from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, and later studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art from 1964 to 1967. He went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969. His work was heavily influenced by the dramatic sensuality of European Baroque painting, the richness of Catholic rituals, and the symbolic traditions of indigenous Mexican cultures. These elements merged in his art, which often featured rich color palettes and unconventional materials like wood, metal, and found objects.

Tracy was a passionate maximalist, known for his large-scale works and visceral performances that both stimulated the senses and confronted historical brutality. His creations frequently incorporated elements such as swords, religious imagery, human hair, and blood, forming intricate baroque compositions. He viewed the artist as a ceremonial figure, using his work to exorcize the horrors of European colonization in the Americas and its lasting impact on contemporary U.S. politics.

His career gained traction with major museum exhibitions, including "Seven Gold Paintings" in 1971 at the McNay Art Institute in San Antonio, "Six Paintings" in 1972 at the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi, and "Paintings and Drawings" that same year at the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston. In 1974, he staged "Sacrifice I: The Sugar," a performance in which he ritually destroyed one of his large monochrome canvases on a wooden platform inside a sugar warehouse in Galveston. This act symbolized the history of extractive economies and enslaved labor in the Americas.

In 1978, Tracy moved to San Ygnacio, a small Texas border town, where he dedicated much of his life to preserving 19th-century historic architecture. He founded the River Pierce Foundation, which focused on restoring historic buildings and fostering arts and culture in the region. His commitment to community and cultural preservation left a lasting impact on the town and its residents.

Michael Tracy passed away peacefully on June 15, 2024, at the age of 80, in his studio complex in San Ygnacio. His legacy endures through his powerful works, his influence on the contemporary art scene, and his dedication to cultural preservation and community engagement.

Nationality

American artists