UT Dallas hosts sculptures by Mexican contemporary artist José Sacal this fall as part of a national traveling exhibition. 

The UT Dallas Center for U.S.-Latin America Initiatives (CUSLAI) has partnered with the UT Dallas Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History (EODIAH), the Sacal Foundation, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), and the Mexican Embassy in Dallas to host a curated sculpture walk on campus by renowned Mexican sculptor José Sacal (1944-2018).

In 2006, José Sacal gained the distinction of becoming the first Mexican artist to have sculptures permanently displayed in China. His work can be viewed throughout the United States, Israel, and especially Mexico City.

To demonstrate the cosmopolitanism of this unique Jewish-Mexican artist, the Sacal Foundation selected 21 sculptures for their traveling exhibition “José Sacal: Un Mexicano Universal”, a show demonstrating Sacal’s Surrealist manifestations of prominent historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, and Frida Kahlo. The University of Texas at Dallas is honored that the Sacal Foundation selected us as a special recipient of this traveling exhibition, which will reside on campus for the Fall 2022 semester.

Craig Cole ’21 is the Head Curator of the installation, and he has placed Sacal’s work on a path that winds between the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology building, Eugene McDermott Library, Cecil H. Green Hall, Erik Jonsson Academic Center, and the new Sciences Building. Cole’s design highlights the diversity of Sacal’s subjects and illuminates the artist’s fusion of art and science.

He hopes students, faculty, and visitors will interact with the historical narrative, the function of Surrealism, and how Sacal deconstructs his figures in a signature style. Through Sacal’s work, Cole ultimately aims to establish an argument for the ongoing presence of global artists in America’s public universities.

There will be a special lecture by world-renowned José Sacal scholar Gregario Luke in ATEC on September 12 starting at 5 p.m., followed by an opening reception at 6 p.m. in the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. The reception will feature talks by President Dr. Richard C. Benson and the sponsors of the show. Luke will give the most extensive talk, offering a deep dive into Sacal’s biography and motivations as an artist. The event is open to all who wish to learn more about one of Mexico’s most esteemed sculptors.