Unchained.Art Contemporary Gallery presents favorite pieces: the artist’s edit, the gallery’s Annual Invitational bringing together artists from Austin and beyond in a personal and revealing look at what matters most within their practice.
In this exhibition, each artist presents one self-selected work, a piece they consider essential to their practice. Removed from external framing, the selection becomes personal and direct. What emerges is not a survey, but a concentrated view into what each artist believes holds weight within their body of work.

Spanning painting and sculpture, the exhibition reflects the evolving scope of the gallery’s program. Long-standing collaborators appear alongside newly introduced voices, creating a layered dialogue across material, gesture, and perspective. The result is expansive yet deliberate, unified by the act of selection itself.

“favorite pieces is about bringing people closer to the artists,” says Christina Hiltscher, Founder and Director of Unchained.Art Contemporary Gallery. “When an artist chooses the one work that means the most to them, you see something different. You see what they return to, what they stand behind, and what feels essential from their own perspective.”

Each work is accompanied by the artist’s own words explaining why it matters. These statements open a more intimate layer of the exhibition, offering insight into process, memory, and intention. The result is not simply a presentation of artworks, but an opportunity to experience them through the artist’s lens.

Austin-based artist Via Boley reflects on her selection:
“Choosing a favorite piece required me to step outside the usual rhythm of the studio and look back across my practice. Each work is a fragment of where I was at that moment and evidence of what I had yet to understand. Looking back at the work reminded me how important it is to balance the past and the future in the studio.”
Boley’s selected work, Impermanent, marks a turning point in her practice, signaling her transition from observational imagery toward a more abstract visual language.

As Unchained.Art marks three years in Austin, favorite pieces underscores the gallery’s commitment to meaningful dialogue between artists and collectors. Founded in Zurich in 2020 and now based in a historic Beaux-Arts building in downtown Austin, Unchained.Art Contemporary presents a curated program connecting emerging and established artists from Europe, North America, and beyond. With exhibitions in Austin and internationally, the gallery brings an international perspective paired with strong local voices to Austin’s evolving art scene.

Program Highlight

•    Artist Conversation with Tom Hoitsma – April 29 | 5 – 7PM
•    Metal and Abstract Sculptures with Vera Smiley and Jeff Bush – May 2 | 4 – 6PM
•    Emerging Voice: Marcus Delzell – May 3 | 2 – 4PM
•    Artist Talk with Hallie Rae Ward – May 6 | 5 – 7PM
•    Artist Conversation with Erin Carle – May 9 | 4 – 6PM​