Sandy Skoglund: Enchanting Nature

Enchanting Nature is published on the occasion of the homonymous exhibition presented at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, USA, from September 11 through February 1, 2026. The publication’s text and images expand on the breadth of Skoglund’s artistic practice as a sculptor, installation artist, and photographer. The clash of culture and nature is eternal, an ongoing struggle that characterizes some of humanity’s epic concerns. The conflict between the manmade world and the natural environment and the paradoxes this conflict creates are a central focus in the work of the artist. This dialogue exists behind a facade of lush color and form that defines Skoglund’s distinctive, dream-like images. Her work expresses reality as perception, a form of psychological truth. In the visual turmoil of the compositions there is a striking sense of urgency and familiarity. In this chaos, as if gasping for breath, Skoglund’s work is about drowning in the super-saturated consciousness of contemporary life. Enchanting Nature includes the artist’s seminal installations—Revenge of the Goldfish and Radioactive Cats—alongside the never-before exhibited installation, Fresh Hybrid, from 2008. Both the publication and exhibition Enchanting Nature showcase work from throughout the artist’s career, emphasizing ongoing themes in her art including nature, the environment, and interspecies kinship. Skoglund’s recent series, The Outtakes, revisits the artist’s prior photoshoots to recover alternative shots originally rejected as mistakes.