The WAM Files

A Model Museum

By arecaroe June 9, 2011
Exhibitions, Weisman Art Museum

A polaroid from July of 1993 features a small scale model of the Weisman Art Museum interior, which opened in November of that year. This represented a huge step for the University Art Museum—after 59 years of being housed in Northrop Auditorium’s upper floors, and many false starts at finding funds for another building, the museum was about to move into a world-class architectural wonder.

I recently got a peek into the new WAM expansion that is currently under construction, and spotted a scale model very much like this earlier one, outlining the gallery configuration and placement of art. The expansion will allow the museum to display more than three times as many objects from the permanent collection. Indeed, the “Little Gallery” has come a long way.

In the same file as the polaroid, I also found a set of blueprints for the Weisman Art Museum from the early 1990s. The most fascinating part to me was the tangle of lines and angles that illustrates the side facing the river—rather unusual in a blueprint, I would imagine.

How To Do It

By wilso952 June 1, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

While processing the WAM collection, it is not an often occurrence to come across a folder containing only photographs. Box 3 however, is an exception. Several folders in Box 3 contain multiple 8×11 prints that capture early Gallery exhibits.

The presence of photographs (with no writing on the back) and lack of related correspondence or supporting materials leaves this processor continually curious… Take for instance the folder titled, “How to Do It.” This folder contains only photographs… photographs that look like this:

A broken chair? Ripped upholstery? This doesn’t look like fine art, it looks like what you would find on the curb or in the alley outside of a Minneapolis apartment building on the 1st of the month. Why are these “pieces” being exhibited at the University Gallery?

With no contextual information, I turned to other online resources to satisfy my curiosity. After an exhaustive search of UM News Releases (Digital Conservancy), and newspapers from the MN Daily’s PDF Archives, I think I may have found an answer to this unusual display.

In the January 17, 1946 edition of the MN Daily, the following headline jumped out at me:

In the article, Ruth Lawrence is quoted, explaining that, “Hints and Ideas for Your Home is the introductory offering in a new experimental Gallery program… It will bring the home, its design and function to the public as the basis of successful living.”

The article further explains the objective of the exhibit:

“… to give a visual picture of the different stages in home repair problems… There will be demonstrations of remodeling furniture, framing pictures and making simple electrical repairs.

Instructions in the various methods and processes used also will be given from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day during the exhibition in the Gallery. For those students wishing to try ‘to do it’ tools and materials will be available in the arts craft workshop in the Union.”

Should the Weisman, in a nod to the past, attempt any “how to do it” experimental “repair” and “refinish” programming in the future, it may be best to ensure that the museum’s large collection of Korean furniture is not exhibited at the same time…

Art Week, 1940

By arecaroe May 31, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

National Art Week was a nation-wide festival of arts held in late November of 1940, with the aim of encouraging Americans to buy American art. In Minnesota, numerous organizations held events, including the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the (then quite small) University Gallery. In fact, Ruth Lawrence, the Gallery’s director, served as Chairman of the Minnesota State Council for Art Week. I discovered an envelope full of patriotic “ART” ribbons still in pristine shape in the files, which were doubtless used to promoet the events. A booklet from Chicago about Art Week gave some more information, with an introduction by Daniel Catton Rich, Director of Fine Arts at The Art Institute of Chicago. He describes Art Week:

Doubtless you have often thought, “Wouldn’t I like to own a picture or a print or a piece of sculpture or a distinguished piece of craft-work.” Here is your chance. Throughout the city there will be exhibitions, visits to galleries and studios, art festivals, balls and demonstrations, all with one idea: to help you select what you desire at prices ranging from $1.00 to $100.00.

When this week is over countless American homes will be brighter and more interesting because art has come in the front door. And remember in enriching your life you are helping your neighbor, the American artist.

He closes with the fairly blunt: “Celebrate National Art Week. Enjoy its stimulating program. And don’t forget to BUY.”

Promotional Provenance

By wilso952 May 25, 2011
University Gallery

A general gallery brochure, multiple copies of which were tucked innocuously into multiple folders, from those documenting grant applications to others partially titled as “PR” or “Publicity,” announced the Gallery’s features, services, and most importantly, location and hours (when and how to get there!).

A clue to the year of the creation of the brochure resides in the descriptive text on the Exhibitions panel, which provides a list of exhibits to be held in 1972-1973.

The brochure documents how the organization presented itself at a certain moment in time. Included text promotes the Gallery’s collection:

“… outstanding works of art of all media which ranges in period from antiquity to the present and which is international in scope.”

The images selected showcase selected works of art from the collection, to include Oriental Poppies (Georgia O’Keeffe) and The Pod (Harry Bertoia).

Materials initially created for the promotion of the then current activities of Gallery, when kept in archives, now also serve to promote the provenance of the Museum.

The Balloon: A Bicentennial Exhibition

By wilso952 May 23, 2011
Exhibitions, University Art Museum

To celebrate the invention of the balloon in 1783, the University Art Museum held a bicentennial exhibition in 1983… and collaborated with other arts organizations to provide events that featured the art, technology, and history of – the balloon.

The 1984 U of M Summer Session Bulletin (contained within a “Ballooning” folder) features the ballooning festivities by including a cover image of a hot-air balloon that was present on campus (with a design that matches the original Montgolfier balloon).

From a September 6, 1983 UM News Release (Digital Conservancy),”200 Years of Ballooning Will Be Celebrated with Facts and Fancy at U of M Art Museum,”

“Original engravings, watercolors, etchings and decorative art objects will depict experiments and fantasies in balloon design and will indicate how the balloon was used as a symbol and in satire… An additional exhibition of photographic murals will show the development of flight from its invention to the present.”

The exhibit included items from the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Gimbel Aeronautical Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York, MIA, as well as the U of M Libraries own ballooning collection.

(Today, Images of Ballooning from the Piccard, Scholl and Winzen Collections can be accessed from the UMedia Archive.)

The opening preview invitation for the exhibition reveals how “Ballooning” was introduced to the University… complete with fashion show, a gourmet balloon-inspired buffet dinner, and balloon launch. (Though, note that the fireworks were canceled).

The news release also indicates that music would compliment the festivities:

“Students and faculty of the university’s School of Music will perform musical selections arranged by Professor Robert Laudon at 8 p.m. Nov. 9 in Scott Hall”

A recording from the performance was kept along with the exhibition files:

Miscellany

By wilso952 May 22, 2011
Exhibitions, Processing

Most of the material contained within the folders of the WAM archives consists of standard 8.5×11 papers documenting correspondence, notes, plans, etc. However, many of the exhibition planning files also contain a wide assortment of intriguing miscellany – photos, slides, negatives, cardboard-mounted wall labels, fabric swatches, catalogue drafts, newspaper clippings, books, etc. Here are a few of the curious items recently discovered while processing:

A red pen, possibly left in the folder for decades; A paper bag with hand-drawn design/plan…

Letters taped to a design of an exhibit structure; Tile sample? Bolt?

Look at America

By arecaroe May 21, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

Look was a popular bi-weekly magazine that ran from 1937 to 1971 and had an emphasis on photography rather than articles, a bit like Life Magazine. In the files, I found a number of photographs from an exhibition titled Look at America, but I have found no other documentation about this exhibition—I can’t even tell with certainty what year it took place in the University Gallery. The introductory wall text reads:

An exhibition of LOOK magazine photographs prepared by the editors of LOOK in co-operation with the American Federation of Arts. Theme titles from the poetry of Archibald MacLeish.

I do know that from 1946-1956, the Look editors published a series of books called Look at America, so I can guess that this exhibition stemmed from the books and eventually made its way as a ready-made show to the University Gallery. (Perhaps we’ll uncover more information on this exhibition in the files we have yet to comb through!)

Update: The exhibition occurred in 1957 (thanks to Rebecca for finding the date in the Minnesota Daily archives). We also found the poster for this show: another gem:

Evolution of a Catalogue

By arecaroe May 17, 2011
Exhibitions, University Art Museum

The Go Betweens: The Lives of Immigrant Children was an exhibition developed by the University Art Museum and shown in 1986. Along with the catalogue, I found some sketches done by the designers outlining what the final catalogue would look like. I always find it interesting to peek behind the scenes and see the work that goes into creating products such as a catalogue or an exhibition…

Layout of the catalogue, and a page of the finished product.

On the road again…

By wilso952 May 16, 2011
University Gallery

In 1976, the Gallery partnered with the Minnesota Motor Transport Association and the Vocational-Technical Institute #916 Truck Driver Training program to secure transportation for the traveling component of, “ A Bicentennial Exhibition of Minnesota Art and Architecture.”

Student truck drivers completed their practical road training. Residents of greater MN experienced real works of art without having to travel to the Twin Cities.

Green light for the creation of a “Touring Exhibitions Program.”

“People wanted and asked us to continue, so we have on a smaller scale,” a quote from Lyndel King, then ‘University Gallery’ director, in a May 9, 1978 UM News Release, “U of M Gallery Brings Art to Communities,” (Digital Conservancy).

The news release provides a simple overview of the program:

“Trucks, vans and drivers were donated, brochures were developed, and a speaker traveled with the exhibit. Each community provided space for the exhibit… The Gallery has now developed seven other, smaller traveling exhibits which are available to communities along with brochures and information about the art, the artists and the time period.”

A flier described the services of the touring program as well as the exhibitions available, to include, “Cass Gilbert: Minnesota Master Architect” and “Francis Lee Jaques: Minnesota Artist-Naturalist” :

TouringProgramBrochure_1.pdf

Listen to current Weisman Art Museum Director, Lyndel King, describe the relationship with the student truck drivers and instructors that transported the touring exhibitions:

Truck_Driver_Touring.mp3

Series… spill…

By wilso952 May 14, 2011
Processing

The contents of the folders contained within the WAM files not only document the specific activities of the Weisman (and the titles that proceed it) but also of associations the museum was and continues to be involved with. There are many records that document participation in regional, state, and national “Associations,” which this archive project has designated as a series title for classification.

This is just a guess – but judging by the appearance of this memorandum, I am assuming that at some point before, during, or shortly thereafter the March 20, 1987 Minnesota Association of Museums Steering Committee meeting, a spill of some sort occurred…

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