Articles by wilso952

Stargazing

By wilso952 October 8, 2011
Processing

As I walked along the wood floors of the recently re-opened Weisman Art Museum, my pace quickened (though still within an appropriate pace for an art gallery) as I directed my strides towards the new Woodhouse Family Gallery. This gallery features WAM’s collection of contemporary American artwork and includes works of the artists Marsden Hartley, B.J.O. Nordfeldt, Alfred Maurer and Georgia O’Keeffe, to name a few.

While each of these artists deserves an appreciation (and a blog post), my sense of eagerness and hurried pace to this gallery was for one reason, and one reason only: Star Cage.

In processing the WAM archival collection over the past 8 months, we have uncovered many records detailing the exhibition of David Smith’s sculpture, “Star Cage.” Though the records have served to build intrigue amongst the processors, “Star Cage” itself has remained illusive and distant (as represented in this undated photo of the gallery spaces in Northrop Auditorium):

As the piece has become a popular representation of Smith’s work, it is frequently loaned to other museums, and not until recently, for the occasion of the re-opening of WAM, was it returned to Minneapolis to be displayed in the museum. The sculpture was the first piece to be acquired for the University Gallery’s John Rood Sculpture Collection, (established by the long-time University art department faculty member and sculptor for which it is named).

See what we have uncovered about “Star Cage” over the past several months, and hurry over to WAM’s new galleries to join me in some stargazing…

A previous blog post details the folder titled, “Minneapolis Sculpture,” which includes a newspaper clipping with a photograph of the sculpture next to Joan Mondale at the Vice President’s Residence in Washington D.C., where the work was exhibited in 1977.

Yet another post details a photo contact sheet found of the work in a 1959 exhibition of Japanese prints.

Box 3 contains a contact sheet, likely of promotional photos taken of the gallery, with “Star Cage” prominently featured alongside gallery curator, Betty Maurstad.

MHMHMHMH

By wilso952 October 8, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery, Weisman Art Museum

In 1952, the University Gallery held an exhibition of the works of Marsden Hartley. This promotional poster notes the dates of the exhibition:

The exhibit was held in conjunction with the release of a book of which the artist was subject. According to a U of M News Release, dated April 25, 1952 (Digital Conservancy) the book, Marsden Hartley, authored by Elizabeth McCausland, and published by the University Press, contains “a biographical and critical essay on the artist and is illustrated with reproductions of 43 of his works, ranging from some of his earliest paintings to the one on his easel at the time of his death in 1943.”

Specifically, the book profiles the Hartley works that were in the collection of Hudson Walker (the first curator of the University Gallery). Walker’s collection was, at that time, on permanent loan to the University Gallery.

Today, the Weisman Art Museum’s Ione and Hudson D. Walker Collection (a bequest to the gallery in the 1970s), features the largest collection of Hartley’s works. Several of these works are prominently featured in WAM’s new expanded galleries in the current exhibit titled, “Cartography of a Collection.”

The Biographer’s and Processor’s New Best Friend

By wilso952 September 28, 2011
Processing, University Gallery

I came across an article in the New York Times by Stephen Mihm titled, “The Biographer’s New Best Friend,” that commented upon the usefulness of digitized newspapers to biographers in tracking the whereabouts of the people they are researching.

Digitized newspapers have also aided WAM archives processors by providing context to the materials contained within the collection.

Take for instance a folder that contains excellent photographs… but that also does not include excellent captions or descriptions of said photographs. Last spring on the WAM Files, my co-processor shared excellent photos of the University Gallery’s art rental program that she uncovered while processing. Staff at the University Archives later shared with us additional photos related to the art rental program that are contained in their photograph collection (at left – “Art gallery. lending pictures. 1948.” pictured are Sallie Wruck, Elvie Berggren, and Betty Maurstad, Curator – from the University Archives).

To learn more about the student art rental program, I performed a few keyword searches of “art rental” and “University Gallery” on the MN Daily website (online presence of the student-run University newspaper), and received results from the Daily’s PDF Archives. Upon reviewing my results, I was almost instantly able to learn more about the art rental program and process by accessing these digitized newspaper files:

A January 11, 1944 MN Daily headline informed, “Decorating Those Walls: U Gallery Prints are Renting Fast.” The article indicated that although enrollment had decreased (due to the war), 70 students rented 133 prints, and 16 servicemen borrowed 38 prints. The Gallery also loaned 23 prints to the Navy for USS Minnesota.

In an August 14, 1947 MN Daily article titled, “U Offers Art For Two Bits,” the history of the program and report of student tastes was offered:

“During the first quarter of its operation only 50 prints were rented to students. Since that time the number has increased to about 450 in a regular quarter… According to Betty Maurstad, most of the students are repeat customers. Almost all of them live on campus in dormitories, fraternities, and sororities. Quite a few live in the University village… The few prints of the modernist school in the gallery are becoming more popular. Also there is an increasing interest in sculptured pieces…

…So for a quarter, enjoy your art at home. Choose what you will. Hang it where you like. If you can’t paint one, rent one.”

Thanks to the biographer’s -and the processor’s- new best friend, with a personal computer, internet access, and a PDF reader, you can do your research… where you like.

Portraiture

By wilso952 September 26, 2011
University Gallery

This past week, the University of Minnesota welcomed new President Eric Kaler with an inauguration – amongst other fanfare and ceremony. The Student Unions and Activities office shared a photograph of President Kaler next to his picture portrait that will be placed in the President’s Room of Coffman Memorial Union.

This lead me to think of the origin of the portrait of the University president for which the student union is named: President Lotus Delta Coffman. The University Gallery, as it turns out, had a large role in preparing Coffman’s portraiture for display.

From the WAM Collection, file of the Fine Arts Committee, Box 110, Minutes of the Fine Arts Committee, December 4, 1939:

“The fifth item to be discussed was relative to the portrait of President Coffman. This painting was completed by Mr. John Johansen of New York, and was ready for its first viewing by the Arts Committee. The Committee went to Mr. Burton’s studio where the painting was shown. It was the consensus of opinion that the portrait was a dignified one and well represented Mr. Coffman and that for future generations it would be a worthy record of him. Instructions were then given Mrs. Lawrence to take the portrait to the Gallery for cataloguing, photographing, and storage until the frame could be designed by Mr. Johansen and the painting could finally be put into place in the main lounge of the Coffman Memorial union. Instructions were given Mrs. Lawrence to have 6 8×10 photographs made by Mr. Hollis and 1 small photo for the Gallery records. One 8×10 print is to go to Mrs. Coffman, one is to be kept in the Gallery files, and the remaining four are to be sent to Dean Willey’s office.”

*President Coffman passed away September 22 1938.

You are Invited: IV

By wilso952 September 21, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

Since we will be well over half a century late to the tea mentioned in the at-left invitation for University art professor Allen Downs, you are instead invited to review the archival resources that illuminate his exhibition of photography at the University Gallery, April 24-May 22, 1953…

From the MN Daily’s PDF Archives, The Ivory Tower April 27, 1953, “Downs Calls Photos ‘New Object’ in Art”

“Subject matter of the pictures varies from slum districts to Niagara Falls and nudes.

Downs, who came to the University in 1948, called his work ‘the fusion’ of documentation and abstraction. ‘A photograph is a new object, in spite of its authentic appearance as a document of past experience,’ he said.”

From the WAM Collection at the University Archives, Box 4: (the invitation) and photographs of the exhibit:

Once upon a time…

By wilso952 September 15, 2011
Exhibitions, Processing

Once upon a time… the negatives of installation photos taken of the exhibit, “Once Upon a Time: Illustrations of Children’s Tales From Around the World” were not rolled up and bound by a rubber band.

In context of the included note, and upon unraveling the now accordion-ized negatives, it appears as if the exhibit was held in the foyer of Northrop Auditorium:

Then and Now

By wilso952 September 7, 2011
Processing, Weisman Art Museum

As WAM staff prepare to re-open next month following a year-long closure in which the existing museum facility received a face-lift and addition, it is an interesting occasion that we at the Archives are processing the very boxes that document the initial planning and physical build of the Frank Gehry designed museum which resides on the East Bank of the U of M-Twin Cities campus.

The following photos were found amongst the folders and contents that later filled BOX 174. A folder titled, “New Building: Site planning” was paper-clipped to the photographs. The date stamp on the photos give a clue to the year they were taken…

Can you identify what is missing from the following photos?

Cordially III

By wilso952 September 4, 2011
Exhibitions, University Art Museum

The University of Minnesota Art Museum cordially invited visitors to view the exhibitions, The Woodblock Prints of B.J.O. Nordfeldt and Emily Nordfeldt’s Legacy: Paintings, Drawings and Prints of B.J.O. Nordfeldt at a reception held Sunday, February 17, 1991, which included a gallery talk, woodblock printing demonstration, and tea, sherry and light refreshments.

A large collection of Nordfeldt’s works can be found in WAM’s permanent collection.

Seong Moy

By wilso952 August 26, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

The artist Seong Moy was hired at the University as an Art Lecturer for the spring quarter of 1950-1951. As was customary for visiting artists in the Department of Art, an exhibition of Moy’s work was displayed at the Gallery during his appointment (exhibit dates: May 3-June 15, 1951).

To learn more about Moy, I turned to the Archives of American Art, which has a vast collection of oral history interviews with American artists. I found a comprehensive oral history interview with Moy (the transcript is accessible on their website) in which I learned of his upbringing in China, immigration to Minnesota, development as an artist at the St. Paul School of Art and influences of other artists on his training, war service, teaching, and his time in New York with the Art Students League, amongst other topics…

As it turns out I didn’t need to refer to an external source to find more information on Moy, as there is another interview with the artist that is contained right here at the University – in the WAM collection. The transcript of the interview was found in Box 3, in a folder titled, “Seong Moy, Prints and Oils, May 3-June 15, 1951.” Clues from the transcript itself indicate the particulars behind the interview. The transcript is titled, “Critically Speaking” and is dated as “Thursday, April 26, 1951.” A time of, “2:00” is also indicated.

An article in the February 3, 1951 edition of the MN Daily titled, “KUOM Adds New Discussion Series on Entertainment,” indicates that “Critically Speaking” was a daily radio broadcast that featured “discussions on art, movies, radio, television, books and the theater. ” This particular broadcast of Critically Speaking begins with an introduction of current exhibitions and promotion of exhibitions that were forthcoming by a speaker identified as “Betty.” This is likely Betty Maurstad, a curator at the University Gallery.

Betty: … but the highlight of our spring exhibition program will be an exhibition of work by Mr. Seong Moy – which will open on May 3rd – just exactly one week from today. Mr. Moy, who is the visiting artist at the University of Minnesota during this spring quarter, has graciously accepted our invitation to be with us on the program this afternoon and so, at this time, I would like to introduce: Mr. Seong Moy.

Seong: How do you do.

Betty: You know, Mr. Moy – we’re really very much excited about your forthcoming exhibition at the University Gallery – and we’re delighted that you could take time from your teaching duties to be with me this afternoon – so you can tell me something about – oh, about your work – and about yourself.

Here are a few pages from the broadcast Critically Speaking, featuring artist Seong Moy:

View works by Seong Moy in the Weisman’s permanent collection in the Digital Content Library.

Purchase Prizes

By wilso952 August 24, 2011
Exhibitions, University Gallery

In 1950, the University Gallery announced it would be holding it’s first national print exhibit, inviting artists from across the country to submit entries for competition of prizes of up to $600 (UM News Release, September 20, 1950: Digital Conservancy).

“Each artist who wishes to exhibit may enter two prints that he has executed sometime within the last 18 months…The one dollar entry fee and entry blank must be sent by Nov. 10 to the University Gallery…”

A Dec 4, 1950 UM News Release (Digital Conservancy) announced the winning prints, which were displayed in the Gallery through the end of January and became part of the Gallery’s permanent collection.

(Select the hyperlinks below to view the purchased artwork at the Digital Content Library).

Moorish Knight – Mary Demopoulos, Minnesota
Fourth Magi – Bruce Shobaken, Minnesota
Bird – Richard Koppe, Illinois
The Mother – Ann Didyk, Iowa
Tensions – Gene Pettit, California
Aquarium – Antonio Frasconi, New York
Narrow Street – Armin Landeck, New York
Symposium – Robert Knipschild

*A folder titled, “First National Print Annual Exhibition, Dec. 6, 1950-Jan. 19, 1951” can be found in Box 3 of the WAM archival collection at the University Archives.

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