construction

A Sonnet for WAM

In the summer of 2011 while the Weisman Art Museum was closed for construction, local visual poet Scott Helmes proposed a sonnet to honor the completion of an expansion to the iconic building. The correspondence from Helmes is as engaging to look at as the artist’s other works.

Helmes proposal begins:

Please send me a small plastic bag of dirt, sand, gravel, dust, from your museum construction site.
I will return to you a dedication sonnet, signed with the date of your opening, as a gift of the artist to your collection.

The finished work of art titled Weisman Art Museum Dedication Sonnet E on October 2, 2011 was added WAM’s collection in 2011. These letters whjich were previously amidst other files of correspondence now reside in the WAM registrar’s object files rather than the archives because the letters deal specifically with the creation and acquisition of an artwork in the collection. Although no image is currently available for this artwork, it is similar in appearance to the photographic example sent with the letter.

Helmes other works are included in WAM’s collection, Minneapolis Institute of Art, various other art collection and his writings are included in the Avant Writing Collection of The Ohio State University Libraries

Heather Carroll is the processing archivist for the Weisman Art Museum‘s collection at the University of Minnesota Archives. This project was made possible by funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.


Many Many Many Thanks

Thank you notes. Copies of hundreds and hundreds of hand written, personalized thank you notes, jam packed and bound into sturdy 4″ cloth covered binders that are labeled “datebooks”.

These notes were all written by Lyndel King, Director of the University Gallery and Weisman Art Museum (WAM) since 1975.  King was director during the fundraising campaign and building process of the iconic Gehry-designed museum, which opened in 1993. The notes of gratitude contained in these “datebook” binders were written in 2010 to the many donors responsible for funding the 8,100 square foot addition to WAM.

Stewarding the relationships that make art collections and museums possible is just one of the many behind-the-scenes, and often thankless, duties of a museum director. These notes show grace, expertise and a passionate commitment to WAM. I can only imaging the time and effort she put into ensuring every donor was appropriately and personally thanked for their contribution.

A big thank you to Lyndel King for her efforts and achievements on behalf of WAM, the arts, the UMN community and beyond.

Paging through a “datebook” of correspondence including personalized thank you notes from Lyndel King to donors.

Special thanks to Liz Kammerer and Mark Yechout for their help in making the gif for this post.

Heather Carroll is the processing archivist for the Weisman Art Museum‘s collection at the University of Minnesota Archives. This project was made possible by funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.


Where in the world?

Could it be Delaware?

Could it be Washington?

Yes to both.

Stumped?

 

 

Weisman Art Museum before construction

Found in the archvies: a parking with a view. An undated, uncredited photo of a parking lot that no longer exists on the Minneapolis campus.

Heather Carroll is the processing archivist for the Weisman Art Museum‘s collection at the University of Minnesota Archives. This project was made possible by funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.