education

Power, Mutiny and Monster Island

By heathercarroll February 2, 2018
Exhibitions, Processing, Uncategorized, Weisman Art Museum

While processing the archival materials of the curatorial department of the Weisman Art Museum, I came across an article from MN Daily called Imaginative Immersion: Three Days, Five Artists, which was about an atypical exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum in February of 2008. These five artists were part of a group independent study with UMN’s art department inspired by Paul Shambroom’s exhibit at WAM the previous spring titled Picturing Power. The independent course culminated in “a semi-impromptu mural” titled Mutiny. The students–Andy Brinkman, Brett Gustafson, Miles Mendenhall, Rhett Roberts and Travis Hetman–formed the group known as Monster Island. Over the course of three(ish) days, Monster Island installed Mutiny in the Shepherd Room of the Weisman Art Museum.

Monster Island

mon·ster is·land
-noun

Multi-headed art beast originating from Minneapolis, MN. Known to eat art.

Geographical location designed specifically for the containment of gigantic creatures.

Thanks to the Wayback Machine for the snippet above from Monster Island’s former website

To exhibit in a museum is a truly amazing opportunity for students. The only caveat to this opportunity: they could leave no mark or trace on the walls of this room. Instead the students used large sheets of paper “(sketched, painted and chalked) and a whole lot of blue masking tape.”

“In their five-day project, Monster Island sought to address this relationship between public and private space, and the power between and throughout those spaces, not only through the final piece, but also through the interactive experience of construction. While the process unfurled as a sea of paper, paint and chalk onto the carpeted floor of the Shepherd Room, the guys encouraged museum-goers to enter, examine and discuss.”

MN Daily reporters followed the mural project’s installation, evolution and soundtrack from beginning to the opening celebration on Feb 24, 2008. The article mentions a timelapse of the installation that I’d love to see someday.

For more, click on the images below or contact nationalsales@mndaily.com for the more information or a copy of the article.

Mutiny article, part 1.

Mutiny article, part 2.

Mutiny article, part 3.

—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.

WPA: Visual Aids to Teachers of Art

By wilso952 August 15, 2012
Processing, University Gallery

In her report titled, “University of Minnesota Gallery of Art,” with “Mrs. Lawrence 25-year report” written in pencil across the top, long time gallery director Ruth Lawrence provided a 24 page background on all of the activities of the Gallery over the course of 25 years. A large portion of the report — nearly seven pages — outlined the Works Progress Administration (WPA) work projects assigned to the Gallery. Ruth reflected, “By February 6, 1938, significant changes were taking place, but greater ones were ahead. On that date the Emergency Relief Works Progress Administration assigned a project of 20 workmen to the Gallery.”

From 1938-1942 WPA workers were assigned to annual work projects in the University Gallery. The main duties of their work consisted of developing an art reference service to support instruction at the University. Workers also created circulating exhibitions comprised of visual aids for teachers. These visual aids were matted, framed, and compiled by the WPA employees and distributed by the Junior League Clubs of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth. Exhibitors from elementary and secondary schools, teachers colleges, and other small arts organizations throughout the state could rent the visual aid exhibits for a fee that covered postage.

Found within WAM’s collection of exhibition catalogues was a stapled report titled, “Visual Aids to Teachers of Art” that included descriptions of the exhibits and how they could be rented. A booklet titled, “Horses in Art, Exhibition No. 101” was also found. This booklet, which contains instructions and a sample curriculum, accompanied the exhibit materials. Exhibits were comprised of 10 reproductions of old and contemporary artwork that were mounted to boards, designed to be set in the grooves of a chalk well and rest against classroom blackboards.

After the outbreak of WWII, all WPA work at the University was re-assigned to the war effort, and the art reference service was scaled back to provide resources to University instructors and students only. Ruth reflected, “All traveling exhibitions were stopped. During the war years unfortunately, these were destroyed by a mysterious fire in the storage or fan room, beginning in the organ loft.”

Thanks to the accessibility of the Minnesota Daily’s PDF Archives, more information about the mysterious fire is gleaned when a search of the PDF Archives provided a copy of the November 5, 1942 edition of the newspaper, which contains the following headline, “Fire Destroys Northrop Art Works.” The article begins,

A fire of undetermined origin burning for more than half an hour in the organ blower room, 303 Northrop auditorium, yesterday destroyed almost all of the art displays, and equipment stored in the room.

About $250 worth of picture frame moldings, ten elementary school art exhibits and numerous picture display board were burned.

Thanks to the WPA project reports, the existence and preservation of posters and catalogues, as well as additional resources such as the PDF Archives, we are able to learn more about the unique services and programs that the Gallery once provided.

Art I

By wilso952 June 25, 2011
University Gallery

The short-titled folder, “Art I” merely contains a few black and white photographs…

An October 4, 1947 UM News Release (Digital Conservancy), contains a report from H. Harvard Arnason, chairman of the Department of Art at the University of Minnesota, detailing the organization, purposes, and programming of the department, and brings insight to the meaning behind, “Art I”

“Art I is a lecture and workshop course designed to introduce the student to the many problems involved in the first approaches to objects of art. Examples selected from great works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are used to illustrate principles of design and the various intents of the artist. In the workshop the student attempts to solve in a simplified form, certain basic problems in color, design and interpretation which have concerned artists. In the lecture period he is then shown how the great artists of the past and present have approached and solved these same problems. The introductory course is being taught cooperatively by a large part of the art faculty, and thus serves as an integrating factor for faculty as well as students. “

Art Sandwiched In

By wilso952 June 14, 2011
University Art Museum

Almost everyday for lunch I have a turkey sandwich at my desk (not in the Archives – no food allowed of course). This is not very exciting, or interesting whatsoever. I thought about my mundane lunch ritual when I came across the folder titled, “Art Sandwiched In” in BOX 88. In the late 1980s, the University Art Museum conducted lunchtime art programming for University staff. Lectures were held on a variety of art topics, from the history of furniture to ancient world wonders.

Although this program has long since ended, I found myself jealous of the University staff members of years past who had this exciting lunchtime opportunity open to them. Then I thought of the University’s Public Art on Campus program, administered by the Weisman. I think I’ll create my own lunch time art appreciation series, grab my turkey sandwich, leave my desk behind, and find a bench next to a campus installation to “sandwich in” some art…

education

Monster Island

Thanks to the Wayback Machine for the snippet above from Monster Island’s former website

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