Schedule of Events for Art of the Table Weekend November 18-21
Art of the Table happening this weekend at the Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Milwaukee Art Museum is premiering Art of the Table, a four-day event that presents the unique tabletop installations of twenty-two area artists and designers, inspired by the art in the Museum’s galleries. A lecture by design impresario and vibrant personality Alberto Alessi is among the slate of program offerings. The event runs Thursday, November 18, through Sunday, November 21, and is included with Museum admission.
Art of the Table is a tribute to art and installation design, and the perfect complement to the feature exhibition European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century, which is on view through January 9, 2011. Twenty-two area artists and designers were each challenged to create a non-traditional tabletop installation for specific galleries throughout the Museum. Participants include local artists Ray Chi, Della Wells, JoAnna Poehlmann, Tim Garland and more, plus national retailers Anthropologie, Williams Sonoma, Design Within Reach, and Crate & Barrel.
“Art of the Table was inspired by the wealth of beautiful objects the Museum has in its Collection, as well as the overwhelming success of our spring event, Art in Bloom,” said Fran Serlin, director of public programs at the Museum. “We hope that this will be the first annual Art of the Table event.”
Kicking off the festivities is a 6:15 p.m. lecture on November 18 by Italian design master Alberto Alessi, President of Alessi and CEO/Marketing Strategies and Design Management. Alessi will share the story of his family’s company and the progressive role it has played in bringing creative and functional design to the world market. The lecture is open to the public and overflow seating is available.
On Friday, November 19, MAM After Dark: Under the Table will pay homage to both Art of the Table and Under the Table, an impressively large On Site installation by Robert Therrien, located in the heart of Windhover Hall. A video of the Alessi lecture will be replayed in Lubar Auditorium at 6:15 p.m. as part of the event.
A Saturday morning book salon on Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things by Donald Norman and a Sunday afternoon lecture by Racine Art Museum Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce Pepich on “The Art of Dining: Creating Handmade Objects for the Tabletop” round out the weekend.
“The entire weekend will be filled with exciting events and beautiful displays of gallery-inspired tabletop art by twenty-two of the areas premiere artists, designers, retail outlets, and universities,” said Serlin. “It will be family-friendly and fun.”
On Sunday, November 21, Racine Art Museum members will receive free admission with their RAM membership card.
Hours and Admission
The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Thursdays until 8 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for students, seniors and active military, and is free for Members and children 12 and under.
The first Thursday of each month is Target Free First Thursdays and admission is free for all Museum visitors.
Art of the Table Programming
Thursday, November 18
Lecture: Alessi 1921–2010: The Phenomenon of the Italian Design Factories and the Alessi Case
6:15 PM, Lubar Auditorium
Featuring Alberto Alessi, President of Alessi and CEO/Marketing Strategies and Design Management
Friday, November 19
MAM After Dark: Under the Table
5 PM to midnight
Saturday, November 20
Book Salon: Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things by Donald Norman
10:30 AM
RSVP to Amy.Kirschke@mam.org or 414-224-3826
Demonstration: The Art of Plating
2 PM, Windhover Hall
Featuring Thi Cao, Executive Chef for Café Caltrava
Sunday, November 21
Lecture: The Art of Dining: Creating Handmade Objects for the Tabletop
2 PM, Lubar Auditorium
Featuring Bruce W. Pepich, executive director and curator of collections for the Racine Art Museum
Racine Art Museum Members receive free admission on Sunday, November 21.
Art of the Table Marketplace
Thursday, November 18–Sunday, November 21
Featuring the work of Iittala, Creative Danes, Acme, MoMA, Alessi, and more
About the Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum’s far-reaching holdings include more than 20,000 works spanning antiquity to the present day. With a history dating back to 1888, the Museum houses a collection with strengths in 19th- and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary art, American decorative arts, and folk and self-taught art. The Museum includes the Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion, named by Time magazine as “Best Design of 2001.” For more information, please visit www.mam.org.
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