A Variety of Exhibitions and Events Fill the “Season of Home” at the Milwaukee Art Museum

– The midcentury works of 40 designers, images of familial relationships by contemporary black photographers and answers to art mysteries at the Museum explore the sense of home  –

Milwaukee, Wis. – August 30, 2018 – The Milwaukee Art Museum gives visitors an opportunity to explore family, community and the objects that help people make home their own through three new exhibitions and accompanying programming this fall, during the season of home.  

“Fall begins the time of year, more than any other, when we are welcoming family and friends into our homes. With this season of exhibitions and programming at the Museum, we bring into focus the things and people we associate with our sense of home and celebrate the incredible range of how we create and define this intimate space,” said Marcelle Polednik, PhD, Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director, Milwaukee Art Museum.

The season begins with an exhibition that solves a decades-old mystery. Opening September 7, Constable? A Landscape Rediscovered investigates the provenance and attribution of a painting that was donated to the Layton Art Collection by a prominent Milwaukee financier and real estate developer. When it was given, the painting was attributed to the English landscape painter John Constable, but recent Museum research and conservation have brought new attention to the work—and new revelations.

Starting September 14, Family Pictures explores the ways in which black photographers and artists have portrayed a range of familial relationships. A touchstone for many of the artists in the exhibition is the work of Harlem photographer Roy DeCarava. Opening with DeCarava’s groundbreaking book The Sweet Flypaper of Life (1955), the exhibition presents photographic series, installations and videos by an intergenerational selection of artists including  LaToya Ruby Frazier, Lyle Ashton Harris, Deana Lawson and Carrie Mae Weems.

The works of more than 40 designers, including Ray and Charles Eames and Isamu Noguchi, who employed playfulness and whimsy within their creations, are the focus of Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America, opening September 28. Set against the backdrop of a booming consumer market and Cold War anxiety, the exhibition highlights play as a serious form of inspiration, experimentation, and problem-solving. Visitors and families will have the opportunity to explore Serious Play further with a lecture series and printed family guide.

In conjunction with Serious Play, thousands of giant cards originally designed by Ray and Charles Eames and decorated by individuals throughout the community will be constructed into large-scale sculptures by local artist Ray Chi and installed in Windhover Hall and the East End. The Museum’s House of Cards project launched in March of this year and card decorating is ongoing throughout the run of the exhibition in the Kohl’s Art Generation Studio.

“Since the season of home is all about our home at the Museum and in our community, it’s fitting that we have an amazing slate of social, educational, and community programming coming up,” said Amanda C. Peterson, Director of Marketing and Communications, Milwaukee Art Museum. “Whether people are looking to see something unforgettable with visiting out-of-towners or enjoy a night out with friends in a one-of-a-kind party, we’ve got something for everyone.”

Educational programming for kids and families in the Kohl’s Art Generation Studio, open every day the Museum is open, will also be inspired by the Museum’s seasonal exhibitions. In October, hands-on art-making activities will center on the theme Families in Focus, and in November, families can learn about the Power of Play.

Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays returns on October 14 with a celebration of the annual holiday Día de los Muertos. Families can remember loved ones while learning about the Day of the Dead’s traditions and symbols from visiting artists,  through hands on-activities and Mexican folkloric dance, and by making an addition to a community of ofrenda. December 2 welcomes the theme The Joys of Toys.

At Play Date with Art, on October 12, November 9, December 14 and January 11, the Museum’s youngest visitors, recommended to age 5, can drop in with family members and create art to take home and sing along during Singing Time.

Storytime in the Galleries, sponsored by Kohl’s Cares, continues every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.

MAM After Dark, the evening social event at the Museum sponsored by Northwestern Mutual, continues this fall with three new editions tied to the season.

Guests can get nostalgic with sparkly pumps and clip-on neckties September 21 for the Grown-Up Homecoming, complete with tastings and fun from Door Peninsula Winery.

On October 19, they can go even farther back, Mad Men-style, at the Midcentury Mixer. The evening, sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP, celebrates Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America and the Jewish Museum Milwaukee’s exhibition Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare with a romp through the 1950s and 1960s.

On November 16, Friendsgiving is a night of feasting and fun with friends who have become family, celebrating Native American Heritage Month with Potawatomi Hotel and Casino

Each MAM After Dark event features music, dancing, Wild Card art tours, trivia, a photo booth and a scavenger hunt through the galleries. Admission is $12 in advance, $14 at the door and free for Milwaukee Art Museum Members.

Through October 11, docents from the Museum will continue to lead weekly trolley tours and monthly walking tours of Sculpture Milwaukee, the twenty-one pieces of artwork installed along Wisconsin Avenue.

Docents also lead Drop-In Tours of the Museum building and highlights from the Collection each Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Drop-In Tours are free with Museum admission.

In conjunction with Serious Play, the Museum Store will create a temporary retail space offering clocks, building blocks, toys, home decor items and miniature furniture inspired by midcentury designs in the exhibition. On November 25, the store will participate in the nationwide Museum Store Sunday, an annual event offering special shopping experiences and uniquely curated gifts with trunk shows, discounts, and free gift wrapping.

The Milwaukee Art Museum will again co-sponsor the Art & Artists series at the Milwaukee Film Festival, taking place October 18 through November 1. The series highlights a variety of art forms in addition to the art of filmmaking.

Yoga @ the Museum, sponsored by PNC Bank and presented by omTownYogis, continues, on September 22, October 20, November 17 and December 15. Yoga fans of any skill level can reserve a space under the wings overlooking Lake Michigan with a $15 donation.

Thanks to Meijer, admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum is free on the first Thursday of each month for individuals and families, excluding group and school tours. The remaining Meijer Free First Thursday dates for 2018 are September 6, October 4, November 1 and December 6.  

For more information on these exhibitions and events, as well as additional programs, visit mam.org