{"id":2812,"date":"2012-01-09T10:54:44","date_gmt":"2012-01-09T16:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/?p=2812"},"modified":"2012-02-10T09:59:13","modified_gmt":"2012-02-10T15:59:13","slug":"accidental-genius-opening-february-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/2012\/01\/accidental-genius-opening-february-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Accidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection now open"},"content":{"rendered":"

Petullo Collection Debuts at Milwaukee Art Museum\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accidental Genius highlights major gift to Museum, redefines genre<\/em><\/p>\n

Milwaukee, Wis.<\/strong> \u2013 Accidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection<\/em>, an original exhibition of modern self-taught art featuring more than two hundred works opens Friday, February 10, 2012, at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The exhibition includes many of the most important European and American artists in the genre, and celebrates the significant gift of works by Milwaukee collector Anthony Petullo to the Museum.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccidental Genius<\/em> showcases an exceptional collection of eclectic modern self-taught art from creators driven by impulse, vision, and necessity, without regard for acclaim, popularity, or profit,\u201d said Margaret Andera, adjunct curator. \u201cThe exhibition features drawings, paintings, and objects by leading artists, including Henry Darger, Mart\u00edn Ram\u00edrez, Bill Traylor, Adolf W\u00f6lfli, Anna Zemankova, and Carlo Zinelli, among others.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Museum Director Daniel Keegan,\u00a0Accidental Genius<\/em>\u00a0will display over two-thirds of Petullo\u2019s gift, which represents one of the most extensive groupings of modern self-taught art in any American museum or private collection. In all, over three hundred works were gifted to the Museum.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe gift of the Petullo Collection establishes the Milwaukee Art Museum as a leading American institution for the work of untrained creators, and comes at a crucial turning point in the history of the genre,\u201d said Keegan. \u201cThe Museum\u2019s commitment to the work of self-taught artists began as early as 1951 with the gift of two paintings by Wisconsin artist Anna Louisa Miller, and expanded through the Hall Collection and the Flagg Collection. With the Museum\u2019s acquisition of the world-class Petullo Collection, its holdings now encompass a more broadly inclusive representation of this genre, and we are challenged to understand this work on a new level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previously defined as \u201coutsider art,\u201d \u201cart brut,\u201d or \u201cna\u00efve art,\u201d the works in the Petullo Collection, more often than not, were made by artists whose personal stories and motivations are as compelling as the art itself.<\/p>\n

British artist Scottie Wilson\u2019s career began when he started doodling on a tabletop in the back room of the shop he owned. Swiss artist Rosemarie Koczy, who was imprisoned with her family in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, was driven by her experiences in the camp, and by the death of her father, to create her artwork.<\/p>\n

Rural Texas native Eddie Arning discovered his artistic ability later in life through an art class offered at his nursing home. Magazine illustrations and products from advertisements inspired his pastel drawings.<\/p>\n

Some of the lesser-known but equally significant artists collected by Petullo include English laborer James Lloyd and Italian draftsman Domenico Zindato.<\/p>\n

Petullo, a retired Milwaukee businessman, built his collection over a span of three decades. Objects from the Petullo Collection have been on display throughout the country, including a six-stop museum exhibition, and various objects have been loaned to museums and galleries around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy collection reflects the driving passion of both the creators, and the collector,\u201d said Anthony Petullo. \u201cWhen I began collecting I had no idea the impact that my collection would have on the self-taught art world. I am grateful that I have had the fortune to share these incredible objects with so many, and I am honored that they will continue to be enjoyed at the Milwaukee Art Museum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Petullo is a Milwaukee entrepreneur and author, and a longtime member of the Museum\u2019s Board of Directors and the Museum\u2019s Exhibitions Committee. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee and has received multiple awards for his community service and charitable contributions.
\nGenerous support for <\/em>Accidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection is provided by The Anthony Petullo Foundation, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Einhorn Family Foundation, and Donald and Donna Baumgartner.<\/em><\/p>\n

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ACCIDENTAL GENIUS: ART FROM THE ANTHONY PETULLO COLLECTION<\/strong>
\n12-Hour Member Preview Celebration<\/strong>
\nThurs, Feb. 9, 10 a.m.\u201310 p.m.
\nDocent-led tours and free audio guides available
\nLectures: 1:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. in Lubar Auditorium<\/p>\n

Exhibition Lecture with Anthony Petullo<\/strong>
\nFri, Feb. 10, 1:30 p.m.
\nLubar Auditorium<\/p>\n

Gallery Talks with the Curator<\/strong>
\nTues, Feb. 14, March 20, April 3, April 24, 1:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Express Talks<\/strong>
\nThurs, Feb. 16 and 23, noon
\nThurs, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, noon
\nThurs, April 5, 12, 19, 26, noon
\nThurs, May 3, noon
\nThurs, March 1, April 5, May 3, 5:30 p.m.
\nTarget Free First Thursdays
\nMarch 1, April 5, May 3<\/p>\n

MAM After Dark: Mardi Gras<\/strong>
\nFri, Feb. 17, 5 p.m.\u2013midnight
\nDetails and advance admission at mam.org\/afterdark<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Art in Bloom<\/strong>
\nThursday, March 29\u2013Sunday, April 1
\nDetails and advance admission at mam.org\/bloom<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kohl\u2019s Art Generation Family Sundays: Making your Mark<\/strong>
\nSun, March 18, 10 a.m.\u20134 p.m.<\/p>\n

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE<\/strong>
\nAccidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection<\/em><\/p>\n

HOURS AND ADMISSION<\/strong>
\nThe Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Thursdays until 8 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for students, seniors, and active military; and free for Members and for children age 12 and under.<\/p>\n

The first Thursday of each month is Target Free First Thursday and admission is free for individuals (does not apply to groups).<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM<\/strong>
\nThe Milwaukee Art Museum\u2019s far-reaching holdings include more than 25,000 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\u2013designed Quadracci Pavilion, named by Time magazine as \u201cBest Design of 2001.\u201d For more information, please visit www.mam.org.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Petullo Collection Debuts at Milwaukee Art Museum\u00a0 Accidental Genius highlights major gift to Museum, redefines genre Milwaukee, Wis. \u2013 Accidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection, an original exhibition of modern self-taught art featuring more than two hundred works opens Friday, February 10, 2012, at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The exhibition includes many of … Accidental Genius: Art from the Anthony Petullo Collection now open<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2812"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2833,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2812\/revisions\/2833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mam.org\/info\/pressroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}