A Bunch of Really Big Art Things; Our Pervasive Visual Arts Community
Gary John Gresl - 12/09/01
Our little art pond with its little art fish may seem relatively
insignificant when compared with the larger art oceans and their
impressive creatures. But this is our personal creative habitat,
this Wisconsin and region, and we must make the most of what we
possibly can.
We as artists have important opportunities here, and since the major
venues outside of Wisconsin seek their own audiences, and are faced
with huge numbers of artists seeking attention, let us keep a good
part of our energy focused on our significant more local environs. There
are places and opportunities around here which possess notable merit,
which nurture regional art and artists, and which can assist us
all as we seek to get our work to the public.
Each of us as individuals, and each art interested institution existing
in Wisconsin, should be encouraging, perhaps even promoting, all
art related institutions, not just their own. Despite the necessary
effort, organization, and energy, we all should be working around
the lethargy and inertia that is the result of inattention, fatigue,
fears, competition and jealousies. Yes! Of course, we know
that is easier said than done. Collaboration and coordination
are not easy things to do when the work load is already great. But
where we can we must recognize and espouse shared rewards.
Within this Wisconsin realm we create and exhibit our art, we watch
and attend the venues and museums within our reach. There
are art places that we ignore, that we don’t even know about,
and which still contribute to the art culture of our environment. Wisconsin
does have a rich visual art history, and it does have a currently
active and vibrant visual art community. The places and people
from small communities to large cities have goals in common, even
if those goals require large or small work forces
and varied price tags.
The Blockbuster Hare and the Constant Turtles
Of course we have seen the glorious world class blockbuster Calatrava
addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, created largely thru grants
and donations by entities and persons with really big pocketbooks. By
MAM’s goal of presenting world class art from outside our
region, the museum serves as a motivational and educational force. The
museum brings attention to Wisconsin which serves both the regional
public and area artists. It is wonderful. Congratulations
to the movers and shakers and hooray for Wisconsin! This is
a good thing for all.
However, let us not forget that there are lots of activities and
events that are significant to the citizens and artists of Wisconsin
which may not be blockbusters, but which are big deals and “minibusters”
to many of us. Not all of us are well pursed nor in positions
of power
I offer here numerous examples: We have the wonderful Kohler
Art Center of Sheboygan, a world class institution itself with interest
in regional artists. There is the West Bend Art Museum, recently
renovated with a tradition of exhibiting artists from this region. RAM,
the Racine Art Museum, a brand new undertaking, expands the mission
of the existing Wustum Museum. In Madison there will soon be
an arts district downtown near the notable Madison Art Center, and
this district will include an enlarged gallery for the Wisconsin
Academy of Science, Arts and Letters. The Madison Art Center
itself is currently organizing its Madison Triennial, one of the
few premiere venues for display of contemporary art from our state. There
are numerous other public places for us to view Wisconsin and other
visual art, including these: the recently new Fairfield Public
Gallery and the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, the Anderson
Arts Center in Kenosha, the Wausau Visual Arts Center, Leigh Yawkey
Woodson in that same town, the Neville of Green Bay, the Charles
Allis and Villa Terrace of Milwaukee, the Paine of Oshkosh, Walker’s
Point Center for the Arts in Milwaukee, Bergstrom-Mahler in Neenah,
the Appleton Art Center enlargement in progress, the recently emerged
Plymouth public art gallery called Gallery 110 North, and the Rahr-West
Museum of Manitowoc, site of the current WP&S sponsored Wisconsin
Artists 2001 Biennial.
Of course I have overlooked other notable venues, especially
the many college associated museums and galleries such as the Haggerty
of Marquette University, Elvehjem on UW Madison campus, the galleries
of Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, the UW System, colleges
such as Carroll, Stritch, Lakeland, Alverno, Edgewood, etc.. There
are many dozens of exhibiting visual arts galleries in schools across
Wisconsin, some not pretending to be much more than revamped waiting
rooms, with others of very notable planned design. We
cannot overlook the several artist run galleries operated thru volunteerism
and on shoestring budgets. These venues exist often without
much press and fanfare, but each one is a supporting building block
for our Regional visual art culture.
A look at “artscene”, the new Milwaukee County brochure
listing around 80 visual arts venues and organizations, gives a
hint of the dozens of places, large and small, where visual art
plays a significant role in Milwaukee County alone. This brochure
was produced by MVAR, the Milwaukee Visual Artists Roundtable, an
association of representatives from various art organizations in
Milwaukee. Besides this relatively new organization there is
also MARN, the Milwaukee Artists Resource Network, a largely electronically
linked communicating device for artists and art interested people. These,
and many other organizations, mostly operated by volunteers, are
extremely important in our art regional art world. We should
all give such persons attention and credit whenever possible.
Outside of Milwaukee County there are our dozens of statewide volunteer
groups, including the venerable WDCC, Wisconsin Designers Crafts
Council, the Wisconsin Watercolor Society, our 101 year old Wisconsin
Painters & Sculptors, Inc., and so many other long existing
artist operated organizations that infrequently gain media attention. These
are important resources for the population of Wisconsin. Such
entities often provide islands of art culture in broadly ranging
small communities, and serve to link persons of talent and like
interest across broader distances. At the very least, smaller
local art organizations and venues can be the focus and origin of
pride and achievement in their locales.
Broadcasting Our Messages
What these many important smaller entities need is exposure. They
need publicity. They need savvy and interested reporters, editors
and broadcast media friends, and persons of influence nudging and
cajoling the personalities of newspaper, magazines, radio and television. They
need champions who spend energy and finances to spread the word
of their good work.
AND...each museum and organization needs to be supportive of its
fellow organizations and museums. There really is strength
in numbers, and a much better chance to get the public’s attention
when strength and size is exhibited. Overwhelming the media
with news about the many visual art activities in many places can
raise the visibility of our significant art culture.
All Grunt Together Now
Trying to convince you that there is no competition among visual
arts groups, museums and public galleries would be foolish to do,
for of course there will be an ongoing comparison of one venue and
organization with another. There will necessarily be some competition
for media attention, for funding, and for quality exhibitions. Certainly
the influx of monies and notoriety given to the Milwaukee Art Museum
has drained some sources of money and taken the media’s attention...and
for the good of the visual arts in general.
But there is ample reason for smaller art places and people to join
together as we all make an effort to increase public awareness of
the benefits of the broadly disseminated visual arts in our State. Art
production does not only benefit the artists, it benefits the average
citizen thru an increase in pride, enrichment and education, enjoyment
of life, thru increased associated spending of visitor and tourist
dollars, and thru the spreading of an intellectual culture and ideas
in our communities.
We are far from enemies of one another in this inland art sea. We
need to unite whenever possible...and be vigilant to keep friction
and lack of understanding at bay. We have had horrible
events occur in September 2001 on the national and world scene...perhaps
giving some impetus toward recognition that the arts are one realm
that can promote good fellowship, good will, understanding...and
some healing balm for wounds.
Our region has visual arts resources and artists of merit, of substantial
size and talent. Artists, organizations and venues are the
fins and legs of this Wisconsin Really Big Art Thing. We need
to find ways to promote ourselves and our fellows with good will
and interest in the well being of all.
To get back to that watery habitat mentioned at the start of this
article, swimming upstream in sizable schools, joined by similar
goals, will help get public attention. Come on...are you ready? Together? Swim! Let’s
try to overwhelm them!
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