COMMUNITY
REPORT
2021–22
THE M IS…
MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
Dr. Kate Beane
Executive Director
Dear Friends,
In the midst of big changes and new challenges, the M (Minnesota Museum of American Art) brought me into the mix as executive director on December 13, 2021. As a Native leader in this field, and the tenth executive director in the M’s 127-year history, I’m proud and excited to have this opportunity to continue exploring American identities through art and creativity.
How do we communicate through art and beyond barriers? Here at the M, community is the key. By engaging with each other and telling our stories, we build relationships and partnerships that spark creativity. The M prioritizes collaboration. Our shared vision is best accomplished when those whose art, ideas, and goals are on display lead the way. When we explore identity, ask questions, and pursue narratives together, the M and its partners build something bigger than what either could do alone.
This year, the M added five new members to its team, paving a strong path forward for an expanded museum with big ideas. During immense changes and a push toward the construction phase of the museum, staff continued to work with the community and partners to present full-on exhibitions in its public spaces downtown St. Paul. I had many opportunities to meet with community members and artists to reiterate the M’s support for their dedication to the arts.
As the seasons passed, the city walked by the M’s windows and through the skyways. They were inspired by the ways water impacts us with Many Waters: A Minnesota Biennial, introduced to art as a vehicle for hope for incarcerated artists in Transformation: Art From the Inside, invited to consider varying complexities about life, family, and legacy in Michael Khuth’s Sutures, and saw the brilliance of St. Paul’s young artists with the Saint Paul Public Schools Honors Visual Arts Exhibition and Off the Deep End, all without having to cross a threshold.
Increasingly, the M is at the forefront of innovative arts programming, decisively centered on the ways in which partnerships and community involvement can create a new type of museum experience. We’re focused on the future—construction on the expanded museum is right around the corner, and with it will come more co-curated exhibitions, more community programs, and more opportunities to engage with the M’s permanent collection. I hope you will join me in celebrating the M’s recent accomplishments and join us in looking forward to what’s next!
Pidamayaye,
Dr. Kate Beane
Continue exploring this year’s Community Report and learn more about the ways the M has shown up and worked alongside partners to present amazing exhibitions, programs, and conversations.
THE M IS…
PEOPLE
The M builds authentic relationships by empowering the community to share stories, experiences, and truths. With people and artists behind its mission, the M continues to create thoughtful opportunities to engage and support.
There’s something for everyone at the M. It’s a place where art and community help us find similarities and understand differences together. The M’s resilience in its mission and steadfastness as a beloved St. Paul institution over multiple generations makes it an amazing asset to the area.
The M exists because of dedicated support from people like you, who empower the M in all it does, especially now on the cusp of an ambitious year—reopening and expanding the M’s facilities for more co-curated exhibitions, more space to show the M’s permanent collection, and more amazing programs. Please join in to support all that’s on the horizon!
Cumulative Giving to the M
July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022
The M is grateful for these individuals, corporations, and foundations who made meaningful contributions to the M in this most recent fiscal year between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Each gift is significant, and all acts of generosity enable M to program exhibitions, collaborate with artists and culture bearers, host engaging events, and lead us closer to re-opening expanded indoor spaces. These donations represent both capital and operating support over our last fiscal year.
Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete list of contributors. If an error or omission has been made, please email Kate Tucker in the development office at ktucker@mmaa.org.
$25,001+
Otto Bremer Trust
F.R. Bigelow Foundation
Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation
Joan Duddingston
Ann and David Heider
John and Ruth Huss
Gregory Page and Carole Howe
Ann Ruhr Pifer and Jay Kim
Minnesota State Arts Board
The McKnight Foundation
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
F.T. Weyerhaeuser Family Fund
Bill and Patty Whitaker
$10,001-$25,000
Katherine B. Anderson Fund
Boss Foundation
Ecolab Foundation
Libby and Ed Hlavka
Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of HRK Foundation
MAHADH Fund of HRK Foundation
Mairs & Power, Inc.
John and Marla Ordway Charitable Trust
Jim Rustad and Kay Thomas
St. Paul Cultural STAR
$5,001-$10,000
Gordon and Jo Bailey
Driscoll Foundation
Hardenbergh Foundation
James Johnson and Lucy Rosenberry Jones
Walt Lehmann and Sylvia Strobel
Michael and John Sammler-Jones
Jean and Mark Schroepfer
$2,501-$5,000
Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
Tim and Elizabeth Beastrom
Beth Bergman and Jay Torvik
Blanche and Thane Hawkins
Sarah Lehmann
Nancy and John Lindahl
Kris and Gerry Stenson
$1,001-$2,500
Tom Arneson
Dr. Jerry Artz
Caroline Cardozo
Jay and Page Cowles
Doug Crane and Ruth Hanold Crane
Faegre Drinker
Kathy and Steve Gaskins
Tim Grady and Catherine Allan
Greiner Construction
Twinks Irvine
Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation
Fern Letnes
Mahoney
Bob and Mary Mersky
Diane Pozdolski and Ron Genda
Philip Rickey
Sue Shepard
Sit Investment Associates Foundation
Andrea Specht
VJAA
Nancy Weyerhaeuser
$501-$1,000
Baillon Family Foundation
Harriet and Bruce Bart
Mary Sue Comfort
Annette Conklin
David Dayton and Mary Bolla
Karen and Les Desnick
Gene and Loralee Di Lorenzo
Mary Dee and George Hicks
Stanley and Karen Hubbard
Nathan Johnson
Colles Larkin
Lehmann PLC
Allen and Kathleen Lenzmeier
Edward Maranda
Dave and Mary Neal
Maggie O’Reilly
Carol Sauvion
Hans and Karen Siefker
Kathleen and Mark Stoehr
Michael and Jody Wahlig
David and Mary Ann Wark
Annette and John Whaley
Janelle and Roy Wong
Dick and Janine Zehring
$251-$500
Mary Anne Anderson
Elizabeth Andrews
Dr. Kate Beane
Cynthia and Charles Bend
Christopher Bingham
Todd Bockley
Lili Chester
Dr. Bruce and Emma Corrie
Eileen and Edward Gordon
Dan and Denise Griep
Jennifer Hammer
Lisa and James Heyman
David and Marjorie Hols
Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld
Marc Kotsonas and Dimitria Phill Kotsonas
Maureen Kucera-Walsh and Michael Walsh
Laurie Lapore
Cynthia Launer and Will Thomas
Eric and Laurel Lein
Jim and Susan Lenfestey
William and Gloria Levin
Dave and Diane Manship
Paul Mellblom and Peter Farstad
Ave Nelson and Cathy Polasky
Thomas and Pamela Olander
Andreas Ostenso and Kaisa Taipale
Anita Pampusch
Sally and Tom Patterson
Eugene Piccolo
John and Michele Potts
Revere Auctions
Peter Rothe and Gail Amundson
Ed and Jennifer Ryan
Sarah Schultz and Jeffrey Sugerman
Brandon Seifert
Emily and Daniel Shapiro
Bruce and Becky Shay
Daniel and Judy Titcomb
David and Ruth Waterbury
Bill and Marion Wittenbreer
Jennifer Yoos and Vincent James
Diane and Nevin Young
$101-$250
Kinji Akagawa and Nancy Gipple
Bonnie and Brian Alton
Brenda Apfelbacher
Lisa Arnold and Hamlin Metzger
Lynn and Linda Ault
Paul Bard
Harold and Barbara Bend
Ann Benrud
Thomas and Margit Berg
Richard Bolger and Carmen Ana-Gutierrez Bolger
Linda Boss
Arnold and Judith Brier
Elizabeth Cecchi
David and Michelle Christianson
Cynthia Clark
Louise and George Clitty
Jacquelyn Cronin
Thomas Darling and Rojean Rada
Anne DeCoster
Heid Erdrich and John Burke
Thomas and Florence Farnham
Barry Fick
Peggy Flanagan
Sarah and Mark Foster
Dutton and Caroline Foster
David Fraher
Patricia Frankenfield
Blaine Garrett
Rene J. Gesell
Mary Jo and Mark Hallberg
Joan Higinbotham
Robyn Hollingshead
Nora Lee Hornicek
Leaetta Hough and Dr. Robert Muschewske
Hod Irvine
Sally Johnson and Patrick Coleman
Eric and Elizabeth Jolly
Carlyle and Marshall Jones
Constance Kerrins
Jennifer and George Kinkead
Thomas Kleinschmit and Liana Magee
Lori Ann Lahlum
Joanne Laird
Joyce Lyon
Rob and Aimee Mairs
Evan Maurer and Kellie Theiss
Crystal Meriwether
Dr. Herman Milligan and Connie Osterbaan-Milligan
Susan and Mark Moores
$101-$250 (cont.)
Kerry Morgan and Michael Gaudio
Larry Nelson
John Nelson
Tracy Nordstrom
Anne and Bill Parker
Michelle Parks
David C. Peterson
Margery and Tom Peterson
Deborah Pile and Jack Flynn
Wayne and Ginny Potratz
James Richardson and Dorothy Horns
Janet Robb and David Bruce
Bruce Robbins
Thomas and Nancy Rohde
Charlene Roise
Michael and Tamara Root
Sarah Sanfilippo
Paul and Sue Schultz
Judy Schwartau
Jane and Jeff Shaw
Daniel Shogren
David Sonstegard
Russell Stark and Katherine Murray
Sue Stein
Sarah Stevenson
Hawona Sullivan Janzen and Mark Janzen
Judith Takkunen
David Tews
Kellie Rae Theiss
Lucy Thompson
Douglas Throckmorton and Marilyn Wells
David and Karen Trudeau
Colleen Dwyer Tyson and David Fritzke
Teresa and Raymond Voelker
Robert and Susan Warde
Kenneth Wenzel
Greg and Ellen Weyandt
Toni Wilcox
Mark Willenbring and Katherine Meyers
Jennifer Williams
Diane Wilson
Maryam Zafar
Nancy Zingale and William Flanigan
Up to $100
Jodie Ahern and Larry Millett
Jerry and Nancy Alholm
Mari Lyn Ampe and Robert Schestak
David and Virginia Anderson
Rolf Anderson
Dr. Howard Ansel
Mark Arneson
Lana Barkawi
John and Rebecca Bartlett
Thomas Blanck and Linda Bjorklund
George and Joan Bohlig
Ronnie and Roger Brooks
Philip and Carolyn Brunelle
Carmax Foundation
Sonja Cobb
Richard and Carol Colburn
Gayle Cole
Kevin and Ann Commers
Susan and Alan Cook
Charles Cowles and Constance Mayeron Cowles
The Dante Moreira Gilbert Fund
Karen Mary Davalos
Ann Davey
Mary Deschamp
Mary Dew and David Miller
Natane Dillard
Christine Durand and Mike Behr
Carrie and Mickey Eder
Susan Elsner
Jil Evans and Charles Taliaferro
Kathleen Flynn
Jamie Forman
William Foussard
Kathleen Franzen and Philip Hage
Harold Freshley
Rachel Fulkerson
Richard Galena
Marla Gamble
John and Peggy Ganey
James and Joan Gardner
Ginger Garski
Sieglinde Gassman
Josephine Geiger
Peter and Mary Gilbertson
Katherine Goodrich
Robert and Carolyn Grenier
Janet Groenert
Up to $100 (cont.)
Kyrsten and Mark Gustafson
Ruth Hamlow
Ginny Hartmann
Cheryl Hastings
Rick and Nancy Hauser
Cynthia Heelan
Todd and Carole Heimdahl
Michael Hejny
Thomas Hessel
Beverly Jones Heydinger
Robin Hickman-Winfield and Steve Winfield
Mark and Dr. Sushmita Hodges
Ronald Hovda
Aaron Hurst
Mary Johnson
Steven Kaplan
Shana Kaplow
Michael and Martha Koch
Connie Kozlak
Sara Krassin
Mark Krause
Julie L’Enfant
Leilani LaBelle and Peter Lavanger
Bouky Labhard
Kathleen Lander
Joseph Landsberger
Alisa Lein
Charlotte Lewis
Nan Lightner
Douglas Limon
Judith and Todd Marshall
Arthur Mason
Corrine McCarthy
Carol McCarty
Cate McKinney
Rachel McLean
Mildred McLean
Jeffrey Meehan
LuAnn Merz
Rene and Christoph Meyer-Grimberg
Jean Moede
Jocelyn Muggli
Diane Mullin and David Wulfman
Maryellen Murphy
Josephine Musumeci
Mary Helen and Jan Nelson
Joanne Norris
Patricia Olson
Kristen Olsrud
Judy and Burton Onofrio
Pam Orren
Margaret Osborne
Mary Parker
Dan Petrov
Theresa Phillips
Nancy Quinn
Margaret Rarig
Erica and Kraig Rasmussen
Jodi Reeb
Jeff Riker
Beverly and George Roberts
David Robinson and Janet Ekern
Robyne Robinson
Linda and David Rosedahl
Susan Rostkoski
Jeffrey Sartain
Jeffrey Scott
Thomas Selwold and Gretchen Durkot
Renate Sharp
Martha Sheppard
Jessica Shimek
Robert Silberman
John Slock
Mary Sullivan
Maryann and Claude Swayze
Sandra Taylor
Betty Tisel
Robert Toensing
Emily Toro
Susan Travis
William Travis
Kate Tucker
Jean Velleu and James Law
Daniel Vogel
Joyce Wahlquist
Martin and Lora Weinstein
Nancy Wiggers and Francis Zebot
Linda Wood
Gigi Yau
Morgan Zehner
Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete list of contributors. If an error or omission has been made, please email Kate Tucker in the development office at ktucker@mmaa.org.
FEATURE: FIRESIDE CHAT
Dialogue is essential, especially during times of transition. At the M, we take a collective approach, knowing that together, M staff and the wider M community have perspectives that can create a successful path forward.
On Thursday, February 24, 2022, Executive Director Dr. Kate Beane and Curator of Exhibitions Dr. Laura Joseph explored the M’s commitment to expanding the vision of what’s possible as its mission continues to be realized in new and innovative ways. A chance to hear more from the M’s new director, “Care, Creativity, and Collaboration: A Fireside Chat” laid the groundwork for continued momentum at the M and invited the community to participate in the conversation.
“ I’m excited to be a part of this story, I’m excited about the way the M is helping us shape, craft, and build our stories together as a community. Because our story is the most powerful thing that we have. Our story is what helps us survive this moment, no matter what this moment brings.”
—Mayor Melvin Carter,
Mayor, City of St. Paul
FEATURE: A NEW CHAPTER FUNDRAISER
In May, the M hosted a fundraiser at the museum to announce and celebrate the new chapter that is unfolding. Outstanding speeches from Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, as well as President and CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Eric Jolly inspired attendees, leading the way for the introduction of the M’s new Executive Director Dr. Kate Beane.
Dr. Beane acknowledged the incredible past support that the museum has received from friends and supporters and she rallied the attendees to envision a new day at the M. She extended an invitation to everyone to partner with the M to ensure the future vitality of the museum. The importance of individual support needed to expand the museum spaces and carry the M forward has never been more important.
FEATURE: NEW STAFF MEMBERS
Nicole Delfino Jansen
What’s something you spend time doing outside of your job at the M?
“Gardening is my other passion. Still learning as I go, and I tend to move stuff around quite a bit. Gardening is a little like painting to me. I love the play of color, texture, and shape. My neighbors probably find me odd, as I often sit and stare at my gardens, trying to imagine what needs to be added or taken away. That, or I am deep in contemplating the meaning of life.”
Kylie Linh Hoang
What’s a piece of public art that you love?
“I love public art! My favorite piece of public art changes all the time, but I found Wangechi Mutu’s I Am Speaking, Are You Listening? (2021) in the outdoor courtyard of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco to be particularly poignant. In this piece, Mutu’s practice of honoring the ever-evolving feminine form through fantastical representation is juxtaposed with Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker. I find her work incredibly thought provoking and was so excited to see another piece of hers at Mia recently.”
Theresa Nelson
What’s the most memorable art exhibition you’ve seen?
“One of the most memorable exhibitions I’ve seen is definitely “Sensing Spaces” at London’s Royal Academy of Art in 2014. The way the participating architects were able to bring fully realized built spaces into an already impressive space was truly astounding. I particularly enjoyed Li Xiaodong’s contribution.”
Kate Tucker
What’s one of your favorite places in the Twin Cities?
“Either seeing a performance at McGuire Theater at the Walker or hanging out in the kid room and viewing the latest exhibition at the American Swedish Institute.”
Teshite Wako
What’s something you spend time doing outside of your job at the M?
Teshite is a vibrant and engaged member of his Brooklyn Park community, and recently ran for city council with St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s endorsement, among others!
STAFF (July 2021–June 2022)
Nancy Ariza, Associate Curator of Learning and Engagement
Dr. Kate Beane, Executive Director
Ann M. Benrud, Marketing and Communications
Curtis Bjerke, Designer
Nicole Delfino Jansen, Registrar
Meredith Heneghan, Communications Specialist
Kylie Linh Hoang, Curatorial Fellow
Laura Wertheim Joseph, Curator of Exhibitions
Ken Kornack, Director of Operations
Theresa Nelson, Individual Giving Officer
Ben Reed, Exhibition Services Manager
Kate Tucker, Director of Advancement
Hanna Stoehr, Development Associate
Teshite Wako, Director of Finance
BOARD (July 2021–June 2022)
Dr. Kate Beane, Executive Director
Ann Ruhr Pifer, Chair
Gerry Stenson, Vice Chair
Patty Dunlap Whitaker, Secretary
Tim Beastrom, Treasurer
Jo Bailey
Brenda Child, Ph.D.
Dr. Bruce Corrie
Jennifer Hammer
Nathan Johnson
Colles Larkin
Walt Lehmann
Dave Neal
Michael Sammler-Jones
Brandon Seifert
HONORARY MEMBERS
Mayor Melvin Carter
Mayor, City of St. Paul
THE M IS…
ART
The M has an art collection of regional and national significance. The quality of the collection is strengthened by the thoughtful acquisition of new works that build on meaningful stories that the collection tells. At the M, the artists are valuable alongside their artworks–their stories, goals, and histories create something bigger than the art itself.
ACQUISITIONS (July 2021–June 2022)
These recent acquisitions have added depth to the M’s permanent collection, providing opportunities to tell stories, learn more about the world we live in, and to add fresh perspectives on art, history, and different cultures.
Areca Roe
Self Care, 2020
Archival pigment print
37 1/8 x 31 1/8 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund
Ann Duprey
Faith’s Antiques, Still Life, 1972
Oil on canvas
23.5 x 27.5 inches (image)
Gift of the artist
Ann Duprey
Rider, 1976
Oil on canvas
30 x 20 inches
Gift of the artist
Tia-Simone Gardner
Salt Water, 2019
Archival inkjet print on dibond
39.5 x 26 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund
Tia-Simone Gardner
Shipmate/Shipment I, 2019
Graphite and acrylic
39.5 x 26 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund
A.R.T. (Arturo Montaño)
Convict, 2021
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 36 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund
Various Artists
MPLSART Sketchbooks A, B, C, D, E, 2020
Mixed media
10 x 7.5 x 1 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund
Acquisition Feature
Convict, A.R.T.
The M acquired Convict from the exhibition Transformation: Art From the Inside. This striking piece explores themes of incarceration, feelings of defeat, stagnant progress, and self-forgiveness. The artist depicts a journey toward improved self-image. An objective of showing artworks from Art from the Inside at the M was to encourage curiosity and conversations around incarceration and the individuals affected–who has the power, tools, and opportunities to change and create change?
A priority of the M’s collection policy is to acquire artworks from exhibitions shown at the M. Partnership with community and artists does not end after an exhibition closes, but must be maintained in ways that suggest the M’s support beyond the confines of a certain time period. By making an artwork a part of the permanent collection, the M creates a partnership that lasts indefinitely as a commitment to show and represent certain artworks to its audience in the future.
THE M IS…
EXHIBITIONS
The M continues to enliven its public-facing spaces with creative and engaging exhibitions. A showcase of flexibility and ingenuity, this year connected an ever-expanding network of community members, partners, and artists to the M in new ways.
“I truly believe that the M is at the forefront of museum evolution towards a more inclusive environment where we can debate hard topics.
It takes individual and institutional courage to run a show like this, it takes integrity and devotion to culture, art and community. It takes bravery to truly collaborate with an art collective and change the narrative of what people think a museum is, giving voice and a platform to Grupo Soap del Corazon to express through visual art a complex and problematic term: Mestizaje.”
—Xavier Tavera,
Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix Curator and Artist
Many Waters: A Minnesota Biennial
July 24—October 2, 2021
Many Waters: A Minnesota Biennial was a look into some of the imaginative and dedicated ways that artists and culture bearers from across the state engage with water. Featured creative practices were based in both observation and engagement; some solitary, others collaborative. The work in Many Waters fostered conversation, awareness, a sense of care, as well as new ways of thinking about water and water stories through many different lenses, including ecological, social, political, historical, spiritual, and creative.
Related Events:
Opening Reception on July 31, 2021
UnVessel and Listening to the Mississippi on September 4 and October 30, 2021
Many Waters Family Day on September 12, 2021
Sutures
October 30, 2021—February 20, 2022
Sutures brought together an emerging generation of artists who challenge straightforward ways of looking—at a photograph, a video, a loved one, a collective history, a memory, or oneself—through layered, multimedia artistic practices. Artists Cheryl Mukherji, Prune Phi, Sopheak Sam, and Daniella Thach used various media to explore the complexities of seemingly “fixed” images, identities, and ideas.
Sutures was curated by Suriya Khuth as a culmination of their fellowship with the Emerging Curators Institute, a Twin Cities organization that supports the professional development of curators from diverse backgrounds.
Related Event:
Seeing New Potentialities on November 13, 2021
Transformation: Art from the Inside
October 30, 2021—February 20, 2022
Transformation: Art from the Inside featured works by incarcerated artists that reflect their personal transformation and restoration through visual expression. Founded by retired Stillwater correctional officer Antonio Espinosa, Art from the Inside is an organization that empowers incarcerated people to use art as an outlet for emotions while creating a platform for dialog about the complexities of our criminal justice system through exhibitions of their work. Transformation provided an opportunity to reflect on how art can help people imagine new ways of being and recognize our power to change.
Related Events:
A Voice Released: Ricardo’s Story on February 10, 2022
Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix
March 19—June 12, 2022
In Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix, eight Latinx artists (identifying as Chicano, Chilean, Colombian, Mixteco, Mexican, and Mexican-American) explored what it means to claim a mixed-race identity consisting of both Indigenous and European descent. Without seeking definitive conclusions or definitions, artists Marcela Rodríguez Aguilar, María José Castillo, Luis Fitch, Bobby Marines, Dougie Padilla, Maria Cristina Tavera, Xavier Tavera, and Vlocke Negro explore questions of ancestry and identity.
This exhibition was the first iteration of a long-term collaboration between the M and the art collective Grupo Soap del Corazón (art that cleanses the heart) and was curated by Dougie Padilla and Xavier Tavera, founders of the artist collective Grupo Soap del Corazón.
Related Events:
Exhibition Kick-Off on March 31, 2022
Mestizaje: Past, Present, Future on May 12, 2022
Off the Deep End
May 28, 2022—2023
Students at Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (SPCPA) developed Off the Deep End, a skyway muraI that confronts themes surrounding a metaphorical rising sea level. Guided by artists, curators, and teachers at SPCPA and the M, nineteen students in grades 9-12 collaborated using digital drawing software to create original artwork for the skyway bridge. With deep sea creatures at and above eye-level, human city-dwellers are faced with beings of mythos, which, if real, could only be seen in the hidden corners of the world. This reflects a real-life equivalent, referencing the “rising levels” of previously ignored groups, subcultures, and forces of oppression.
SPPS Honors Visual Art Exhibition
June 25—July 24, 2022
The Honors Visual Art Exhibition is a long-standing collaboration between Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), the Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M), and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts celebrating the creative talent of high school students. Each year high school educators select student artworks to participate in the exhibition based on creativity, technique, and rigor. The works demonstrate a variety of paths to artistic self-discovery—from technically disciplined to playful, from highly personal to globally minded.
THE M IS…
PARTNERS
Building a participatory, open, and responsive museum means creating thoughtful relationships with partners. At the M, partnerships are central to making each exhibition and program come boldly to life; curation turns into an act of mutual support and deliberate teamwork.
“Participating as an artist during The M’s Many Waters biennial and then going on to partner with them in the development and facilitation of a number of educational projects in the community—including the seed art activity at the Lower Phalen Creek Pollinator Festival and an upcoming Public Art course at SPCPA—have given me an opportunity to reflect on my own artistic practice and values, how those interact with the hopes and dreams of our community(ies) and the legacy(ies) what we hope to pass on to our future generations.”
—Zamara Cuyun,
Teaching Artist
PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: NORTHERN SPARK
Throughout the night between June 11 and 12, 2022, art-lovers and night owls visited the M for the Northern Spark art festival, back from a couple-year hiatus! Visitors pulled their own screen printed patches, sewed them onto tote bags in creative ways, picked up a limited edition Grupo Soap del Corazon poster, watched a series of short films by Xavier Tavera, and took tours of Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix from Billy Franklin. Nearly 300 people stopped by the M that night, making it one of the year’s most successful events! Participatory art-making and connecting with the community are two big ways the M stays bold, engaging, and inclusive.
PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: Art From the Inside
In conjunction with Transformation: Art From the Inside, Art From the Inside and the M found it important to find a way to support the families of the incarcerated artists whose work was featured in the exhibition. As a small way of acknowledging the stress that incarceration has on a family and recognizing the opportunity to use the arts as an outlet for reflection and healing, the M sent art kits to these families.
Art kits included Tomas Araya’s meditative watercolor kits, the Transformation exhibition catalog, general art supplies, an M tote, a copy of Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman (one of the artists in the exhibition made a portrait of Amanda Gorman), and a letter from M staff. Most of the kits were mailed to families in Minnesota, but they also made it as far as Texas, Washington, and Missouri.
PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists
The M is situated among so much life in St. Paul, and just up the block sits Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (SPCPA), a high school focused on the arts. Partnering with SPCPA for Off the Deep End is just the beginning–more opportunities for artists and students to come together are right around the corner. Giving students creative freedom to create a skyway mural using digital paintings required them to get familiar with more than simply creating something visual. The M helped the students work with the city and M skyway artist Jose Dominguez to learn about public art and all its implications. Part of the M’s mission is to be engaging and inclusive–partnering with student artists is one way that we can build an accessible and increasingly creative arts environment for everybody.
PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: Lower Phalen Creek Project
When it comes to pairing art and creation with learning about our local natural world, Lower Phalen Creek Project (LPCP) is a wonderful partner to the M. Located on the East Side of St. Paul, LPCP is a native-led environmental conservation nonprofit that works hard to make sure St. Paulites are well-educated and well-inspired by caring for this land. This year at Many Waters Family Day, they led a papermaking activity using native seeds. The M maintained its annual presence at LPCP’s Pollinator Festival as well, continuing to merge art-making with land stewardship!
COMMUNITY REPORT FY22
MISSION
“I consider the M an outstanding example of a space dedicated to unity and inclusion, a space that has allowed different stories of America to come together. Two exhibits that historically have stood out for me were Brad Kahlhamer: A Nation of One and Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix. In both instances, the M created perhaps two of the most important community dialogues I’ve seen between a cultural institution and the general public in the Twin Cities. I also appreciate how the M has reached out to me as a bilingual educator to aid and amplify its outreach.”
—Billy Franklin,
Arts Educator
Mission
To explore American identities and experiences through art and creativity.
Vision
We believe the M, from its perch in the middle of the country and at the heart of a diverse city, can inspire understanding and our common humanity through the power of art, artists, and community engagement.
Values
Bold: We dare to respond to complex truths and envision a hopeful future.
Engaging: We build participation through fun and stimulating artistic experiences.
Relevant: We question, listen, and exchange ideas with our diverse communities.
Inclusive: We strive to make the M welcoming and accessible to all.
Respectful: We seek authentic relationships and act thoughtfully and transparently with resources in our care.
Bobby Marines
Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix Artist
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that we are within the traditional territory of the Dakhóta, here in Imni Ża Ska, now known as Saint Paul, a place name that refers to the white bluffs along the river. We recognize that, as a museum in the United States, we have a colonial history and are beneficiaries of this land and its resources. We support efforts toward truth-telling and addressing the harms that continue to impact all indigenous people. We thank the river, which flows just below us. We honor our shared home, our mother earth. Our relationship to this land and its indigenous people will inform the museum’s work now and into the future.
This acknowledgment is a living document and is intended to be accompanied by direct action toward equity. We thank the Dakota community members who advised on portions of this text.
“Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth.”
—From “Honor Native Land: A Call and Guide to Acknowledgment.” U.S. Department of Arts and Culture. https://usdac.us/nativeland.)
Equity and Inclusion Statement
Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M) seeks to explore expansively American identities through art, recognizing that the lived experiences and creativity of many artists, cultures, and communities have been historically, and presently are, underrepresented by museums. In order to do this, we will directly address issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and race in how we hire, develop exhibitions and programs, enter into relationships, create opportunities, eliminate barriers to participation, and authentically live our mission and values.
We are committed to advancing the richness of differences and the equitable inclusion of them. We recognize that this work is constant, ongoing, and will evolve over time.
The M is unique, bold, and always up to something new! Check out these social media highlights and fun exhibition facts.
COMMUNITY REPORT FY22
FINANCES
Minnesota Museum of American Art
350 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55101
Located in the Historic Pioneer Endicott
651.797.2571
DONATE
Minnesota Museum of American Art thrives because of people like you! Your contribution will support our dynamic and engaged partnerships and programs related to our St. Paul neighborhood, our Minnesota community, and our shared experiences.
THE M IS…
SOCIAL