We dare to respond to complex truths and envision a hopeful future.
This year at the M (Minnesota Museum of American Art), our flexibility has been put to the test, and we have emerged more firmly rooted in our mission and values. While maintaining the familiar balance of bridging the past and present with our exhibitions, space, and programming, we have grown increasingly nimble in how we interact with the public, our patrons, and our partners.
Before transitioning to street-facing exhibitions, we welcomed more than 9,000 visitors at the museum, with close to 250 people in attendance for the January opening of A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: The Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. Were you there that night? The room was electric, and the energy was positive, soul-filling, and bright. When looking toward the future of the M, we imagine more nights like that one.
We closed our doors mid-March due to COVID-19 and began developing exclusively virtual and street-facing exhibitions and programming. We launched THE M @ HOME, a virtual museum experience that brought A Choice of Weapons, Homecoming, and 100 Years and Counting to a dynamic digital platform. Thanks to this transition, we now see clearly that the future of the M goes beyond the current physical space, and that we can embrace unexpected shifts that affirm our vision.
With these new avenues of bringing art to people, we have had the opportunity to be extremely creative, ask important questions about accessibility and visibility, and work successfully with partners to pivot. And successful we have been! Close to 1,000 viewers have watched Black Art in the Era of Protest, people continue to engage with THE M @ HOME for family activities and digital artist talks and classes, and dozens of visitors experience 1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix every single day along Robert and 4th streets.
At a time when nothing feels familiar, the M has found ways to continue providing our beloved community with meaningful art and conversation. With exhibitions earlier this year like History is not Here: Art and the Arab Imaginary and Sherin Guirguis: Here I Have Returned, we showed that the M offers viable, vibrant ways to deepen the art-viewing experience. Shows like Homecoming, It’s Okay to Laugh, Labor Camp, and 1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix emphasized the extent to which flexibility and resolve are intrinsic to how the M operates.
More firmly rooted in our mission and values after a challenging year, we’re looking forward to what’s next at the M. There’s plenty of hope for a bold future!
Will you join us?
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.
PEOPLE

By Mia Laufer, Associate Curator
When I first heard the M would be putting on A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: the Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz, I was ecstatic. I already knew Gordon Parks’s story well, and was thrilled to be engaging more with his legendary work.
I didn’t know Robin Hickman-Winfield, Gordon Parks’s grand-niece, though. She was a board member at the M, and would be curating the show. A minute into our first meeting I learned she was far more than that. Robin is a figure of towering strength, and I knew then that the M’s upcoming exhibition wouldn’t be just another Gordon Parks show. Robin is deeply knowledgeable about Parks’s career, and equally passionate about her uncle’s legacy.
In one of their last conversations before Parks passed away in 2006, the photographer asked her, “What’s going to happen to Black boys? What did I really do?” And with that, Robin had her marching orders; she promised to keep his legacy alive.
Use your voice to fight for what’s right to make a difference.
—Amelia Pharmer, Gordon Parks Scholar
Following her lead, the M put on a Gordon Parks exhibition like no other. Instead of traditional interpretation of the artworks on the walls, there was a chorus of voices from the Black community, quotes from Parks and Shabazz, reflections by Gordon Parks High School Scholars, and even an opening statement by St. Paul’s mayor, Melvin Carter. In the museum’s Window Gallery that is visible from Robert Street she placed larger-than-life portraits of Parks and Shabazz, because she wanted everyone to be able to see examples of Black men carrying themselves with dignity, including the homeless population downtown. She brought the Gordon Parks Scholars to the museum to help plan the layout of the show, encouraging them to take their rightful place in public institutions. They became her Assistant Curators for the project.
Robin calls herself a promise-keeper. I became a promise-keeper too. There’s a profound generosity in the way Robin works. I’m a Jewish, Nuyorican, recent transplant from the East Coast, but Robin opened her arms to me and offered me a place in her vision of a brighter future. I was humbled to be involved in this project. It was truly an honor.
Donors
The Board of Trustees and staff of the M are grateful to these individuals, corporations, and foundations. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. This year we have opted to list all of our supporters in alphabetical order, because we believe that every gift is significant, and all acts of generosity help support the work we do at the M. Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete list of contributors. If an error or omission has been made, please call Hanna K. Stoehr in the development office at 651-288-2480.
A
Acoustics Associates
Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation
Katherine B. Andersen Fund
American Association of University Women – MN Branch
Anonymous
Kurt Apfelbacher and Ani Backa
Thomas Arneson
B
Gordon and Jo Bailey
Peg Guilfoyle and John Baillie
Baillon Family Foundation
Russel Balenger
Beverly Balos
Paul A. Bard
Marlys Barry
Harriet and Bruce Bart
John and Rebecca Bartlett
Tom Beach
Tim and Elizabeth Beastrom
Loretta Bebeau
Christine Durand and Mike Behr
Judson and Carol Bemis
Cynthia and Charles Bend
Harold and Barbara Bend
Ann Benrud
Kate Johnson and Scott Berry
Best Buy Foundation
Karl and Rosemarie Bethke
Madeline Betsch
F.R. Bigelow Foundation
Sharon K. Bigot
Jim Bindas
Matthew Bindert
Kit and Carolyn Bingham
Michael Birt
Thomas Blanck and Linda Bjorklund
Clint and Diane Blaiser
Todd P. Bockley
Marjorie Boening
George and Joan Bohlig
David Dayton and Mary Bolla
Aaron Bommarito
Boss Foundation
Linda L. Boss
Gary Boughner
Aviva Breen
Gerald and Cathy Brennan
Arnold and Judith Brier
Laura Brock
Alison Rempel Brown and Owen Brown
Linda Brown
Chelsea Brown
Cheryl Brown
Lela and Richard Brownlee
Philip and Carolyn Brunelle
John L. Burbidge
Ellen Burke
Stacy Burns
Jacquelyn Cronin and Richard Burton
The Bush Foundation
Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation
Peter M. Butler
C
Lisa Carlson
Jane Carlstrom
Sandra and Gordon Carlton
Carmax Foundation
Catchafire Volunteer Matching
The Cedar Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation
Kristin Cheronis
Margaret L. Chesley
Lili and Sheldon(d.2019) Chester
Perci Chester and Mitchell Bender
Marilyn Chiat
Keith Christensen
David and Michelle Christianson
Chris Cinque
Cynthia Clark
Valerie Clark
Jon Pratt and Deborah Clemmensen
Louise and George Clitty
Faith Clover
Sonja Cobb
Patricia and Howard Cohen
Monica Colberg
Richard and Carol Colburn
Gayle Cole
Jack Cole
Kevin and Ann Commers
Annette Conklin
Susan and Alan Cook
Cathy Naughton and Paul Corydon
Jay Cowles and Page Knudsen Cowles
Russell Cowles and Josine Peters
Doug Crane and Ruth Hanold Crane
Andy Currie and Ames Sheldon
Hazel Belvo and Marcia Cushmore
Joe Cypher
D
Steven K. Dahlke
Kathleen Daniels
Thomas Darling
Karen Mary Davalos
Ann Davey
Anne DeCoster
Stephanie Van D’Elden
Dellwood Foundation
Janna DeLue
Eric Smith and Joyce Denn
Karen Desnick
Patrick and Mona Dewane
Natane Dillard
Judith Rauenhorst Doerr Family Foundation
Steven G. Dorgan
Sam Doyle
Driscoll Foundation
Joan R. Duddingston
Elizabeth Dunn
Christine Durand and Mike Behr
Greg and Colleen Durand
Thomas Selwold and Gretchen Durkot
Diane and Faye Duvall
E
Ecolab Foundation
Carrie and Mickey Eder
Robert W. Edgar
Jacob Edwards
Louise Eidsmoe
Jean Engle
Thomas Erickson
Pixie Martin and Jay Erstling
Hope Esparolini
F
Nichole Fairbanks
Thomas and Florence Farnham
Barry Fick
Carole Fisher
Dan Donovan and Regina Flanagan
Nancy Zingale and William Flanigan
Elizabeth Fleck
Cynthia and Joseph Fleury
Deborah Pile and Jack Flynn
Kathleen Flynn
Susan and Tom Focke
Bernice Folz, PhD
Sharon Fortunak
Dutton and Caroline Foster
Sarah and Mark Foster
William Foussard
Kristine Fowler
David J. Fraher
Harold Freshley
James and Barbara Fritz
G
Richard Galena
Marla Gamble
John and Peggy Ganey
James and Joan Gardner
Michael and Anthony Garrett
Kathy and Steve Gaskins
Sieglinde Gassman
Cheryl and Jim Gelbmann
Rene and James Gesell
The Dante Moreira Gilbert Fund
Peter and Mary Gilbertson
Kinji Akagawa and Nancy Gipple
Steve Miles and Joline Gitis
Howard and Karen Gochberg
Roxann and Will Goertz
Jerry M. and Patty Goettsch
Mavis Goldstein
Marsha Golob
David and Rosemary Good
Katherine Goodrich
Eileen and Ned Gordon
Valerie Gordon
Walt Gordon
Luella Greene
Robert and Carolyn Grenier
Janet Groenert
Beverly Grossman
Kyrsten and Mark Gustafson
H
Hannah Haas
Kathleen Franzen and Philip Hage
Ronald Hagen
Julie Haider
Mary Jo and Mark Hallberg
Carolyn Halliday
Jan and Sue Halverson
Ruth Hamlow
Kathryn Hanna
Robyn Hansen and John Clarey
Tim and Kathy Harding
Hardenbergh Foundation
Alfred Harrison and Ingrid Lenz Harrison
Ginny Hartmann
Dan Hathaway
Cynthia and Michael Heelan
Ann and David Heider
Todd and Carole Heimdahl
Sally D. Hellman
Leslie S. Helmes
Deb Hendricks
Jaimee Hendrikson
Molly Henke
Maurice C. Henschel
Kevin Welsh and Janet Herbert
John and Diane Herman
Betty M. Hess
Thomas A. Hessel
Kathe Hetterick
H (cont.)
Richard and Beverly Jones Heydinger
Lisa and James Heyman
Mary Dee and George Hicks
Lee Highes
Joan Higinbotham
Mary Hilfiker
Jack and Linda Hoeschler
David and Marjorie Hols
Kristen Stuenkel and Kent Honl
Nora Lee Hornicek
James Richardson and Dorothy Horns
Jason T. Howard
Nancy Huart
Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation
Stanley and Karen Hubbard
Katherine Huntington
Aaron Hurst
Ruth and John Huss
Jeff and Beth Hvass
I
Ann Idzik
Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld
Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad
Rose Ireland
J
Twinks and Jock Irvine
Connie Nardini and Donald Jacobson
Kaaren Jacobson
Elmore A. James
Jennifer Yoos and Vincent James
Erik and Lucy Janssen
Hawona Sullivan Janzen and Mark Janzen
Dolores Lenore and James Jenkins
Molly Jensen
Dolores D. Johnson
Lucy Rosenberry Jones and James Johnson
Nathan Johnson
Scott Berry and Kate Johnson
Ward and Shotsy Johnson
Eric and Elizabeth Jolly
Carlyle and Marshall Jones
Melvyn Jones and Esme Evans
Renee and Larry Jordan
Kay Joseph
Peggy Joyce-Parlin
Paula and Ken Justich
K
Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of the HRK Foundation
Shirley Kaplan
Judy Karbo
Steven Kayser
Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation
Constance Kerrins
Jackie and James Kielkopf
Jay Kim
Judith Newberry and Phillip King
Janet A. Kinney
Mary Louise Klas
Mary Hartnett and Joe Knable
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Michael and Martha Koch
Kathy Kolstad
Ken Kornack
Jeanne and Bill Kosfeld
Marc Kotsonas and Dimitria Phill Kotsonas
Connie Kozlak
Bonnie and Peter Kramer
Mark Krause
Rebecca Krinke
Ruth and Stanley Krueger
James Wafler and Marit Kucera
John Kulstad
Constance and Daniel Kunin
L
Bouky Labhard
James and Gail LaFave
Julian LaFerla
Kathleen Lander
Joseph Landsberger
Laurie Lapore
John L. and Colles B. Larkin
Jennifer Victor-Larsen and Nels Larsen
Christine Podas-Larson and Kent Larson
Mimi Daly Larson
Jeff and Amy Anne Lassig
Leilani LaBelle and Peter Lavanger
Jean Velleu and James Law
Barbara Greig and Timothy Lawless
Linda M. LeClair
Robert and Frances Leff
Ernest and Sarah Lehmann Family Fund
Walter Lehmann
Eric and Laurel Lein
Julie L’Enfant
Allen and Kathleen Lenzmeier
Fern Letnes
Linda Letts
Steven Levy
Nicolai and Ronald Lewis
Kevin Byrne and Michelle Lichtig
Nan P. Lightner
Douglas K. Limon
John and Nancy Lindahl
Katy Lindblad
James and Heather Lockwood
Loralee and Gene Di Lorenzo
Don Lorr
Kris Lowe
Weiming and Caroline Lu
Carol Joyce and Neal Luebke
Bruce and Susan Lueck
Curt Lund
Richard Lupu
Deborah Lyon
Joyce Lyon
M
Wendy MacDougall
Thomas Kleinschmit and Liana Magee
Mairs and Power, Inc.
Lisa Nankivil and Ardy Magnuson
MAHADH Fund of the HRK Foundation
Suzanne H. Mahmoodi
Rob and Aimee Mairs
Jeff Makholm and Roberta Parks
Kristin Makholm
Jan Malmquist
Dave and Diane Manship
Edward G. Maranda
Marbrook Foundation
Judith and Todd Marshall
Margaret Shreves and Bill Marshall
Leslie Martin
Martha and Stuart Mason
Phillip and Paula Mason
Ruth Mason
Joan Mathison
Carol McCarty
Sam and Patty McCullough
Lawrence and Andrea McGough
Cole Rogers and Carla McGrath
Michael McGuire
Shellie and Tim McKane
The McKnight Foundation
Douglas McMonagle
Brenda Child and Patrick McNamara
Harry G. McNeely
Emily Galusha and Don McNeil
Joan and Thomas Mears
Jeffrey C. Meehan
Paul Mellblom and Peter Farstad
Crystal K. Meriwether
Margaret Merkow
Peg Meyer
Mark Willenbring and Katherine Meyers
Susan Mikutowski
Joan Miller
Mary Dew and David Miller
Jodie Ahern and Larry Millett
MillerHale Associates
Minnesota State Arts Board
Amy Mino
Patricia Mitchell
Jean Moede
Paul and Molly Mohrbacher
Paul J. Mohrbacher
Ruth Meany Murphy and Paul Mohrbacher
Robert and Deborah Montgomery
Sheila Morgan
Sally Mortenson
Kathy Mouacheupao
Jocelyn Muggli
Craig Murphy
Russ Stark and Katherine Murray
Leaetta Hough and Robert Muschewske
JoAnn J. Musumeci
Denise Mwasyeba
N
Sara Nachreiner
Natalie Naranjo
David Peterson and Nahal Nazmi
Averial Nelson and Cathy Polasky
Jeanne M. Nelson
Robert and DeeAnne Nelson
Olga Nichols
Nicholson Family Foundation
Richard and Nancy Nicholson
Kate and Stuart Nielsen
Nicole Norfleet
Polly Norman
David Norrgard
Judy Nyquist
O
Vicki Oace
Deborah O’Connor
Eri O’Diah
Thomas and P.J. Olander
Chuck Olsen
Alice and Ivy Olson
Patricia L. Olson
Chuck Olson
Kristen Olsrud
Conor O’Phelan
John and Marla Ordway
Maggie O’Reilly
Pam Orren
Margaret Osborne
Andreas Ostenso
O (cont.)
Steven Ostrow
Robbyn Overall
P
Emily Page
Gregory Page and Carole Howe
Joan Palm
Leslie Palmer-Ross
Anita M. Pampusch
Bill and Anne Parker
Mary J. Parker
Michelle Parks
Joan Parsons
Marne Johnson and Robert Patrick
Sally and Tom Patterson
City of Saint Paul
City of Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development
The Saint Paul Foundation
Jody and Steve Paulsen
Patty Paulus
Lynn Pauly
Peregrine Capital Management Inc
Laura Pereira
Michael and Paula Pergament
Jennifer Peterson
Jennifer Phelps
Theresa Phillips
Eugene Piccolo
Pioneer Endicott, LLC
Peggy and Edward Pluimer
Wayne and Ginny Potratz
John and Michele Potts
Diane Pozdolski and Ron Genda
Q
The Quaker Hill Foundation, Inc.
Nancy A. Quinn
R
Peter Rachleff
Rojean Rada
Leslie Greaves Radloff and Max Paul Radloff
Akshay Rao
Margaret Rarig
Elizabeth Redleaf
Darwin and Geri Reedy
Charles Repke
Jack Becker and Nancy Reynolds
Wallace Rice and Dan Bridston
Chikio Richmond
Philip Rickey
Charles and Cherie Riesenberg
Jeff Riker
Janet and Bruce Robb
Bruce Robbins
Beverly and George Roberts
Carol A. Robertson
Janet Ekern and David Robinson
Robyne Robinson
Mary Des Roches
Carla McGrath and Cole Rogers
Thomas and Nancy Rohde
Charlene Roise
Michael and Tamara Root
Linda and David Rosedahl
Phil and Tammie Rosenbloom
Douglas and Anita Ross
Marilyn Rossmann and Jack Rossman
David and Kathy Rothenberger
Kay Thomas and James Rustad
Ed and Jennifer Ryan
S
Michael and John Sammler-Jones
William and Susan Sands
Sarah Sanfilippo
Maria Santiago
Marilyn Ampe and Robert Schestak
Neala Schleuning
Lise Schmidt
Jean and Mark Schroepfer
Paul and Sue Schultz
Joe and Kathy Schur
Terry and Freddie Schutten
Judy Schwartau
Caroline Schwert
Rick Scott and Dale Vanden Houten
Securian Financial
Alfred Sedgwick
Thomas M. Seifert
Tseganesh Selameab
Therese Sexe
Emily and Daniel Shapiro
Victor Bloomfield and Elsa Shapiro
Jane and Jeff Shaw
Tib Shaw
Colleen Sheehy
Don Helgeson and Sue Shepard
Martha Sheppard
Steven Shimer
Daniel Shogren
Norma Shpayher
Mariana and Craig Shulstad
Robert B. Silberman
Nida Sinnokrot
Sit Investment Associates Foundation
Jon P. Skaalen
Mary Jo and Richard Skaggs
David Sonstegard
Roger Sorbel
Wayne Jennings and Joan Sorenson
Michele Spear
Richard and Judith Spiegel
Patrick Stahl
Ruth Ann Starr
Claire Colliander and Greg Steenson
Sue Stein
Kris and Gerry Stenson
Sarah A. Stevenson
Gail Steward
Hanna K. Stoehr
Kathleen and Mark Stoehr
Holly Stoerker
Hugh and Lisa Stoll
Charles Stoneburner
Michelle K. Streitz
Richard L. Stryker
Merle H. Sykora
T
Judy Takkunen
Jil Evans and Charles Taliaferro
Target Foundation
Kay Savik and Joe Tashjian
Sandra Taylor
Ed McConaghay and Margaret Telfer
Terhuly Foundation
David Tews
Linda Thain
Evan Maurer and Kellie Theiss
Kellie Rae Theiss
Cynthia Launer and Will Thomas
James Rustad and Kay Thomas
Lucy A. Thompson
Richard and Caroline Thompson
Terrie Thompson
Ezgi Tiryaki
Robert Toensing
Jamie and Sam Tomlin
Emily Toro
Beth Bergman and Jay Torvik
Susan Travis
William Travis
David and Karen Trudeau
JS Turner Family Foundation
James Turnure
V
Linda James and Tom Vandervoort
James Moore and Joann Verburg
Nels Larsen and Jennifer Victor-Larsen
Teresa and Raymond Voelker
Daniel Vogel
W
Michael and Jody Wahlig
Joyce Wahlquist
Gayle Jorgens and Stanley Wai
David and Kova Walker-Lecic
Thomas and Nancy Walsh
Leia Wambach
David Wark and Mary Barrows Wark
David and Ruth Waterbury
Chaplain Irene Weaver
Gabriel and Yvonne Weisberg
Peter C. Welles
Steve and Kathy Wellington
Douglas Throckmorton and Casey Wells
Marilyn Wells
Kenneth P. Wenzel
Glenn and Terri Wertheim
Mary and Mark Westra
Greg Weyandt
Cathy Weyerhaeuser
F.T. Weyerhaeuser Family Fund
Ted and Nancy Weyerhaeuser
Annette and John Whaley
William and Patricia Whitaker
John and Sandy White
Susan and Rob White
Tom Whitlock
Robert and Louise Wilcox
Toni Wilcox
Raeisha Williams
Philip Willkie
Ann Ruhr Pifer and Steve Wilmot
Amanda Wilson
Jim Denomie and Diane Wilson
Joseph and Patricia Wirth
Bill and Marion Wittenbreer
Jerry Woelfel and Becky Garthofner
Susan and Terry Wolkerstorfer
Janelle and Roy Wong
Richard and Diane Wright
Y
Mary Beth Yarrow
Wilson Yates and Gayle Graham Yates
Petronella Ytsma
Z
Maryam M. Zafar
Nancy Wiggers and Francis Zebot
Janine and Dick Zehring
Sharon Zweigbaum
We want to thank the individuals who have given generously of their time during this year to volunteer at various events, programs, and in the galleries. Your friendly faces are one of the many reasons the M is a warm, welcoming place to visit.
STAFF
as of October, 2020
Nancy Ariza
Associate Curator of Learning and Engagement
Ann M. Benrud
Marketing and Communications
Curtis Bjerke
Designer
Meredith Heneghan
Communications Assistant
Laura Wertheim Joseph, PhD
Curator of Exhibitions
Ken Kornack
Interim Director of Operations
Mia Laufer
Associate Curator
Benjamin Reed
Exhibition Services and Facility Manager
Hanna K. Stoehr
Development Associate
Mai Huizel
Registrar
Kova Walker-Lečić
Associate Registrar of Collections and Archives
Chris Widdess
Interim Executive Director
STAFF
as of October, 2020
Nancy Ariza, Associate Curator of Learning and Engagement
Ann Benrud, Marketing and Communications
Curtis Bjerke, Designer
Meredith Heneghan, Communications Assistant
Laura Wertheim Joseph, Curator of Exhibitions
Ken Kornack, Interim Director of Operations
Mia Laufer, Associate Curator
Ben Reed, Exhibition Services and Facility Manager
Hanna K. Stoehr, Development Associate
Mai Huizel, Registrar of Collections and Archives
Kova Walker-Lečić, Associate Registrar of Collections and Archives
Chris Widdess, Interim Executive Director
Christine Durand, Director of Advancement
Terese McCauley, Administrative Associate
Susan Mikutowski, Gallery Assistant
Wallace Rice, Gallery Assistant
Rosa Rybeck Smith, Visitor Services and Volunteer Manager
Board of Trustees
as of October 30, 2020
Tom Arneson
Jo Bailey
Tim Beastrom, Treasurer
Brenda Child, Ph.D.
Dr. Bruce Corrie
Jim Denomie
Nathan Johnson
Colles Larkin
Dave Neal
Gregory Page, Chair
Diane Pozdolski, Vice Chair
Ann Ruhr Pifer
Michael Sammler‐Jones, Secretary
Brandon Seifert
Gerry Stenson
Patty Dunlap Whitaker
Ex-Officio Trustees
Mayor Melvin Carter
Chris Widdess
Former Trustees
John Roth
Robyne Robinson
Andy Currie
Former Trustees, partial-term
Nancy Apfelbacher
Mike Birt
Sue Focke
Rick Scott
Hawona Sullivan Janzen
Dick Zhering
ART
In May 2020, the M rolled out its first virtual fundraiser, Momentum. Building on the exciting growth of the M in the last few years, Momentum was a celebration of art and artists, a way to honor both the legacy and the future of the M’s collection.
Momentum featured 12 artists, and each artwork told a story about the artist, the M, and the various inspirations, conversations, and stories that make up this collection. Momentum even showcased five living artists, and some contributors had the opportunity to travel virtually around Minnesota on behind-the-scenes studio visits.
Pivoting due to the pandemic became a chance to ground down into resilience and rise up in excitement about what the M has to offer. In challenging times, the role of art becomes more central, whether we realize it or not. Momentum invited YOU to engage through the M’s collection.

By Mai Huizel, Registrar
In the Collections department, we have hosted interns from the Inclusion and Community Engagement (INCE) Fellowship through the Minnesota Historical Society since 2017. Although each year has its own unique circumstances, this year has really been different.
Kristina Remus, a Hamline University senior studying Anthropology/Archaeology and exploring work in museums, was our intern for 2020. In Collections work, attention to detail and flexibility within a rigorous structure are the keys to success. Kristina began working at storage shortly before the pandemic started, and she quickly learned our database and archive needs, thinking on her feet while naming files and making sense of each archive box.
When we realized we needed to close up shop and work from home, and that Kristina would have to graduate via distance learning, our plans shifted. We worked together to establish M needs that she could address remotely, and her project became research-based. She was able to access resources the M has as a member of the American Alliance of Museums and expand her understanding of the museum world. We got a very good summary of copyright materials she found that we could incorporate into our work.
Every student we’ve mentored through INCE has gained real-life experiences in the museum field. For Kristina, real-life became a lesson in swift adaptation.
Acquisitions
July 2019—June 2020
Nicolas Africano (b. 1948 Kankakee, IL, lives in Normal, IL)
Angel and Boy, 1986
Color lithograph and screen print on paper
Ed. of 60, AP 11/12
30 x 40 inches
Printed by Vermillion Editions, Ltd., St. Paul
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.01
Dewey Albinson (b.1898 Minneapolis; d. 1972 Mexico)
Untitled (Self-portrait), ca. 1920s
Oil on canvas
36 x 28 inches (image)
40 ¼ x 32 ¼ inches (frame)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.05
Dewey Albinson (b.1898 Minneapolis; d. 1972 Mexico)
Untitled (Witch Tree), ca. 1920s
Oil on canvas
34 x 26 inches (image)
38 ⅝ x 30 ¾ inches (frame)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.06
Oliver Arms (b. 1970 Arlington, VA; lives in Los Angeles)
Double Dare, 2011
Oil on canvas
72 x 72 inches
Gift of Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.35.01
Robert Bergman (b. 1944 New Orleans; lives in Minneapolis and New York)
Untitled, ca. 2005
Chromogenic print
36 ⅝ x 24 ½ inches (visible image), 47 ¾ x 34 ½ inches (frame)
Gift of the Estate of Robert Byrd, 2019.14.01
Karl E. Bethke (b. 1932 Kaltennordheim/Rhoen, Germany; lives in Minneapolis)
Self portrait with Red Smock, 1968
Photo intaglio and collagraph
7/20, 23 ½ x 17 ¾ inches (plate), 30 x 21 ¼ inches (paper)
Gift of Karl and Rosemarie Bethke, 2019.12.01
Karl E. Bethke (b. 1932 Kaltennordheim/Rhoen, Germany; lives in Minneapolis,)
Zebra with Brick Wall, 1968
Photo intaglio and aquatint
13/24, 17 ¾ x 23 ¼ inches (plate), 21 ⅛ x 27 ⅛ inches (paper)
Gift of Karl and Rosemarie Bethke, 2019.12.02
Karl E. Bethke (b. 1932 Kaltennordheim/Rhoen, Germany; lives in Minneapolis)
Malcolm Myers, 1964
Etching, aquatint, and drypoint
11/12, 24 x 19 3/16 inches (plate), 25 ⅝ x 20 ⅛ inches (paper)
Gift of Karl and Rosemarie Bethke, 2019.12.03
Elizabeth Brainard Bonta (b. Syracuse, NY)
Untitled (Landscape with Moon), 1910
Pastel on paper
9 ½ x 13 ½ inches (image)
10 ⅞ x 14 ⅞ inches (paper)
16 ½ x 20 inches (mat)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.07
Robert Briscoe (b. 1947 Kansas City, KS; lives in Minneapolis)
Large platter, ca. 2001
Stoneware
2 x 23 ¼ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.05
Robert Briscoe (b. 1947 Kansas City, KS; lives in Minneapolis)
Large low bowl w/ handles, 2002
Stoneware
4 ½ x 22 ¼ x 18 ½ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.06
Robert Briscoe (b. 1947 Kansas City, KS; lives in Minneapolis)
Untitled (Shallow bowl with fluted outside), 2015
Glazed stoneware
3 ¼ x 14 ¾ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.19
William Brouillard (b. 1947 Madison, WI; lives in Cleveland)
Untitled (Large covered casserole), 2003
Soda-fired glazed stoneware
5 x 15 (diameter) inches (vessel)
4 x 13 ¾ (diameter) inches (lid)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.15
Jeffrey Chapman (White Earth Ojibwe) (b. 1958 Minneapolis; lives in Minneapolis)
Retracing his Path, 1985
Watercolor on paper
27 ¾ x 20 ¼ inches (image)
30 x 22 ⅝ inches (paper)
33 ⅝ x 26 inches (mat)
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.01
Linda Christianson (b. 1952 Rice Lake, WI; lives in Lindstrom, MN)
Teapot, early 1980s
Stoneware
2 x 2 ¼ x 1 inches (lid), 6 ½ x 8 ¾ x 5 inches (vessel)
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.01a-b
Jim Denomie (Lac Courte Oreilles) (b. 1955 Hayward, WI; lives in Franconia, MN)
Transitions, 1996
Oil on canvas
15 ½ x 19 ¼ inches (image)
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.02
Marc Digeros (b. 1970 Minneapolis; lives in Los Angeles)
Untitled (Boat form with four short legs), 1995-96
Glazed stoneware
4 ¾ x 18 x 8 ¾ inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.13
Marc Digeros (b. 1970 Minneapolis; lives in Los Angeles)
Untitled (Divided platter), 1995-96
Glazed stoneware
1 ½ x 11 x 11 inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.14
Jeff Elrod (b. 1966 Irving, TX; lives in Marfa, TX)
Hide-Grid, 2005
Acrylic on canvas
80 x 61 ⅛ inches
Gift of Peter Remes, 2019.37.01
Gary Erickson (b. 1955 Rush City, MN; d. 2016 Minneapolis)
Green footed bowl, n.d.
Stoneware
4 ¼ x 8 ¼ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.02
Stanford Fenelle (b. 1909 Minneapolis; d. 1995 Minneapolis)
Trees and White Church, ca. 1940s
Watercolor on paper
21 ⅝ x 29 ⅛ inches (image)
Gift of Colles Larkin, 2019.23.01
Harry Fonseca (Maidu) (b. 1946 Sacramento, CA; d. 2006 Albuquerque)
Uncle Sam Coyote With Buffalos, 1998
Color screenprint on Arches paper, printed at Telos Graphics Workshop in Tempe, AZ
Edition of 75 (8 AP, 3 PP)
36 x 27 inches (image/paper)
37 ½ x 28 ½ inches (mat)
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.03
Harry Fonseca (b. 1946 Sacramento, CA; d. 2006 Albuquerque)
Coyote Koshares Four Figures with Watermelon, 1983
Color screenprint, printed at Telos Graphics Workshop in Tempe, AZ
Edition of 75 (8 AP, 3 PP)
24 ¾ x 35 11/16 inches (image)
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.04
Willem Gebben (b. 1951 Delft, the Netherlands; lives in Colfax, WI)
Covered Urn, ca. 2005 – 2010
Stoneware
4 x 9 1/2 (diameter) inches (lid), 16 x 14 (diameter) inches (vessel)
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.07a-b
Claire Grill (b. 1979 Western Springs, IL; lives in Queens, NY)
Cramp, 2013
Oil on linen
14 x 12 inches
Gift of Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.24.01
Sherin Guirguis (b. 1974 Luxor, Egypt, lives in Los Angeles)
Storming Parliament III, 2018
Hand-cut paper, ink, and acrylic
75 x 20 inches; framed: 78-1/2 x 23-3/8 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, 2020.01.01
Stephen Hartman (b. 1947 Oak Bluffs, MA; lives in Lonsdale, MN)
Untitled, ca. 1970s
Gouache and polymer medium on rice paper
65 ¼ x 79 ¼ inches (image)
73 ½ x 87 ½ inches (frame)
Gift of Doug Flanders, 2019.31.01
Alonzo Hauser (b. 1909 LaCrosse, WI; d. 1988 Minneapolis)
Eve, 1959
Limestone
18 x 36 x 15 inches
Gift of Colles Larkin, 2019.33.01
Leo Henkora (b. 1893 Austria; d. 1954)
Untitled (Bohemian Flats, Minneapolis), 1928
Watercolor on paper
16 ⅞ x 18 ⅞ inches (visible image)
24 x 26 inches (mat)
26 x 28 Inscribed in paint lower left: Leo H. Henkora 28.
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.04
Curtis Hoard (b. 1940 St. Paul; lives in Green Valley, AZ)
Square footed bowl, 2012
Stoneware
4 ¾ x 13 ½ x 11 ¾ inches
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.03
Curtis Hoard (b. 1940 St. Paul; lives in Green Valley, AZ)
Blue leaf platter, early 2000s
Stoneware
3 ½ x 17 ¼ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas Barry, 2019.11.04
Adelita Husni-Bey (b. 1985 Milan, Italy; lives in New York)
A Wave in the Well, 2016
Inkjet print on paper
78 ¾ x 49 ¼ inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, 2020.02.01
Brad Kahlhamer (b. 1956 Tucson, AZ, lives in New York and Mesa, AZ)
Please Pay Me So I Can Pay Them, 2013
Spray paint, ink, and pencil on bedsheet
100 x 84 inches
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, 2019.10.01
Brad Kahlhamer (b. 1956 Tucson, AZ; lives in New York)
Next Level Jumbo 1, 2013
Wood, wire, rope, acrylic, and spray paint
33 x 11 ¼ x 2 ¾ inches (installed on metal stand 67 inches high)
Purchase, with funds given by Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.29.0
Leo Kim (b. 1946 Shanghai; d. 2019 St. Paul)
Shepard Road, Kellogg Bluff, 2009 (printed 2017)
Archival pigment print
11 x 11 inches (image)
Gift of Dana Wheelock, 2019.26.01
Leo Kim (b. 1946 Shanghai; d. 2019 St. Paul)
Crosby Farm Regional Park, ca. 2009 (printed 2017)
Archival pigment print
11 x 11 inches (image)
Gift of Dana Wheelock, 2019.26.02
Leo Kim (b. 1946 Shanghai; d. 2019 St. Paul)
Rawson, August 1998
Gelatin silver print
18 ⅛ x 22 inches (image)
Gift of Dana Wheelock, 2019.26.03
Maren Kloppmann (b. 1962 Verseen, Germany; lives in Minneapolis)
Untitled (Boat form), ca. 2012
Glazed porcelain
3 ½ x 23 x 6 ¼ inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.18
Kristen Lowe (b. 1964; lives in Chanhassen, MN)
Oh, For the Love of God No. 1, 2009
Charcoal on paper
72 x 42 inches
Acquired from the artist – January 2013
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.01
Attributed to Alix MacKenzie (b. 1922 Chicago; d. 1962 Chicago)
Untitled, late 1940s
Drypoint
4 x 4 ⅝ inches (image), 4 ¾ x 6 ⅛ inches (paper), 11 ⅞ x 12 ¼ inches (mat)
Gift of Linda L. Boss, 2019.13.01
Attributed to Warren MacKenzie (b. 1924 Kansas City, MO; d. 2018 Stillwater, MN)
Untitled, late 1940s
Etching
4 ¾ x 4 ⅝ inches (image), 4 ⅞ x 6 ½ inches (paper), 10 x 10 3/16 inches (mat)
Gift of Linda L. Boss, 2019.13.01
Attributed to Warren MacKenzie (b. 1924 Kansas City, MO; d. 2018 Stillwater, MN)
Untitled, late 1940s
Etching
4 15/16 x 4 inches (image), 8 ½ x 6 ¼ inches (paper), 13 x 11 ½ inches (mat)
Gift of Linda L. Boss, 2019.13.03
Warren MacKenzie (b.1924 Kansas City, MO; d. 2018 Stillwater, MN)
Untitled (Shallow bowl/deep platter), n.d.
Glazed stoneware
4 ⅞ x 19 (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.08
Warren MacKenzie (b.1924 Kansas City, MO; d. 2018 Stillwater, MN)
Untitled (Lidded jar with paddled decoration), n.d.
Glazed stoneware
8 ½” x 8 3/4 diameter inches (vessel)
1 ¾ x 5 ½ (diameter) inches (lid)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.09
Warren MacKenzie (b.1924 Kansas City, MO; d. 2018 Stillwater, MN)
Untitled (Small pouring cup), ca. 1948-1953
Glazed stoneware
2 ½ x 3 ½ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.10
Clara Mairs (b. 1878, Hastings, MN; d. 1963, St. Paul)
The Cocktail Party, ca. 1920s
Ink and wash on paper
22 1/16 x 18 1/16 inches (paper)
Gift of Patricia J. Peterson, 2019.19.01
Fred Martin (b.1927 San Francisco; lives in San Francisco)
La Favorita, 1965
Watercolor and gouache on paper
17 ¾ x 17 3/4 inches
Gift of Maymanah Farhat, 2019.30.01
Fred Martin (b.1927 San Francisco; lives in San Francisco)
Untitled, 1982
Watercolor and gouache on paper
30 x 22 7/8 inches
Gift of Maymanah Farhat, 2019.30.02
Fred Martin (b.1927 San Francisco; lives in San Francisco)
Lovers, 1984
Watercolor and gouache on paper
22 ⅛ x 30 inches
Gift of Maymanah Farhat, 2019.30.03
Ron Meyers (b. 1934 Buffalo, NY; lives in Athens, GA)
Untitled (Plate with bird painted on front; cat drawn on back), 2012
Glazed earthenware
1 ¾ x 12 ½ (diameter) inches
Unsigned (as per usual with Meyers’ work)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.17
Ernest Miller (b. 1974 Olney, IL; lives in Minneapolis)
Untitled (Lobed shallow bowl), 2007
Mat-glazed exterior, crystalline-glazed interior porcelain
3 ½ x 17 (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.11
Carl Oltvedt (b. 1951 Minneapolis; lives in Minneapolis)
Avebury, England, 1987
Gouache on paper
10 ¼ x 14 ½ inches (image/paper)
16 ¼ x 19 ¾ inches (frame)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.02
Carl Oltvedt (b. 1951 Minneapolis; lives in Minneapolis)
Storm Approaching the N. Sea, 1987
Gouache on paper
10 x 13 ¾ inches (image)
10 9/16 x 14 ¼ inches (paper)
16 ⅛ x 19 ¼ inches (mat)
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.03
Gordon Parks (b. 1912 Fort Scott, KS; d. 2006 New York)
Black Muslim Schoolchildren in Chicago, 1963
Gelatin silver print
9 ⅜ x 6 ½ inches (visible image)
17 ¼ x 14 ¼ inches (frame)
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, 2019.16.01
Sheila Pepe (b. 1959 Morristown, NJ; lives in Brooklyn)
Softly… Cass Gilbert.Redux One, 2019
Derby rope, nautical tie line, linen, paracord, nylon, and wool
95 x 118 x 4 inches
Commissioned by the Minnesota Museum of American Art
Gift of Sheila Pepe, 2019.25.01
Sheila Pepe (b. 1959 Morristown, NJ; lives in Brooklyn)
Softly… Cass Gilbert.Redux Two, 2019
Derby rope, nautical tie line, linen, paracord, nylon, and wool
Variable dimension
Commissioned by the Minnesota Museum of American Art
Gift of Sheila Pepe, 2019.25.02
Sonja Peterson (b. 1966 Rochester, MN; lives in Minneapolis)
Stowaways and Interlopers, 2013
Cut paper, graphite, map and silver foil
43 ½ x 51 ¼ inches (framed)
Gift of Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.18.01
David Rathman (b. 1958, Choteau, MT; lives in Minneapolis)
Untitled Hockey Players, 2012
Watercolor and ink on paper
6 x 8 inches each (image)
14 ½ x 43 inches (mat)
Gift of Sharon and Douglas Pugh, 2019.36.01
David Rathman (b. 1958, Choteau, MT; lives in Minneapolis)
Your Place or Mine, 2012
Watercolor and ink on paper
27 ⅞ x 65 7/8 inches (image/paper)
Signed and dated, verso lower right: David Rathman 2012
Gift of Sharon and Douglas Pugh, 2019.36.02
John Ratzloff (b. 1947 Austin, MN; lives in Ely, MN)
Native Authors Series, 1996-2016
Front sheet and 9 prints
19 x 13 each
Digital print on cotton rag paper
ed. 4/100
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.06a-i
S.C. (Steven) Rolf (b. 1965 Bloomington, MN; lives in River Falls, WI)
Untitled (Large bowl with pleated rim), ca.1996
Reduction-fired glazed stoneware
4 ¼ x 14 ¼ (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.12
Cara Romero (b. 1977 Inglewood, CA; lives in Santa Fe, NM)
Coyote Tales No. 1, 2017
Archival pigment print
AP 2/5, edition of 9
40 ¾ x 40 ¾ inches
Purchase, with funds given by Russell Cowles, 2020.03.01
Karla Rydrych (b. 1965 Minneapolis)
A Witch. A Curse. A Needle and Thread, 2019
Thread and found materials
24 ¾ x 17 x 3 inches (open)
12 x 17 x 4 ¼ inches (closed)
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, Minnesota State Fair Award, 2019.17.01
Scott Seekins (b. 1946 LaCrosse, WI; lives in Minneapolis)
Love is all I Crave, 1986
Charcoal, crayon, spray paint, and gold leaf on fabric in plexi box
49 x 32 x 2 inches (image, variable)
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.02
Jamel Shabazz (b. 1960 Brooklyn; lives in Hempstead, NY)
A Choice of Weapons, 2018
Archival Pigment print
16 x 20 in (image)
Gift of Jamel Shabazz, 2019.38.01
Jamel Shabazz (b. 1960 Brooklyn; lives in Hempstead, NY)
Church Ladies, 2004
Archival Pigment print
16 x 23 13/16 in (image)
Gift of Jamel Shabazz, 2019.38.02
Jamel Shabazz (b. 1960 Brooklyn; lives in Hempstead, NY)
One Generation to the Next, ca. 1995
Archival Pigment print
13 1/16 x 19 1/4 in (image)
Gift of Jamel Shabazz, 2019.38.03
Jamel Shabazz (b. 1960 Brooklyn; lives in Hempstead, NY)
Youth & Age, 2011
Archival Pigment print
16 x 20 in (image)
Gift of Jamel Shabazz, 2019.38.04
Mary Shaffer (1947 Walterboro, SC; lives in Taos, NM)
Center Cube, 1992
diptych: cast bronze and slumped glass
Part 1: 32 x 10 ¼ x 11 inches (glass)
Part 2: 32 x 10 x 10 ½ inches (bronze)
Gift of Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.35.01a-b
Paul Shambroom (1956 Teaneck. NJ; lives in Minneapolis)
Minuteman III missile stage 1 static test firing, Utah Test and Training Range, From series: Nuclear Weapons, 2001
C-print
Edition 1 of 6
9 ¼ x 18 ¼ inches (image)
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.03
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation) (1940 Flathead Reservation, MT; Albuquerque, NM)
Untitled, ca. late 1970s
Black chalk and pastel on paper
30 ⅛ x 22 ½ inches
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.05
Moheb Soliman (b. 1979 Alexandria, Egypt; lives Tulsa, OK and Minneapolis)
Landscape (of all landscapes), 2019
Mixed media
Dimensions variable
Purchase, Acquisition Fund, 2019.28.01
Alec Soth (b. 1969 Minneapolis; lives in Minneapolis)
Nome, Alaska, 2006
Archival pigment print
8 x 10 inches (image)
Edition 3 of 7 (plus 2 AP)
Gift of Ruth and John Huss, 2019.22.01
Alec Soth (b. 1969 Minneapolis; lives in Minneapolis)
The Farm, Angola, State Prison, Louisiana, From Sleeping by the Mississippi series, 2002
Chromogenic print
16 x 20 inches (image), 25 x 28 ¾ inches (frame)
Gift of the Estate of Robert Byrd, 2019.14.02
Fred Stonehouse (b. 1960 Milwaukee; lives in Milwaukee)
Tiger Lily, 1990
Monoprint
8 x 5 ¼ inches (image)
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.05
Fred Stonehouse (b. 1960 Milwaukee; lives in Milwaukee)
Lily of the Valley, 1990
Monoprint
8 x 5 ⅛ inches (image)
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.04
Gene Tokheim (b. 1947 Dawson MN; lives in Dawson MN)
Untitled (Bowl with Norwegian stick calendar design), 1990
Glazed stoneware
3 ½ x 10 (diameter) inches
Gift of Thomas J. Arneson, 2019.21.16
Katherine Turczan (b. 1965 Montclair, NJ; lives in Minneapolis)
Boy with Sunscreen from the From Where they Came series, 2001-2
Gelatin silver print
Edition 2/15
9 ⅝ x 7 ⅝ inches (image)
Gift of David Fraher, 2019.32.06
Alan Wadzinski (Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohicans) (b. 1961 Appleton, WI; lives in Minneapolis)
Untitled, ca. 1992
Mixed media sculpture
21 ½ x 9 x 9 inches
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.07
Alan Wadzinski (Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohicans) (b. 1961 Appleton, WI; lives in Minneapolis)
Mother Deer Father Copperhead, ca. 1992
Mixed media sculpture
33 ½ x 14 ½ x 24 inches
Gift of James P. Lenfestey, 2019.34.08
Artist Unknown
Untitled (Two Hmong folktales), ca. 1990s
Embroidered and appliqued story cloth
58 x 63 ¼ inches
Gift of Joan R. Duddingston, 2019.20.01
Artist Unknown
Untitled (Hmong paj ntaub large blue border), 1980-90s
Embroidered, appliquéd, and reverse appliqué
11 ¼ x 9 ⅛ inches
Gift of Joan R. Duddingston, 2019.20.02
Artist Unknown
Untitled (Hmong paj ntaub small blue border), 1980-90s
Embroidered, appliquéd, and reverse appliqué
7 ⅞ x 7 ¾ inches
Gift of Joan R. Duddingston, 2019.20.03
Artist Unknown
Untitled (Hmong paj ntaub red border), 1980-90s
Embroidered, appliquéd, and reverse appliqué
21 ½ x 31 ⅞ inches
Gift of Joan R. Duddingston, 2019.20.04
John Walker (b. 1939 Birmingham, England; lives in Boston)
Untitled, 1978
Oil on canvas
13 x 11 inches
Gift of Mary and Bob Mersky, 2019.15.01
EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
Dietrich Sieling: City Bus at Day, City Bus at Night, No Clouds Everywhere
May 16–September 22, 2019
Inspired by countless rides and visual journeys, Dietrich Sieling’s site-responsive installation at the M reflected his longtime love for the interior rectangular world of the city bus: the green exit-door lights, the seated and standing passengers, the windows, the brilliant sun, the weather, the rolling spectacle of day-to-night, the avenues and streets. Turning an ordinary experience like taking public transportation into a fantastical burst of dynamic shapes and colors, Sieling’s art reminds us to find wonder in the everyday. The artist’s passionate and joyful engagement with this subject matter inspires his labor-intensive practice of creating elaborate colored-pencil drawings on yards and yards of paper and plexiglass.
Brad Kahlhamer: A Nation of One
June 20–August 25, 2019
A Nation of One was a survey exhibition of work by New York–based multimedia artist Brad Kahlhamer. His large-scale paintings, drawings, and works on paper map the sprawling complexities and contradictions of American culture and identity, with influences ranging from Abstract Expressionism to the artist’s personal Native American, but “tribally ambiguous” heritage. A Nation of One charts Kahlhamer’s evolution of styles across American and Native identities, raising questions about cultural appropriation, confluence, and representation.
History Is Not Here: Art and the Arab Imaginary
September 12, 2019–January 5, 2020
In fall 2019, the M and Mizna, a St. Paul–based Arab arts organization, partnered to present History Is Not Here: Art and the Arab Imaginary.
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Mizna’s flagship art and literary journal, the exhibition’s roster was selected from the list of artists highlighted in its pages: Hamdi Attia, Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou Rahme, Osama Esid, Fadlabi, Adelita Husni-Bey, Emily Jacir, Yazan Khalili, Joe Namy, Monira al Qadiri, Alaa Satir, Zineb Sedira, Athir Shayota, Nida Sinnokrot, Walid Siti, Raed Yassin, and Ala Younis.
This exhibition recognized the so-called Arab world and its diaspora as multiform, made up of 22 countries with distinct histories as well as diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions. Through visual art, book art, installation, and video, the exhibition’s 17 U.S.-based and international artists engaged the “Arab imaginary” as a strategy for examining various social, cultural, and political positions, making connections between contemporary geopolitics and the histories that inform them.
History Is Not Here was curated by Heba Y. Amin (visual artist and curator of visual art for Mizna) and Maymanah Farhat (writer and independent curator), in collaboration with the M.
Partners in Action: A Community Exhibition
October 3–27, 2019
This exhibition culminated a months-long creative partnership between the M with several local organizations and their communities, working with M teaching artists Witt Siasoco (at Createch, a program offered by St. Paul Public Libraries), Nicole M. Smith and Larry Waddell (at Hallie Q. Brown Community Center), and Hlee Lee-Kron (with Hmong Museum at Hmong Elders Center).
Here I Have Returned
October 3, 2019–February 23, 2020
Building on her longtime interest in mining lost histories, Sherin Guirguis, an Egypt-born, L.A.-based artist, filled the museum’s two-story Rauenhorst Court with an installation of hand-cut works on paper and sculpture, inspired by a largely forgotten writer and leader of the Egyptian feminist movement, Doria Shafik (1908–1975). These new works merged several broad themes and interests evident in Guirguis’s body of work, including architectural design, craft traditions, language, and poetry.
A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: The Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz
January 24–April 19, 2020 [transitioned to THE M @ HOME in March due to COVID-19]
In partnership with SoulTouch Productions, the M opened A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: The Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz. The exhibition included photographs by two towering photographers that documented expressions of dignity, honor, hope, and love in the African-American community. Featured works included Gordon Parks’s astonishing images from the Jim Crow era through the civil rights movement, and photographs by Brooklyn-based artist Jamel Shabazz, who has followed in Parks’s footsteps since the 1980s. The exhibition’s title comes from Parks’s autobiography (published in 1966), which chronicles his use of the camera to effect social change—an approach to photography that inspired Shabazz to begin taking pictures and one that continues to guide his prolific career.
A Choice of Weapons was curated by Robin Hickman-Winfield, CEO and executive producer of SoulTouch Productions and a great-niece of Gordon Parks, with the help of four Gordon Parks High School Scholars and curatorial advisors: Travell Williams, Andrew Shorty, Amelia Pharmer, and Tyrell Horton, CHOICE of Weapons Fellow and Gordon Parks Legacy Movement program assistant. Key components of the communications and marketing strategies for the exhibition were designed by BrandLab interns Elijah Buchanan, Waylon Rembert Jr., and Charvaye Williams.
Gordon Parks: A Homecoming Re-Installation
March 7–September 1, 2020
Gordon Parks: A Homecoming paired works from Parks’s years in the Twin Cities with pictures inspired by them. Some of these pictures were the latest iteration of Lovin’ The Skin I’m In, an initiative that Robin Hickman-Winfield founded in 2004. For this exhibition, Hickman-Winfield collaborated with students at Gordon Parks High School, Frank Murphy’s Fashions, and the Saint Paul Hotel to stage photographs inspired by Parks’s time in the Twin Cities and his interest in capturing beauty and fostering self-esteem.
This installation was organized in collaboration with Robin Hickman-Winfield, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, and the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Special thanks to Phoebe McGowan, Dawn Selle, Dr. Catherine Squires, and Tracey Williams-Dillard.
SPPS 2020 Honors Visual Art Exhibition
May 14, 2020
Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) collaborated with the M and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in the production of this magnificent exhibition. It celebrated the achievements and creativity of 24 student artists from each SPPS high school. High school visual art teachers selected artwork using the criteria of artistic merit, creativity, originality, execution, and control of the medium. Students also wrote artist statements to explain their inspiration and thought process while creating their art. The works demonstrated students’ pathways to artistic self-discovery using applied technical skills, unique ideas, and experimentation with materials and processes. This creative process is one that involves critical problem solving, discipline, and playfulness.
Dr. Joe Gothard, Superintendent, Saint Paul Public Schools
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Black Art in the Era of Protest: A Virtual Conversation
June 18, 2020
In the wake of the 1968 Detroit rebellion, collectives like AfriCOBRA movement (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists) gave birth to the concept of art making as a radical action. Fifty-two years from that uprising, a cross-generational group of Twin Cities Black artists discussed how the George Floyd protests have awakened 21st century reanalysis of the commodification of Black art, art as a political weapon through radical self-expression, the history of communication through street art, where these important murals should end up, and more.
Robyne Robinson of five x five Public Art Consultants engaged panelists Chioma Uwagwu and Todd Lawrence of Urban Art Mapping Project, Precious Wallace of King P. Studio, Reggie LeFlore, Roger Cummings of Juxtaposition Arts, Seitu Jones, Cameron Downey, Alex Smith, and Ta-Coumba Aiken in a discussion about the purpose, effect, and future of this type of art might be.
Covid-19: Labor Camp Report
July 7–September 1, 2020
On March 24, artist and teacher Piotr Szyhalski found himself stuck at home, reflecting on the role of the artist in processing this dizzying reality. He discovered seven sheets of paper in his basement and was drawn back to memories of growing up during a time of political strife in Poland. Art supplies could not be squandered.
On that day, and every day since, Szyhalski created a stark black-and-white drawing that attempts to unpack the impact of these extreme historical events on the fabric of our daily lives, in real time. The German word “Zeitzeuge” captures the essence of what Szyhalski understands his role as an artist to be. Sometimes translated as “contemporary witness” or “eyewitness,” the word has no equivalent in English to express its dual relationship to witnessing and time. If translated directly, we might call Szyhalski a “Time Witness.”
For five weeks this summer, the M posted seven new posters weekly on the 4th Street windows.
Jose Dominguez: It’s Okay To Laugh
Skyway Installation: August 1, 2020–
With It’s Okay to Laugh, Twin Cities–based artist Jose Dominguez adorned the windows of the St. Paul Skyway with lively and colorful vinyl designs of imagined creatures. These characters capture the dynamism of the Skyway system—a space people move through repeatedly, but where they always encounter new faces.
Dominguez aimed to infuse the space with a sense of play, as his exaggerated characters play hide-and-seek with the public. With their bright colors and bold lines, his characters highlight the absurdity and humor of daily human interactions.
1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix
September 24, 2020–January 31, 2021
The Southeast Asian Diaspora Project (SEAD) in partnership with the M presents 1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix. The exhibition showcases work by Southeast Asian diasporic artists, who responded to community stories with artwork as part of reimagining the 45th anniversary of the diaspora.
Based in the Twin Cities, nationally, and internationally, featured artists include Kat Eng, Van Hai, Sisavanh Houghton, and Chantala Kommanivanh, with additional works by Xee Reiter, Leyen Trang, and Christina Vang. The exhibition also includes works created in collaboration between artists and SEAD.
1.5 is a sense of feeling, concept, truth, and tunnel. It’s a reflection of the unspoken boundaries in the past, present and future for the Southeast Asian diaspora. 1.5 describes those who arrived on American soil under the age of 12, their complex and complicated displacement, and the fragments of their memories and dreams by a handful of selected artists who are either 1.5 or their descendents. The exhibit is a compelling and complex take on the Southeast Asian diaspora experience, fraught with fragments of memories straddling the gray area between these worlds.
Outer Experiences: Black Life in Rural and Suburban Minnesota
February 25–June 20, 2021
Outer Experiences: Black Life in Rural and Suburban Minnesota will be a combination of an idea- and object-driven exhibition exploring the experience of being Black outside of the Twin Cities. The exhibit will be based on the African American Interpretive Center of Minnesota’s eponymous digital collection featuring interviews that amplify the voices of Black Minnesotans and the history that connects them to their home. Each interview will explore the narrator’s family history, their life in small-town Minnesota, and their experience of living on the margins of Black and white society.
Outer Experiences will be on view in the M’s window galleries, accessible from the sidewalks on Robert and 4th streets.
FEATURED PARTNERS
Roosevelt Mansfield
Photographer, dj, and teaching artist
Momentum campaign video produced by Roosevelt
Robin Hickman-Winfield
CEO and Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions
“It has been a blessing and a divine privilege to curate this historic visual experience, which joins generations of cultural visionaries and soul touchers. . . . I hold in my heart all of my colleagues, our generous collectors, partners, supporters, family, and my husband. I’m extremely proud of my co-promise keepers, the Gordon Parks High School scholar curators. With dignity and love, they have honored the visions of Uncle Gordon and Brother Jamel. . . . for such a time as this.”
Gordon Parks, “Street Scene, Harlem, New York,” 1948, gelatin silver print, private collection, Minneapolis
Robin Hickman-Winfield’s interview with FOX 9’s Maury Glover
Hlee Lee-Kron
Journalist, media producer, organizer, and teaching artist
“I have had the pleasure of working with the M on multiple occasions, each time centered on bringing art to community. The working relationship between the M and community artists is one of mutual respect and continuous learning and flexibility. It’s important, yet quite uncommon, to have a partner that both understands where I am coming from as an artist and organizer, while also recognizing my value to the work we do together.”
Video produced by Hlee Lee-Kron for the exhibition 1.5: A Southeast Asian Diaspora Remix.
A participant in the M’s Arts Access residency with Hmong Elders Center and Hmong Museum. Photo by teaching artist Hlee Lee-Kron.
Partners in Action: A Community Exhibition
October 3–27, 2019
Through support from the Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Access grant, the M opened Partners in Action, a community exhibition in the Center for Creativity showcasing artwork created by participants of co-designed residencies with three St. Paul organizations. These months-long residencies centered reciprocity, social interaction, and cultural responsiveness.
Createch Studio at Arlington Hills Library
For over a period of two months, teens from Createch and resident artist Witt Siasoco engaged in discussions around the themes of neighborhood, pride of place, and the realities of gentrification, such as displacement. This collaboration resulted in a mural titled A Plan for Payne, permanently on view in the M’s Center for Creativity, which highlights people and places of St. Paul’s Eastside neighborhood on Payne Avenue, where Createch is located.
Hmong Elder Center
Resident artist Hlee Lee-Kron gathered with elders at Hmong Elders Center where participating women elders created the batik and Paj Ntaub (Hmong embroidery) works while men worked with bamboo to weave baskets and rice sifters. The elders identified the media they were interested in and guided Lee-Kron and Hmong Elders Center staff to source the materials and tools needed to make the authentic works.
Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
A group of five women from Hallie’s “Golden Agers” engaged in storytelling—speaking from the heart with gentle facilitation from resident artists Nicole M. Smith and Lawrence El Grecco Waddell. With prompts, such as family, food, and faith, their stories emerged, and music to awaken memories the final product resulted in an original composition that interweaves the voices of the women with a score by Waddell, informed by Smith. It’s evocative of the thriving community and rich legacy that was, is, and will be Hallie and St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood.
MISSION
To explore American identities and experiences through art and creativity.
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.
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.
Black Lives Matter
Demands for justice in the face of George Floyd’s murder are reverberating from the Twin Cities across the world. Museums are not neutral and must actively participate in the dismantling of deeply rooted systemic racism and racial violence in America. The M stands in solidarity with the Black community and allies showing up in the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul—to protest, clean up, and support the tired, angry, and grieving. The many visionary Black and BIPOC artists in the mix are testifying to the power of art to confront white supremacy, to speak truth to power, to honor and resist forgetting, and to heal. We’re listening and reflecting on how the M can center and help sustain this anti-racist work.
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.