HERE, NOW
October 2024–May 2027
Minnesota Museum of American Art
This installation of art from the M’s permanent collection, the first in the renovated galleries, fulfills a promise for an expanded and increasingly more diverse M. For the first time in history, the museum can present a wide range of artworks in ever-shifting configurations that highlight the collection’s strengths and make unexpected connections across materials and time.
Artists have always been central to the M, which has its origins in 1882 as the Art Workers’ Guild of Saint Paul. Eventually it became a school of art and in 1927 started a teaching collection for the benefit of art students. In the heart of Saint Paul and embracing the creative energy of all of the Twin Cities, these galleries highlight what makes up the museum. Here the past and the future share space, as we grow our community.
when you’re in the mirror…
February 13 2025–Aug 3, 2025
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Through every era, convention, and form, portraiture is built on the artist’s perception of both physical and emotional characteristics. To be perceived in this way is exceptionally vulnerable. The relationship between artist and subject influences the intimacy of seeing. A beloved matriarch, for example, might be depicted differently than a model for hire or a romantic interest. Through this relationship, the artist creates something tangible from something abstract.
Mimesis, or complete likeness, is not always the goal. The idea of someone (their spirit, their aura, their feel) is also desirable to impart. There is tension and ambiguity in this balance, but it is a necessary concoction.
when you’re in the mirror… is an offering of portraits that considers the repercussions of perception through a relational emphasis. Who is depicting whom? And why does that matter?