Midwest Modernisms

August 28, 2022 – January 29, 2023
The idea of the Midwest as a geographic region with fluid borders in the mid-twentieth century when artists navigated, negotiated, and incorporated international and regional influences, is at the heart of this exhibition drawn from the Museum’s collection.

Artists such as Schomer Lichtner and Ruth Grotenrath, who translated wide-reaching, global inspirations including the collages of Henri Matisse and the silkscreens of Pop Art, exemplify this negotiation. Homegrown subjects seemed natural to others, like Andy Warhol, who referenced their birthplaces and mined Midwestern themes throughout their careers.

The exhibition highlights how artists embraced modernism in its many forms, while anchoring their imagery in local landscapes and avian themes. Through more than forty artworks, the exhibition explores how New York City-centered modernism is fractured and translated into multiple art movements – modernisms – with distinct regional characteristics.

Exhibition Highlights

Milton Avery, 3 A.M., 1958, oil on canvas board

Philip Evergood, Happy Birds Nesting, 1953, oil on hardboard

Ruth Grotenrath, Untitled, ca. 1960, casein on Japanese paper

Schomer Lichtner, Untitled (Rooster), ca. 1940, casein on kraft paper

Schomer Lichtner, Untitled (Rooster), ca. 1970, acrylic on hardboard

Andy Warhol, Rooster, 1958, ink and watercolor on paper

Thanks to the members, donors, grantors, and sponsors who support exhibitions and programs.
Exhibitions and programs are supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. Marketing is supported in part by City of Wausau Room Tax funds.