Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary tour

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Collection of Karen Finley. © Estate of Sabina Ott

"why is a pale white not paler than blue," by Sabina Ott.

"why is a pale white not paler than blue," 2013, by Sabina Ott.

Isthmus pick: Sabina Ott passed away too early at age 62 in 2018. “all this and not ordinary” includes 33 late works from a career that encompassed painting, sculpture and other assemblages using such materials as polystyrene and spray foam. The result is often a “space of transformation” that incorporates “play and wonder,” as the MMoCA explains in its gallery notes. And we can all use some more of that. The exhibit was co-curated by Jefferson Godard and museum director Paul Baker Prindle.

media release:  October 15, 2025 – February 15, 2026

Opening Celebration Friday, December 12 • 6–9 PM

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) is proud to present Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, on view October 15, 2025, through February 15, 2026 in the State Street Gallery. This exhibition is the first solo presentation of Ott’s work since her death in 2018 and brings together 33 pieces created during the final years of her career.

The exhibition takes its title from a phrase in Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons (1914), a text that profoundly influenced Ott throughout her life. Working with materials such as polystyrene and spray foam, Ott continually transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary, producing works that are imaginative, dreamlike, and deeply experimental. For Ott, art was a space of transformation: a way to turn trauma inside out, refiguring it into forms of play, wonder, and surprise. This exhibition underscores her enduring legacy as an artist who expanded the possibilities of both material and meaning.

“Through her poetic works of art, inspired teaching, and generous social practice, Sabina Ott had an immeasurable influence on contemporary art in the region,” said Paul Baker Prindle, MMoCA’s Gabriele Haberland Director and co-curator of the exhibition. “By bringing this work together we hope to continue that legacy and introduce this work to new audiences.” 

Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary is organized by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and co-curated by Paul Baker Prindle, MFA, and Jefferson Godard, M.Arch. 

A digital catalog featuring essays by co-curator Jefferson Godard and artist and scholar Karen Moss, along with images of the works of art, will accompany the exhibition and be available for free download. 

Throughout the run of the exhibition visitors can learn more about Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary through a series of free drop-in tours: Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 2 PM; Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 6 PM; and Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 2 PM. No reservations are required for these free and accessible tours of the exhibition. 

MMoCA Members are invited to an exclusive tour of Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary led by Paul Baker Prindle on Sunday, November 2.

Additional educational activities are embedded within the exhibition and are designed to enrich visitors' understanding of the artwork on view. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Sabina Ott (1955–2018, United States) was a multidisciplinary artist celebrated for her innovative work in painting, installation, and sculpture. Born in Los Angeles, she earned both her BFA and MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Ott launched her career with a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art in 1983 and went on to exhibit widely, participating in over 100 solo and group exhibitions internationally. Her work received attention in major publications such as Art in America, Art Forum, and The New York Times. In 2012, Ott founded Terrain Exhibitions, an alternative gallery space operated from her own home, which became a vibrant platform for local artists.

Sabina Ott’s art is represented in significant collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2015 and served as Professor of Art at Columbia College Chicago. Renowned as a dedicated teacher, mentor, and advocate, Ott is remembered for her fearless creativity and generous support of the artistic community.