Speaking of Book Arts: Oral Histories from UW-Madison
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Chazen Museum of Art 750 University Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53706
press release:February 1–April 19, 2020 | Garfield Galleries
Reception Feb. 20: 5:30 pm | A Life in Book Arts: UW-Madison Alumna Ruth Lingen in Conversation with Amy Gilman. 6:30-7:30 pm | Reception: refreshments, cash bar
This exhibition is unique in that it is a first-time collaboration between the Chazen, Kohler Art Library, and UW Archives and will cover fifty years of book arts at the UW–Madison. Interviews with twenty-one students and teachers (past and present) recorded by the UW–Madison Archives Oral History Program will be presented alongside examples of their works from the Kohler Art Library’s Artists’ Book Collection. Each of the two galleries dedicated to the exhibition will have a customized sound installation playing audio loops approximately twenty minutes long.
Nearly all of the material being shared through Speaking of Book Arts has never been presented in this format before, or this publicly. In addition, it is important to note that support for the Kohler Art Library was crucial in fundraising for the opening of the Elvehjem Building in 1970. Recognizing that the museum would not exist without key partners such as the Kohler, Speaking of Book Arts demonstrates the Chazen’s continued commitment to collaboration on campus, and also provides visitors with in an immersive experience about the history of the arts at UW–Madison.
The Chazen Museum of Art’s 50th anniversary year activities are supported by a grant from the UW-Madison Anonymous Fund, with additional support from the Office of the Chancellor.