mnartists.org Present ARTmn 2009: The Precious Object
Speaking to the desire for the handmade in a world awash in technology,
The Precious Object
brings together 14 artists from locales throughout Minnesota in the inaugural exhibition of mnartists.org’s ARTmn series, presented in partnership with the Hennepin County Public Library, from September 18, 2009–January 3, 2010. Patrons are invited to an opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, September 18, 6–9 pm, at Cargill Hall in the Minneapolis Central Library (300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis). Throughout October and November, the Library will also host panel discussions where artists and organizers from The Precious Object discuss the themes and work within the exhibition. A schedule for the panel discussions follows.
The artists featured in The Precious Object, selected from a pool of more than 300 applicants by a panel of curators, artists, and critics, explore issues related to nature, simulation, craft, collecting, and fantasy. While the work employs a broad range of materials and processes, taken together it speaks to the personal connections we forge with physical objects as a means to commemorate and sometimes replicate an experience and or place.
Online, mnartists.org features a comprehensive exhibition companion, including recorded interviews with The Precious Object artists: Beth Barron, James Cleary, Andy Ducett, Alison Hiltner, Ginny Maki, Paula McCartney, and Margaret Wall-Romana (Minneapolis); Joan Oas Iron Moccasin (Columbus); Liz Miller (Good Thunder); Sam Spiczka (Sartell); Karl Unnasch (Chatfield); Kristin Van Dorn (Maplewood); Erik Waterkotte (North Mankato); and Michon Weeks (Marshall).
Developed in 2001 as a partnership between the McKnight Foundation and the Walker Art Center, mnartists.org is an online database of Minnesota artists and organizations from all disciplines. In addition to serving as a marketplace and a community hub, the site provides news, reviews, and features on the local arts scene.
Opening Reception
ARTmn2009: The Precious Object
Friday, September 18, 6–9 pm, Free
Cargill Hall, Minneapolis Central Library
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Panel Discussions
Faking Nature
Tuesday, October 6, 7 pm, Free
Pohlad Hall, Minneapolis Central Library
Artists Liz Miller, Alison Hiltner, Paula McCartney, Sam Spiczka, and Karl Unnasch talk about their work in relation to the natural world.
By Hand: Craftsmanship, Labor, and the Handmade
Tuesday, October 27, 7 pm, Free
Pohlad Hall, Minneapolis Central Library
Scott Stulen, mnartists.org project director, and Alisa Eimen, associate professor of art history at Minnesota State University, discuss their process for organizing The Precious Object and the central themes within the exhibition with artists Margaret Wall-Romana, Kristin Van Dorn, Erik Waterkotte, and Michon Weeks.
My Precious: Obsession, Collection, and the Souvenir
Tuesday, November 17, 7 pm, Free
Pohlad Hall, Minneapolis Central Library
Artists James Cleary, Beth Barron, Andy Ducett, Joan Oas Iron Moccasin, and Ginny Maki explore topics of appropriation, memory, and desire.