102nd Year
The museum’s history began with a gift from lumber baron Charles Hackley, who made his fortune in during the 1980s Michigan lumbering boom. Hackley believed that the growth of Muskegon—the young city he adopted as home—would benefit from progressive new schools, a library and a hospital, and an art museum. Hackley died in 1905 before realizing his dream of an art gallery. However, he left an expendable trust of $150,000, through a bequest in his will, to the Board of Education of Muskegon Public Schools. The fund, now known as the Hackley Picture Fund, was to be used to purchase “pictures of the best kind.” By 1910 some of the most treasured and valuable works of art still in the Museum’s present day collection were purchased and then displayed at Hackley Public Library, and the Board of Education determined that the time had come to build a museum-quality facility to house the growing art collection. The new museum, called the Hackley Art Gallery, was built and, in June 1912, opened its doors to the public. The news was broadcast nationally and internationally. The young museum, eventually renamed The Muskegon Museum of Art, was and is still regarded as one of the finest regional art museums in the United States.
2014-2015 Exhibition Schedule
EXHIBITION INFORMATION and DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Please call the Museum at 231.720.2570 or visit muskegonartmuseum.org to check schedule before your visit.
January 9 – March 16, 2014
PAPERCUTS: The Art of Contemporary Papercutting
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery A
Paper cutting is a study in contrasts: a thin, fragile material is pierced with sharp knives, lasers, or stamping devices, the inherent fallibility of the art form making it all the more compelling. Papercuts, developed by artist Reni Gower, brings a broad range of international perspectives to the contemporary art of paper cutting. Using many kinds of paper and tools, seven artists have created more than 30 works that range from narrative commentaries to structural abstractions and complex installations—bold statements that celebrate the subtle nuance of hand to paper through a process that traces its origins to 6th-centry China. Media partners: 107WMUS and MLive/Muskegon Chronicle
February 20 – April 27, 2014
THE SCULPTURE OF STEPHEN DE STAEBLER:
ELEGIES IN CLAY
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery B
Exhibition features significant works clay and bronze by internationally celebrated American sculptor Stephen De Staebler (1933-2011). Underwritten by Hines Corporation. Media Partner: Blue Lake Public Radio.
February 20 – May 11, 2014
TRANSLATING REALITY: Representation in Glass
Thelma and Paul Wiener Gallery
Translating Reality features the work of artists creating representational forms using the medium of glass. Subject matter includes figures, animals, everyday objects, landscapes, and interiors. Organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art and Habatat Galleries, Royal Oak, MI. Underwritten by the Robert D. and C. Corcoran Tuttle Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.
March 6 – May 25, 2014
BUSTER KEATON’S BLUFFTON:
A Graphic Novel by Matt Phelan
Ernest and Marjorie Cooper Gallery
Original artwork illustrates stories about Muskegon’s Bluffton neighborhood during its heyday as an actors’ colony. Underwritten by Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation.
March 25 – April 27, 2014
EXPRESSIONS 2014: 32nd Annual Muskegon County
Student Art Exhibition
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery A
Expressions 2013 is a collaboration between the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and the Muskegon Museum of Art that showcases the artistic talents of Muskegon County K-12 students in the visual arts. Two-and three-dimensional artworks in a variety of media are included in the show, selected by art specialists from each of the public, charter, and private schools in the county. Sponsored by the MAISD, Comerica, and Old Orchard Brands.
May 22 – August 3, 2014
INTERFERENCE POOL: Annica Cuppetelli and Cristobal Mendoza
Thelma and Paul Wiener Gallery
The artists will create Interference Pool, an interactive installation, exclusively for the MMA. Cuppetelli and Mendoza will combine fibers and digital images to create an environment that challenge notions of space, light, and materiality. They will project an array of white lines spreads across a field of stretched fibers to create a pattern of movement and illusory form. Computers will then capture the movement of visitors and translate that motion into the artwork.
May 22 – August 20, 2014
86th REGIONAL EXHIBITION
L. C. and Margaret Walker Galleries A and B
The MMA continues to celebrate the work of Michigan artists with this large, juried selection of 2-D and 3-D works. The MMA show will fill two galleries throughout the summer and is the state’s longest established regional art exhibition. Entry is open to all artists residing in Michigan. Sponsored by Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, Shape Corporation, and Ally for Contemporary Art – Alcoa Foundation. Awards are underwritten by Huntington Bank.
June 5 – September 4, 2014
COLOR & WHIMSY: THE ART OF JACQUES POTIN
French painter Jacques Potin was born in France in 1920, but eventually settled in the U.S. He was a colleague of fellow French artist Françoise Gilot and in 1991, anonymous donors gifted to the MMA 25 works by Potin as part of a significant collection of prints and paintings by Gilot and works of other French artists they had assembled. Clearly inspired by Matisse, the paintings of Potin utilize a flattened space and bold, simplified forms. Bright, intense colors emphasize the geometry of the subjects, from clouds and sailboats to playful birds.
August 14 through October 26, 2014
NANCY CROW: TRANSFORMATIONAL QUILTS
This exhibition of the art quilts of Nancy Crow will feature ten quilts from various points in the artist’s career. A household name among quilters and fiber artists, Crow is celebrated for her innovations in fine art quilting. Pieces from her recent monotype series will be displayed alongside the vibrant colors and patterns of her earlier works.
September 11 – November 9, 2014
REMEMBER AND REBUILD: Picturing the National September 11 Memorial & Museum
Photographs by Amy Dreher
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery A
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, images of destruction and loss resulting from the terrorist attacks in New York City were seared into our collective memory and defined what the world came to know as Ground Zero. Nearly 3,000 people perished that day, among them 18 victims with ties to Michigan. In 2009, a new space began to rise from the rubble and ruin, transforming the physical and psychological void of the former World Trade Center into a haven of recovery, remembrance, and hope. Remember and Rebuild tells a powerful story behind the creation of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, through the eyes of 9/11 staff photographer Amy Dreher. In more than 70 photographs, Dreher provides a visual narrative of how a wound caused by the largest terrorist attack on American soil became our nation’s memorial and a world-renowned symbol of strength and resilience.
Remember and Rebuild: Picturing the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Photographs by Amy Dreher has been organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art in cooperation with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, New York.
September 11 – November 9, 2014
STUART KLIPPER: The World in a Few States
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery B
Photographer Stuart Klipper has traveled the world, working on every continent and ocean, including both the North and South Poles. His photography is an exploration of the human experience with the environment, of the places we can go and the impact we have upon those spaces. The World in a Few States is a story of the United States told in 50 photographs, one for each state.
October 8 – November 2, 2014
WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY: CELEBRATING 75 YEARS
This exhibition features artworks commissioned by the West Michigan Symphony to celebrate its 75th anniversary. After the exhibition, the artworks will be relocated to the new WMS facility in the restored Russell Block building in downtown Muskegon. The two- and three-dimensional artwork will be contemporary in nature and fit the aesthetic of their restored environment.
November 6, 2014 thru February 15, 2015.
JAPANESE WARRIORS: ROBOTS FROM THE WARREN SCHWARTZ COLLECTION
This exhibition showcases selected robots from Schwartz’s collection of over 2,000 pieces produced from 1972 – 1982, during the peak of these action figures’ popularity. His collection features models from the Japanese television series Astro Mu, Captain Ultra, Fang of the Sun Dougram, Ganbare!! Robocon, Ganbaron the Tiny Superman, Mazinger Z, Robodachi, Space Dragon Gaiking, and several others. Schwartz’s collection has been featured in publications like Super7, a magazine for Japanese animation enthusiasts, and the book Super #1 Robot (Chronicle Books, 2005).
November 6, 2014 – January 26, 2015
JAPANESE TRADITIONS
This selecton of rarely viewed Japanese works of art from the MMA’s collection includes sculptural and two-dimensional pieces.
November 20–30, 2014
FESTIVAL OF TREES
L. C. and Margaret Walker Galleries A and B
Returning for its 10th year, this annual community event features display of themed trees decorated by professional designers to be auctioned to benefit the MMA. Other seasonal décor will also be on display for purchase. Special events include the Party in the Pines cocktail party, Teddy Bear Breakfast, and Senior Day. On-going attractions include gingerbread village, music, holiday shopping, raffles, and Santa on Saturdays.
December 11, 2014 – February 9, 2015
THE ESSENTIAL ELIJAH PIERCE
More than 40 woodcarvings by barber, carver, and lay preacher Elijah Pierce (1892–1984) comprise this exhibition. Pierce is one of the most significant self-taught artists of the 20th century. A prolific African American carver, Pierce was a master storyteller, and his narrative carvings are hailed as important additions to the history of American folk art. The Essential Elijah Pierce was organized by the Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio. A full-color catalogue with essays by Michael D. Hall, Adjunct Curator of folk Art at the Columbus Museum of Art, accompanies the exhibition.
December 11, 2014 – February 9, 2015
WOODCRAFT
Woodcraft features the art of Michigan artists who work in wood. Sculpture, fine furniture, and craft objects will be on display, highlighting the range of techniques and forms these artists are incorporating to create their pieces. The artists in Woodcraft were selected based on their history of producing creative and expressive works of art in wood. All live and work in Michigan, providing guests an opportunity to explore the diversity of our State’s fine art community. Woodcraft is part of the MMA’s ongoing Made in Michigan Artist Series, a commitment to supporting and exhibiting the art of Michigan’s artists.
February 5 – April 26, 2015
BELINDA THE BALLERINA & FRIENDS: The Illustrations of Amy Young
Illustrations created by Spring Lake artist Amy Young, creator of Belinda the Ballerina, among other children’s books.
February 19 – May 3, 2015
THE ART OF THE BRICK®: LEGO® Brick Art by Nathan Sawaya
The Art of the Brick® is a one-of-a-kind exhibition featuring more than 30 large-scale sculptures created out of the iconic LEGO® bricks by New York-based artist Nathan Sawaya. This exhibition is touring the globe and has been immensely popular with viewers. CNN hailed The Art of the Brick® as one of the tope12 “must see exhibitions in the world.”
February 26 – March 12, 2015
POSTCARD SALON
Thelma and Paul Wiener Gallery
Non-juried exhibition features hundreds of small-scale original artworks by artists in the region. All of the artworks will be available for purchase for the same reasonable price each at the annual Postcard Salon Sale on March 12.
March 25 – April 23, 2015
EXPRESSIONS 2015: 33nd Annual Muskegon County
Student Art Exhibition
L. C. and Margaret Walker Gallery A
Expressions is a collaboration between the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and the Muskegon Museum of Art that showcases the artistic talents of Muskegon County K-12 students in the visual arts. Two-and three-dimensional artworks in a variety of media are included in the show, selected by art specialists from each of the public, charter, and private schools in the county.
Museum programs include films, tours, lectures, concerts, and family activities.
The Museum Gift Store offers a wide variety of MMA logo products, commissioned artist-crafted goods and other unique items.
Program support is provided by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts |
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