| milwaukee's online art review |
The Annual Members Show – and more –
at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
911 W. National Avenue, Milwaukee.
414-672-2787
www.wpca-milwaukee.org
By Katherine Murrell
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts is entering its
second decade on the Milwaukee arts map with its
20th anniversary this year. WPCA is housed in a
storied old structure on the south side, and to the
broad public, the main galleries are perhaps most
well known; two ample rooms host changing art
exhibitions throughout the year, punctuated by the
late October celebration of Dia de los Muertos and
the annual Members Show (through July 14).
The latter is on view now, and this year’s edition is
a lively and punchy offering. There’s a lot of work
packed onto the collective wall space, but despite
the lack of unifying theme or curatorial message, it
hangs together well, like a roving but riveting
conversation where unexpected surprises regularly
roll off the tip of the tongue.
Gary Tuma, WPCA’s executive director, says that
the Members Show has a long tradition at the
Center, the extensive history of which is housed in
the basement archives and the collective
institutional memory of participants and board
members from years past. This year is Tuma’s
second, and he notes growth in participation. He
says, “I think last year we probably had about 50
member artists exhibiting and this year we have
67, which is a nice increase.” And it’s not only new
members or young artists submitting to the show.
Notes Tuma, “People come back year after year.”
The membership of Walker’s Point Center for the
Arts comes primarily from Milwaukee County, but
there are participants from outlying suburbs. One
group from Waukesha makes an annual carpool of
their art, loading up a vehicle with their collective
works to be delivered to the Center. WPCA takes
an extraordinarily democratic approach to this
show. The annual call for submissions is put out
with stipulations concerning size and number of
pieces from individual artists that will be accepted.
Then, the works pour in and the show comes
together. On paper, this sounds like a curatorial
train-wreck waiting to happen, but it’s one of those
ideas that is so daring, it just might work. There is
no deciding jury, there are no awards, there is no
competition. The final display is refreshingly
candid and lacking in official (or unofficial)
agendas.
The show is puzzled together by the exhibition
committee, chaired by Michael Flanagan, and
instrumental in hanging the galleries is Keith
Nelson of Temporary Contemporary. The greatest
challenge lies in bringing together the styles,
content, and media in a way that is visually
compelling but not overwhelming. This year,
WPCA has included a couple of installation pieces in
addition to the small selection of sculptures.
When asked about the possibility of bringing in
other media such as film and video, Tuma says it
would be a great addition but there are space and
resource limitations to contend with. However,
WPCA remains active in other ways with film and
video, especially as host of the Milwaukee
Underground Film Festival for the past two years.
One of the major activities of WPCA that is not
immediately apparent solely from their gallery
setting is their involvement in art programs for
schools at various age levels. Tuma sees their
work in this area as a way to make the role of
artists more visible, and viable, in the community.
“We try to hire about 35 local artists to come in a
do some of the projects here with the young
people,” he says.
Recently, the Milwaukee Public School System
added a million dollars to their budget for arts
programming in the form of grants for the
“Partnership for the Arts.” WPCA’s coordinator of
education programs, Kate Bradley, helped to obtain
grants to develop art education classes on site at
area schools, which helps bypass difficulties that
may arise when arranging transportation to and
from the Center. Tuma foresees these projects
continuing because of the MPS grant money and
budget plans in place, as well as other funding
donors.
When asked what else is on the schedule at
WPCA, Tuma enthusiastically describes the
Center’s plans for the summer and fall season.
After the Members Show, CoPA (Coalition of
Photographic Arts), will hold their 1st Annual Juried
Exhibition, opening on Gallery Night, July 27. And
currently, there is a call for artists to submit work
as an adjunct to Paper Politics a touring exhibition
that will open on September 7. Paper Politics
features posters that deal with a myriad of
contemporary issues, including war, peace,
globalization, and economics. About 200 posters
are expected to be shown in the front gallery, and
the back gallery (aka Gallery Verso) will have a
display of posters by Milwaukee artists, curated by
Nicolas Lampert (click here to view the Call for
Artists on the WPCA website).
Tuma says that the main mission of WPCA is to
provide access to the arts for people of all ages
and all backgrounds. The center acts as a
connecting point, hosting music, film, and other
creative events in addition to the ongoing
exhibitions in the gallery. Within and beyond their
physical structure, WPCA has developed as a vital
and vibrant member of the Milwaukee arts
community, working in ways not apparent to many
of us who step in to enjoy the work on their walls.
Katherine Murrell is co-publisher of Susceptible to
Images.
Comments?
Email kmmurrell@susceptibletoimages.com
Copyright 2007. Content may not be used or
reproduced without the permission of the author.
at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
911 W. National Avenue, Milwaukee.
414-672-2787
www.wpca-milwaukee.org
By Katherine Murrell
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts is entering its
second decade on the Milwaukee arts map with its
20th anniversary this year. WPCA is housed in a
storied old structure on the south side, and to the
broad public, the main galleries are perhaps most
well known; two ample rooms host changing art
exhibitions throughout the year, punctuated by the
late October celebration of Dia de los Muertos and
the annual Members Show (through July 14).
The latter is on view now, and this year’s edition is
a lively and punchy offering. There’s a lot of work
packed onto the collective wall space, but despite
the lack of unifying theme or curatorial message, it
hangs together well, like a roving but riveting
conversation where unexpected surprises regularly
roll off the tip of the tongue.
Gary Tuma, WPCA’s executive director, says that
the Members Show has a long tradition at the
Center, the extensive history of which is housed in
the basement archives and the collective
institutional memory of participants and board
members from years past. This year is Tuma’s
second, and he notes growth in participation. He
says, “I think last year we probably had about 50
member artists exhibiting and this year we have
67, which is a nice increase.” And it’s not only new
members or young artists submitting to the show.
Notes Tuma, “People come back year after year.”
The membership of Walker’s Point Center for the
Arts comes primarily from Milwaukee County, but
there are participants from outlying suburbs. One
group from Waukesha makes an annual carpool of
their art, loading up a vehicle with their collective
works to be delivered to the Center. WPCA takes
an extraordinarily democratic approach to this
show. The annual call for submissions is put out
with stipulations concerning size and number of
pieces from individual artists that will be accepted.
Then, the works pour in and the show comes
together. On paper, this sounds like a curatorial
train-wreck waiting to happen, but it’s one of those
ideas that is so daring, it just might work. There is
no deciding jury, there are no awards, there is no
competition. The final display is refreshingly
candid and lacking in official (or unofficial)
agendas.
The show is puzzled together by the exhibition
committee, chaired by Michael Flanagan, and
instrumental in hanging the galleries is Keith
Nelson of Temporary Contemporary. The greatest
challenge lies in bringing together the styles,
content, and media in a way that is visually
compelling but not overwhelming. This year,
WPCA has included a couple of installation pieces in
addition to the small selection of sculptures.
When asked about the possibility of bringing in
other media such as film and video, Tuma says it
would be a great addition but there are space and
resource limitations to contend with. However,
WPCA remains active in other ways with film and
video, especially as host of the Milwaukee
Underground Film Festival for the past two years.
One of the major activities of WPCA that is not
immediately apparent solely from their gallery
setting is their involvement in art programs for
schools at various age levels. Tuma sees their
work in this area as a way to make the role of
artists more visible, and viable, in the community.
“We try to hire about 35 local artists to come in a
do some of the projects here with the young
people,” he says.
Recently, the Milwaukee Public School System
added a million dollars to their budget for arts
programming in the form of grants for the
“Partnership for the Arts.” WPCA’s coordinator of
education programs, Kate Bradley, helped to obtain
grants to develop art education classes on site at
area schools, which helps bypass difficulties that
may arise when arranging transportation to and
from the Center. Tuma foresees these projects
continuing because of the MPS grant money and
budget plans in place, as well as other funding
donors.
When asked what else is on the schedule at
WPCA, Tuma enthusiastically describes the
Center’s plans for the summer and fall season.
After the Members Show, CoPA (Coalition of
Photographic Arts), will hold their 1st Annual Juried
Exhibition, opening on Gallery Night, July 27. And
currently, there is a call for artists to submit work
as an adjunct to Paper Politics a touring exhibition
that will open on September 7. Paper Politics
features posters that deal with a myriad of
contemporary issues, including war, peace,
globalization, and economics. About 200 posters
are expected to be shown in the front gallery, and
the back gallery (aka Gallery Verso) will have a
display of posters by Milwaukee artists, curated by
Nicolas Lampert (click here to view the Call for
Artists on the WPCA website).
Tuma says that the main mission of WPCA is to
provide access to the arts for people of all ages
and all backgrounds. The center acts as a
connecting point, hosting music, film, and other
creative events in addition to the ongoing
exhibitions in the gallery. Within and beyond their
physical structure, WPCA has developed as a vital
and vibrant member of the Milwaukee arts
community, working in ways not apparent to many
of us who step in to enjoy the work on their walls.
Katherine Murrell is co-publisher of Susceptible to
Images.
Comments?
Email kmmurrell@susceptibletoimages.com
Copyright 2007. Content may not be used or
reproduced without the permission of the author.
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| Gary Tuma, Executive Director, Walker's Point Center for the Arts. (Click pictures to enlarge; use your browser's back button to return to article.) |
| Below: Installation views of the Members Show at WPCA. |
