It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) opened its stunning “Mothership” building, designed by architect Jim Shields of HGA, in West Bend, but that anniversary is coming in April.
MOWA will mark the birthday with talks by 10 Wisconsin artists throughout 2023. The so-called TENtalks will feature lectures by Brennen Steines (Feb. 25), David Lenz (March 18), Della Wells (May 20), Michelle Grabner (June 17), Tom Uttech (July 15), Jason S. Yi (Aug. 5), Fred Stonehouse (Sept. 23), Vaughan Larsen (Oct. 7) and Lon Michels (Nov. 18).
Shields will also speak on Saturday, April 8 at 2 p.m. during MOWA’s 10th Anniversary Birthday Bash, which starts at 10 a.m. with a special edition of its monthly Second Saturday family art-making program.
Full details of the talks will be available at the MOWA website.
In the meantime, currently on view is a birthday-related exhibit.
“Ten at Ten” – which features works by 10 artists that the curatorial staff believes reflect MOWA’s “commitment to supporting emerging artists and exhibiting audacious art” – includes works by Claire Kellesvig, Nykoli Koslow, Meg Lionel Murphy, Guzzo Pinc, Pranav Sood, Brennen Steines, Gabrielle Tesfaye, Johanna Winters, Lindsey T. Yeager and Eduardo Zavala.
It is on view through April 9.
I can still remember the day I first saw the building. I had wondered if I’d have trouble finding it, but lo and behold, there was no way to miss the angular, modernist gem on its landscaped four-acre site along the Milwaukee River.
Full of light and home-grown art, the 32,000-square-foot museum has 5,100 square feet of windows.
Here’s what I had to say about the place a few weeks after it opened.
“This facility was the result of the vision of a small group of dedicated supporters who knew the museum had the potential to become a vibrant hub for the community and artists alike,” says MOWA Executive Director and CEO Laurie Winters. “Ten years later, we’ve exceeded all expectations and are excited to embark on the next 10.”
Admission is $15 for an adult, $25 for two adults and $50 for a family, and includes an annual membership, which means every visit that offers free unlimited access to the museum for a year.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He can be heard weekly on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories.
