Through installation, sculpture, photography and film, Singh presents both familial narratives from her native India and shared histories that transcend geopolitical boundaries. Her solo exhibition examines the instrumentalization of archaeology in nationalism and control, highlighting the link between urban destruction and architectural construction. The works pose questions about loss amid development—change that Singh has witnessed in India and the United States.

 Singh’s film, Sheetla, informs the exhibition. The film follows the Hindi language daily journal Jan Morcha and its role in reporting the highly contested desecration of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Faizabad in 1992. Singh titled the film in honor of her grand uncle, Sheetla Singh, a prominent editor, journalist and union leader in north India. He served as the editor of Jan Morcha for fifty years.

Anamika Singh, photo by Agya Salas

“Being born and raised in the Indian subcontinent and the US deeply influenced my questions around power, violence and history. In both places, I witnessed the desire to capture and own history and to have authority over it. My work doesn’t think about history as a vestige of the past but very much as something that is reanimated over within the present and to mark the future. My work invites people to re-approach and reopen complex histories that are often relegated to the domain of experts to challenge the notion of singular histories that are petrified in time,” said Singh.

Corpus is the culmination of three years of research-based artistic practice in the United States and India, where Singh conducted interviews, visited significant sites and explored the Jan Morcha archives. She presents both personal and shared histories that raise questions about the longstanding impacts of rapid change and the value assigned to sites, objects and knowledge.

 The exhibition brings together two very different methods of creating work—one that compiles historical information through a technical, research-driven and disciplined process and another that considers experimentation in the studio and the volatility of the material, which includes concrete and stainless steel. As visitors examine work made from elements commonly found at construction sites, Singh encourages them to wonder if they are looking at something that is being built or something that has been destroyed.

“My work explores ideas of construction and destruction and the tension between them. Debris is a big aspect of the material used in this exhibition. I hope visitors have the chance to sift through the debris. I want them to think about what it means to parse through uneasy histories,” said Singh.

Anamika Singh, Corpus, 2025

Singh’s most recent body of work cements her belief that art embodies freedom and has the power to both address and challenge dominant systems while also generating new language to confront complex issues such as colonial and nationalist violence.

“Art has the freedom of material, form and process that other disciplines are constrained by. This gives artists the tools to move beyond totalizing narratives and make space for uneasy conversations and inherent contradictions that we live with. Art can really mark untapped spaces of solidarity, collaboration and reckoning, especially when dealing with histories of violence,” said Singh.

For Singh, the Chazen’s Panczenko MFA Prize represents an invaluable opportunity for UW–Madison students. She appreciates collaborating with Chazen staff to bring her exhibition to the galleries, an experience young artists would not otherwise have until later in their careers.   “The arts have been eroded. The space and resources have been challenged so this kind of opportunity is monumental and keeps the work of aspiring artists alive and visible,” said Singh.

The Russell and Paula Panczenko MFA Prize is offered annually by the Museum in collaboration with the UW–Madison art department and provides a unique professional development opportunity for award winners. The selected artist is featured in an exhibition at the Chazen and gains experience throughout the entire process of the project, from collaborating on layout and design to marketing and program development. The winning artist is selected by an outside juror and receives an honorarium. This year’s juror was Lumi Tan, a curator and writer based in New York City.

“The Russell and Paula Panczenko MFA Prize allows students to bridge the gap between academic study and the broader art world. It fosters confidence, provides critical exposure, and empowers them to launch successful and impactful careers. The Chazen is deeply committed to supporting these emerging artists,” said Amy Gilman, senior director for the arts and media at UW–Madison and director of the Chazen Museum of Art.

The Russell and Paula Panczenko MFA Prize is supported by funds from the Russell and Paula Panczenko Fund for Excellence in the Visual Arts.

About the Artist

Anamika Singh (b. India 1995, active in New York and Madison, Wisconsin) is a transdisciplinary artist and researcher whose work contends with the contested histories produced by transfers and flows of power and violence. Singh received her BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art and is currently an MFA candidate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Singh has taught at Rutgers University-Newark and given guest lectures and talks at institutions such as Architectural Association, The New School and The Cooper Union. Singh has been the recipient of numerous fellowships, and her work has been exhibited internationally. She will begin her doctoral research in the Department of Art and Archaeology at Princeton University in the fall of 2025.

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The Chazen Museum of Art is one of only three museums in the country hosting The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick exhibition, giving a broader audience the opportunity to see pieces that have never left Esherick’s home and studio (now the Wharton Esherick Museum in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania). His  work, known for its graceful, organic curves, captivates casual visitors and seasoned observers alike.

“It’s a dream!” said Katie Hudnall, head of UW–Madison’s woodworking and furniture program.

Hudnall works with a mix of art majors and non-majors, many of whom are new to woodworking. “I can’t wait for them to see the show,” she said.

“Woodworking allows you to create in so many different ways,” she explained. “It also gives my students a sense of agency, especially those who might not feel like they have any. Creating special objects just for your home, like Esherick did, is a real kind of magic.”

Hudnall plans to bring both of her classes to see the exhibit, where they’ll analyze Esherick’s woodworking and how it influenced his sculptures, woodblock prints, and furniture. Each student will choose a piece to critique, taking time to engage with it in depth.

“Having a chance to go back and get beyond first impressions is huge. Students will be able to sit with and draw some of these pieces, to go back and notice different details multiple times,” she said. With the Chazen just next door to the wood lab, she’ll encourage students to stop by often. “These objects will only live on as memories, but those memories will be so much more defined when you can visit them every day at lunch.”

Hudnall and her students will also showcase a hand-carving demonstration at the exhibition’s celebration on March 19, using woods, tools, and techniques Esherick himself worked with.

For master of fine arts candidate Sam Northcut, Esherick’s reliance on hand tools is especially inspiring as he wraps up his studies at UW–Madison. Having studied Esherick during his undergraduate work in furniture design, Northcut is excited for the chance to dive deeper into the artist’s life and methods.

“In my education, I’ve always had access to a shop, so now it feels like perfect timing to be learning more about Esherick,” they said. “A big part of his practice was about becoming self-sufficient and figuring things out on his own. I want to get back to wood as a material, not just as a medium to express an idea, and really work more directly with my hands and hand tools.”

For the exhibition, Northcut collaborated with Hudnall and fellow students to create carved wood samples that visitors can touch. The samples, made from walnut, pine, cherry, and other woods Esherick used, offer a tactile connection to his work.

“I didn’t start with a final vision in mind,” Northcut said. “I was trying to let each individual block of wood inform the shapes and carvings.” That approach mirrors Esherick’s own philosophy. “When he worked with a chunk of wood or a log, he let the grain influence the curves and forms. His music stands, for example, are so elegant and almost animal-like, they look like they could just start crawling.”

UW–Madison scholars aren’t the only ones taking a close look at the Esherick exhibition. Local woodcrafters are leading special maker-to-maker tours during the exhibition’s run. Barret Elward of   Bodgery will lead a tour on April 19 (register here) and Steven Ricks of The Joinery leads the May  17 tour (register here).

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“We have few Southeast Asian works on paper, and very little contemporary art from Vietnam,” said James Wehn, the Chazen’s Van Vleck Curator of Works on Paper, who, along with Chief Curator Katherine Alcauskas, consulted with donors Judith and John Day on the gifts. Judith Day operates Judith Hughes Day Vietnamese Contemporary Fine Art. She has worked with Vietnamese artists since 1992, when she co-founded a Hong Kong gallery exclusively exhibiting contemporary Vietnamese art before returning to New York as a private dealer in 1998. John Day, who earned a master’s degree in political science at UW–Madison in 1966, is a retired international banker and dedicated conservationist who’s helped Judy whenever useful.

Wehn said the Days wanted to help the Chazen diversify its holdings of work by Asian artists. “They hope their gift will resonate with current Vietnamese American and Vietnamese-born students, alumni, and faculty, as well as visitors like themselves, who have read about and studied Vietnam’s culture and history,” he said.

The art reflects and references the many cultures and traditions within Vietnamese society, Wehn said. “It’s important to remember that Vietnam is composed of dozens of different ethnic groups.”

The new artworks can be viewed online or by special appointment in the Chazen’s Chen Family Study Room for Works on Paper.

Dinh Thi Tham Poong (Vietnamese, b. 1970), Sky Weave, 2007, watercolor, gold paint, fabric collage on handmade dó paper, 41 3/4 x 22 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.1

Dinh Thi Tham Poong ponders the complexities of identity in modern-day Vietnam by mixing cultural elements in her works, typically working on traditional handmade Vietnamese paper made from the bark of dó trees. Of Dai and Muong descent, Dinh Thi Tham Poong sometimes mixes cultural elements in her works, thereby alluding to the dozens of minority ethnic groups in Vietnam. Sky Weave exemplifies the process of layering watercolor, gold paint, and textile fragments on this thick paper to construct a symbolic body, the core of which, in this case, is a pale blue sky with clouds, symbolizing the subject’s balance with her environment. The sky-figure stands in the shadow of a lotus flower, a symbol of purity and enlightenment. Smaller silhouettes of women with wrapped heads, baskets, and embroidered skirts flank the central figure to further reflect her cultural heritage.

Trinh Quoc Chien (Vietnamese, b. 1966), Buffalo Boy’s Melody, 2010, acrylic, tempera, gouache, and metallic paint, with rice paper and crushed shell, on thick paper, 28 1/16 x 37 1/16 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.5

Trinh Quoc Chien (Vietnamese, b. 1966), Peace in the Soul, 2018, acrylic, tempera, gouache, and metallic paint, with rice paper, crushed shell, collage, and stamped images from wood “chops,” on thick paper, 28 1/2 x 37 7/16 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.6

Trinh Quoc Chien, a leading contemporary lacquer artist, developed a unique method based on layering techniques used in traditional lacquer paintings. He uses modern acrylic, rice paper, tempera, and gouache (opaque watercolor) to produce textured paintings on thick paper. Applied to his highly symbolic paintings, this technique produces multi-dimensional images that draw deeply on Buddhist iconography and Vietnamese life. Dominated by a red ground, Peace in the Soul integrates several Buddhist signifiers: the head of the Buddha with elongated ear lobes, a mudra hand gesture and a lotus flower draped with prayer beads, and the silhouette of a seated, meditating figure.

Buffalo Boy’s Melody, with its muted color palette and composition veiling its subject matter, experiments with imagery from folklore and everyday life rather than overt Buddhist symbols. The subject may allude to youth who tend water buffalo in Vietnamese farming communities, and the reference to melody may relate to folk music there.

Trinh Ngoc Le (Vietnamese, b. 1997), Dream (Cats Red), 2018, color woodcut, 15 5/16 x 22 1/2 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.7

Trinh Ngoc Le is an artist and printmaker and the daughter of lacquer artist Trinh Quoc Chien (see above). Dreams (Cats Red) is one of two color variations Trinh Ngoc Le printed in limited editions from the same woodblocks. Cats are favored pets in Vietnam, where the cat replaces the rabbit in the Vietnamese version of the Chinese zodiac. This is the Chazen’s first print by a Vietnamese artist, and it will further diversify the Chazen’s rich holdings of color woodcuts by artists from around the world.

Le Quoc Viet (Vietnamese, b. 1972), Portraits and Calligraphy , 2004, ink drawing and calligraphy with woodcut seals on handmade paper, 25 3/4 x 51 7/16 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.2

Le Quoc Viet is an artist, calligrapher, and printmaker who uses age-old techniques and materials to probe Vietnam’s complicated past and to critique modern society. The work often sits at the axis of language and Buddhist principles. Portraits and Calligraphy includes painting, calligraphy, and print: entangled abstract forms and figural representations float in a sea of ink script and woodcut seals (“chops”).

Phan Cam Thuong (Vietnamese, b. 1957), Buddha’s Garden II , 2009, ink and natural mineral color on handmade paper, 23 5/16 x 31 1/16 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day,  2024.21.4

Phan Cam Thuong‘s work draws on his interest in calligraphy and Buddhist scholarship. He typically prepares his own pigments from ground minerals or other materials, like bamboo ash for his ink. An exceptional demonstration of his artistic practice, Buddha’s Garden II integrates ink and mineral-based colors with bold brushwork. Energized by vibrant salmon, pink, and purple colors, the scene depicts a Buddhist monk sleeping in a garden filled with lotus flowers and pods, birds, and a small lion.

Nguyen Bach Dan (Vietnamese, 1970–2012), Lotuses , 2010, ink on paper, 37 7/8 x 70 1/4 in., gift of Judith Hughes Day and John G. Day, 2024.21.3

Nguyen Bach Dan is among Vietnam’s most important contemporary artists who have carried on the longstanding tradition of ink painting. Painted on the largest format paper she used, Lotuses demonstrates the artist’s adept use of wet and dry brushes of different sizes to articulate line, shape, texture, light and shadow. This monumental depiction of a flourishing lotus pond speaks to the plant’s Buddhist meaning as an emblem of transformation and purity. In Vietnam, the lotus is also representative of femininity. As part of the Chazen’s collection, this painting will compare with a range of ink historical and contemporary landscapes, including Xu Bing’s Ten Thousand Trees.

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“The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick offers deep insight into the American sculptor’s innovative approach to design. His work seamlessly blends fine art and function, creating pieces that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the breadth and versatility of his artistic practice,” said Amy Gilman, director of the Chazen Museum of Art and senior director for the arts and media at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Esherick called his home and studio, now the Wharton Esherick Museum, “an autobiography in three dimensions.” Built over four decades between 1926 and 1966, the unconventional dwelling on Valley Forge Mountain in Pennsylvania houses a vast collection of his work, spanning seven decades of creative exploration.

The exhibition showcases a selection of the rarely seen furniture, sculpture, historic photography, paintings, woodcut illustrations and more, presenting his work in four thematic vignettes: rural and urban landscapes, patterns and form, natural growth and the human body in motion. Each presents the iconic geometric patterns and sleek forms that became synonymous with the mid-century designer.

Although known for his captivating furniture designs, the Philadelphia native first trained as a painter. At Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he studied under great American Impressionists such as William Merritt Chase and Edward Willis Redfield. He opted to withdraw from the two-year certificate program just six weeks before completion because he believed he was being taught to paint like them. Instead, he sought to develop his own unique style. In a 1919 self-portrait featured in the exhibition, Esherick depicts himself in the standard uniform worn by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students and faculty. The soft hues and bold brushstrokes are indicative of their impressionist influence.

After briefly working as a commercial illustrator, Esherick turned his attention to making furniture. Without formal training, he followed the lead of his friend and neighbor John Schmidt, a cabinetmaker who trained in Hungary. As he transitioned from painting to sculpture in the 1920s, he often carved designs into his furniture. Drop Leaf Desk (1927) is one such example featured in the exhibition. Esherick decorated the red oak and leather cabinet with abstract patterns that mimic a landscape, with birds carved into the section at the top and tree branches and crops covering the drawers below. Esherick designed the desk with large compartments to hold his prints and materials and a leather-covered drop leaf work surface.

The exhibition also includes an example of Esherick’s iconic three-legged stool. Starting in the 1950s, Esherick used leftover materials to produce the affordable, comfortable pieces that sold for $25 each. Over two decades, Esherick sold approximately 300 stools, with most produced in the 1960s when the price increased to $50.

Esherick’s motto was “If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing,” and he often demonstrated that playful nature by sculpting chess sets and other games. “The Race” (1925) was among those games and is one of Esherick’s first three-dimensional objects made for his children. Patterned after a horse racing game, he sculpted the horses in exaggerated strides with sharp angles to communicate their speed.

“Wharton Esherick elevated wood from a mere material to a medium for artistic expression. His work ranged from impressive architecture apparent in his home and studio to furniture that was as breathtaking as it was functional. The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick demonstrates the ways in which the sculptor brought together the beauty of nature and human touch to spearhead the studio furniture movement that continues to impact artists today,” said Gilman.

This exhibition is organized by Brandywine Museum of Art and the Wharton Esherick Museum. At the Chazen Museum of Art, this exhibition is supported by the Anonymous Trust Fund and the Brittingham Wisconsin Trust.

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From newly designed Chazen merchandise, books, and prints to museum store classics and a few out-there items, there’s plenty to see in the gift section of the Chazen Café. Bonus: every purchase you make supports the museum’s mission.

Jenaille Northey, the Chazen’s retail coordinator, said the café chooses products inspired by or featuring works from the collection. “We try to support small artists and makers. And we hope their work makes you want to learn more about the art at the Chazen, or maybe even create something of your own.”

Chazen tote bags are the café’s top seller (there’s a new design this year). Another popular item: The Hello! Loom, a pocket-sized weaving kit created by UW–Madison art faculty member Marianne Fairbanks as part of her Weaving Lab project. “These little items are quite popular stocking-stuffers,” Northey said.

Chazen art

The café carries high-quality giclée prints, beautifully designed and illustrated catalogs from Chazen exhibitions, and special-collection books. All are produced by the Chazen, unless otherwise noted.

See reproductions of paintings from the Chazen’s permanent collection, including Pink Flutter by Sam Gilliam, Untitled by Mark Rothko, and Group of Egrets by Ohara Shoson. They’re printed in accurate, fade-resistant, pigment-based colors on archival paper. Looking for other Chazen art? Go to the Chazen’s page at 1000Museums.Com and find dozens more you can order, in many sizes and formats.

Exhibition catalogs

• Petah Coyne: How Much a Heart Can Hold
• Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection
• Pressing Innovation: Fine Art Printmaking in the Upper Midwest
• Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20^th Century (National Nordic Museum, 2024)
• Southern Rites, Gillian Laub (Damani, 2015)

Special-collections books

• The Terese and Alvin S. Lane Collection: Twentieth-century Sculpture and Sculptors’ Works on Paper (1995)
• The Edward Burr Van Vleck Collection of Japanese Prints (1990)
• Indian Miniature Painting: The Earnest C. and Jane Werner Watson Collection (1971)

Insurgent art

For the edgy art lovers on your list, consider some Guerilla Girls merch: a book, a tote bag with a built-in gorilla mask you can wear, banana-scented air fresheners, and a handbag listing (sarcastic) reasons it’s great to be a woman artist. (Learn more about the  Guerilla Girls here and in Petah Coyne: How Much a Heart Can Hold, on view at the Chazen through Dec. 23).

Museum memberships

After being so generous to others, wouldn’t you like a little something, too? Give yourself a Friends of the Chazen membership right here: https://chazen.wisc.edu/support/become-a-member/. By making a 100 percent tax-deductible contribution of any amount, you’ll support our mission, and you’ll get:

• a 10 percent discount at the Chazen Café, including museum merchandise.
• benefits and discounts through the College and University Art Museum Reciprocal Program.
• first news of upcoming events at the museum, delivered right to your inbox, and exclusive communications about programs and activities.
• early access to register for events, including Sunday Afternoon Live.
• invitations to openings and events mailed to your home.
• the Chazen’s yearly 16-month wall calendar, showing the beauty of the museum’s permanent collection—with a few surprises included!

Want to give a gift membership? Contact Jessica Sayer (jsayer@chazen.wisc.edu) and she’ll be glad to help you.

Tell us what you want

Is there something you think would be perfect for the Chazen Café? We’re always looking for new locally made products. Send them to shop@chazen.wisc.edu.

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Now in its sixth year, the Chazen’s Study Day gives students a once-a-year opportunity to study in the midst of a stellar art collection and be with lots of their peers doing the same. It’s a smooth operation, with power-supplied study tables set up throughout the galleries and in the lobby. The 11-hour event drew 1,000 students to the Chazen in 2022 and about 850 last year. With seating for 150 at a time, there’s room for more, said Jamie Prey, the Chazen’s events coordinator.

There were organized activities in past years, but those faded away. “Everybody said just let us study, give us free food,” Prey said. Wish granted: the Chazen’s ordering numerous cups of coffee, 216 bagel halves, 250 apples, 120 bananas, 120 clementines (ran out last year), 200 granola bars, 120 bags of chips, 120 bags of cookies—and at 5 p.m., about 500 pieces of Ian’s Pizza. (Food is allowed only in the lobby.)

New study spots this year include four seats in the Chazen’s Carolyn and John Peterson Gallery, the enclosed walkway between the Chazen and Elvehjem buildings. Also known as Gallery IX, it displays several sculptures including Optic Twist Screen #2, the large blown glass artwork popular with Chazen visitors. “You have a view of the lake and outlets by each chair. Pretty nice,” she said.

The highlights? Some would argue it’s the pizza, others the art. Lots of others would say it’s the therapy dogs, who are all over UW–Madison this time of year. Dogs on Call, a local volunteer organization, made nine campus visits in November and have another nine in December, with stops at residence halls, the Law School, the Red Gym, libraries, the Chazen, and more.

Todd Trampe organizes about 60 campus visits a year for Dogs on Call and brings Millie, his Labrador retriever. The Chazen’s Study Day is one of his personal favorites. “It’s always so well-organized and attendance is always abundant,” he said. “Students are a bit more stressed than usual, but they are so grateful for the opportunity to engage with our therapy dogs.”

Coming to the Chazen this year with Millie are Jessie, a Maltese; Clara, an Irish wolfhound; Willy, a Münsterländer; April, a golden retriever-poodle mix; and Luna, a Great Pyrenees—along with their people.

You can register here for the Chazen’s Study Day (it’s optional). It’s just one of many events across the UW–Madison campus aimed at easing end-of-semester stress and helping Badgers #FinishStrong:

• Wisconsin Union is hosting a Study Day Hike and Brew with Outdoor UW on Thursday, Dec. 12, and a Finals Study Bash from 10:30–3 p.m. Dec. 13.
• University Housing offers a range of stress-busting events, from “DIY Stained Glass” on Dec. 10 in Smith Hall to “Build-a-Buddy” on Dec. 12 in Witte Hall.
• College Library events include a coffee, tea, and hot chocolate giveaway on Dec. 11 in the Open Book Café and your last chance this semester to see therapy dogs—from 3–5 p.m. on Dec. 16.
 

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It might be a tour of a single exhibition. It might focus on a theme. Whatever the content, it will encourage you to look deeply, ponder, and react.

Museum Guide Ann Schaffer says the Chazen has moved away from trying to cover the entire museum in a single tour in favor of a more flexible approach, where guides choose a handful of objects to spark discussion.

“A highlights tour suggests an objective ranking of artwork, which really isn’t possible,” she said. “Our current tour style is about connecting the visitor with the art through conversation and activities. We think they’ll remember that relationship more than they would a lecture.”

Shaffer led a recent Sunday tour that put these ideas into practice. On the tour were Cynthia May; her sister Jill Amel and Jill’s husband, Gary Amel; Jacqueline Dupiche; and Nemo and Stephani Gehred-O’Connell.

The group first looked at Petah Coyne: How Much A Heart Can Hold, stopping at Untitled #1378 (Zelda Fitzgerald.) “I’m going to invite you first to just walk around and look at it from different angles,” she said.

“Really beautiful.”

“Wow.”

“Must have taken a long time.”

“She did not do this overnight,” Schaffer said. (Coyne worked on the sculpture from 1997 through 2013.)

Tour members discussed Zelda Fitzgerald’s history as a troubled, dynamic, artistic woman obscured by the shadow of her more famous husband, the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

“So, what do you notice?” Schaffer said.

“The first thing that comes to mind is a candelabra,” said May.

“What else?”

“A birthday cake,” said Gary Amel.

“What did she use to make this?”

“This is made from a variety of materials, beads, silk flowers, porcelain hands, and she uses a special wax,” Schaffer said. “Her work is characterized by layers and layers and layers. There are things hidden inside of this piece that she has covered over that she doesn’t even remember what’s in there.”

“The woman’s face over here, is that of any particular significance?” Gary Amel asked.

“Is it her?” May asked.

“It could be,” Schaffer replied. “It could be.”

“Or representing all women,” May said.

Schaffer pointed out that the special glass encasing Zelda is not just a museum display case but an essential part of the work itself. From some angles it’s almost invisible and from others, it causes layered reflections, complicating a direct view of the subject.

“Oh wow!”

“That’s amazing, I didn’t notice that.”

As they passed through the rest of the exhibition, visitors marveled at Coyne’s rich, mysterious works, lingering a bit at Untitled #720 (Eguchi’s Ghost): a floating, swirled mass of hair-like, shredded metal and a dark empty face.

Chazen tour guide Ann Schaffer (right) discusses Shard Whopper with tour members (from left) Jacqueline Dupiche, Gary Amel, Jill Amel, Nemo Gehred-O’Connell, Stephani Gehred-O’Connell, and Cynthia May.

Next, the group visited a nearby exhibition,  Look What Harvey Did: Harvey K. Littleton’s Legacy in the Simona and Jerome Chazen Collection of Studio Glass . Schaffer sketched out Littleton’s importance in launching the international studio glass movement here at UW–Madison. Then she stopped at Clifford Rainey’s War Boy, a translucent, etched-glass torso with rifle cartridges spilling out through large splits held together with copper wire. “What do you notice about this piece?”

“It’s weird,” said Jill Amel.

“How is it weird?” Schaffer asked.

“It’s scary, the skin and the hair. Sewing the flesh together.”

“This artist used a cast-glass technique, and he used the body of his grandson, his ten-year-old grandson, to cast this,” Schaffer said. “And if you can imagine it without the wrapping, without the bullets, how beautiful that piece would be. And evocative of antiquity, with the torso and arms broken off.”

The last stop was Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20^th Century, where the group studied six paintings by William Henry Johnson. “I want you to look at these six for a few minutes and then decide which is your favorite,” Schaffer said.

“Some of these are pretty simple, like this one (Girl in a Red Dress), and some are pretty complicated, like this one (A View Down Akersgate, Oslo). That’s what I took away,” Gary Amel said.

“What else?”

“Fluid versus stable,” said Jill Amel.

“Yes, the portraits are very solid,” Schaffer said. “And the landscapes are pretty dynamic, with lines, movement, brushwork.”

Nemo Gehred-O’Connell said that the landscapes were painted earlier in the day and the portraits later.

“After coffee,” Gary Amel added, to chuckles.

Boats in the Harbor, Kerteminde, was the favorite of Stephani Gehred-O’Connell and Gary Amel. “I just like the colors of it, and the movement and kind of the way it’s a feeling of boats, instead of just being solid boats,” Gehred-O’Connell said.

“I like the Danish Seaman, because that piece seems simpler to me,” said Dupiche.

“I think he’s a real character,” May said. “Very sure of himself.” After having chosen Akersgate previously, May said she was switching her vote to Seaman.

“Why is that?” Schaffer asked.

“I just think, wow, he really caught the essence of the guy’s character,” May said. “But I really like the landscapes too.”

As the tour wrapped up, members thanked Schaffer, who encouraged them to come back. “It’s your museum,” she said. “I hope you take some of this home with you today. It’ll be in your dreams, it’ll be in your daily life.”

“Like that hair monster (Coyne’s Eguchi’s Ghost) downstairs,” Nemo Gehred-O’Connell quipped.

So, what did tour members think?

“I really like hearing other people’s impressions of what you’re seeing,” May said.

“It’s nice to have a group this small,” Gary Amel said. “You can actually share ideas. You generally don’t even ask if you’re in a big group.”

“That’s the idea,” Schaffer said. “I’d like for you to establish a relationship with the pieces. And I think we can’t do that if we’re just touring around. You see it, but it doesn’t come inside.”

The post With Conversation, Chazen Tours Aim to Help You Connect with the Art appeared first on Chazen Museum of Art.

At the Chazen Museum of Art, access means thinking broadly about ways to attract people who aren’t the usual museum crowd—including students—and helping them feel welcome and see themselves here.

In some ways, expanding access and welcome is nothing new at the Chazen. Since the arrival of Director Amy Gilman in 2017, the museum revamped its sparsely furnished lobby, which felt imposing to some visitors, and added seating and tables to attract passersby. It added the Chazen Café, with food, drink, and a retail section. And instead of uniformed security officers, visitor service assistants (VSAs), who are students and community members in plain clothes, now staff the front desk and are available to assist visitors in the galleries.

These efforts are getting a boost. For the next three years, expanding access at the Chazen will be supported by a generous grant from the Art Bridges Foundation and its Access for All program. The foundation is providing $40 million to 64 museums nationwide to cover the costs of admission, programming, marketing, outreach, and additional efforts that reduce barriers to access.

Fun, less formal events

“It’s always about thinking outside the box of traditional museum programming.” Said Kristine Klasen, the Chazen’s chief operating officer. The Access for All grant came with very few strings attached to encourage museums to think creatively about expanding access. The Chazen is using its funds to pilot informal, student-friendly events in the Chazen Café and hire staff to support it.

The café programming pilot was launched in late 2023 and led by Tony Sansalone, a graduate student from the Bolz Center for Arts Administration. Sansalone conducted focus groups with current students, created events based on their input, and adjusted programming through the year based on post-event feedback from those students.

Klasen said that although the focus group wasn’t large, “It gave great food for thought. I found the focus group really valuable.”

One thing the Chazen learned: its regular artist lectures were possibly misbranded. “We found out students don’t like the word ‘lecture,’ ” she said. “It feels too much like class.” Another thing: students love paint-and-sip events. “We thought that was a big thing maybe ten years ago, but we’ve scheduled two of them and they filled up almost instantly.”

Over the past school year and summer, the Chazen Café hosted more informal, student-friendly events, including a book club, several trivia events, and Art and Music Bingo, which had 50 signups. Since April, they’ve been supported by events assistant Haylie Hart, who was hired with grant funds.

The events, usually on Friday nights, drew increasing attendance through the year. Klasen said they also helped increase café revenue during a typically slow time, which helps assure it’s cost-effective for the café to remain open during those later hours.

Hiring supports access

Hiring more students and recent graduates is an important facet of the Chazen’s access strategy. This semester, Chazen Visitor Services Manager Casey Coolidge hired 11 students as VSAs. They also used grant funds to hire Grace Pietruszka, a former Chazen student employee and recent art history graduate.

Coolidge said Pietruszka, like the Chazen’s other VSAs, excels at making visitors feel welcome, while also balancing her duty to protect the collection. “Grace’s strengths lie with connecting with students, and newly graduated students. When they come in the door, they’re going to see themselves.”

Klasen said Pietruszka’s hiring helps make it easier to staff evening hours, which expands access for community members who might be visiting the Chazen in the evening.

Whether it’s providing more gathering spaces, programming more events, or hiring the right people for the right roles, it all adds up to more visitors feeling welcome at the Chazen. “I believe that welcome is a really fundamental part of access,” Coolidge said. “From the moment a visitor sets foot in our museum, the atmosphere we provide, the way that we welcome, the way we put the tools in their hands that are right for them for that day, are all part of access.”

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Madison, Wisc. – The Chazen Museum of Art has named Berit Ness as the institution’s inaugural chief engagement officer. In the new role, Ness leads the Chazen’s visitor-focused and inclusive outreach efforts that align with the Museum’s mission as a teaching and learning institution. She oversees public programs and education, marketing and communications, campus and community outreach and the visitor services program. Her appointment began Sept. 9.

Ness comes to the Chazen from the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, where she focused on interweaving the Smart Museum’s collections, exhibitions and broader resources into teaching, learning, research and co-curricular life on campus. She held successive roles at the Smart Museum since 2015, most recently serving as the associate director and curator of academic engagement within the Smart’s Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry.

As the Chazen’s first chief engagement officer, Ness will advance the Museum’s ongoing commitment to increasing accessibility and engaging with audiences in new and innovative ways. Amy Gilman, the Chazen’s director, says university museums are uniquely positioned to serve both students and the general public, building relationships and fostering dialogue across the populations. As current events and new trends emerge, university art museums can adapt to serve their communities, collaborating with university faculty and staff to present new research through exhibitions and educational programs. Ness’ role will place greater emphasis on expanding access points and modes of engagement to tailor the Museum experience for various audiences.

“University museums serve as vital hubs for experimentation, intellectual inquiry and cultural exchange. As the Chazen Museum of Art continues to embark on innovative installations, exhibitions and programs that connect with University of Wisconsin–Madison students and visitors from the surrounding community, Berit Ness will be instrumental in helping the Museum stay abreast of our visitors’ evolving needs. Her impactful work will result in programs that inspire audiences and deepen connections between art and people,” said Amy Gilman, the Chazen Museum of Art’s director.

Ness’ appointment as chief engagement officer marks her return to the Chazen Museum of Art, where she worked as a research assistant while completing graduate studies in art history at UW–Madison. She also served as an undergraduate symposium coordinator for the University’s Office of the Provost for Teaching and Learning and worked as the director’s assistant for UW–Madison’s Tandem Press, a publisher of fine art prints.

“As a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, I felt a sense of community and belonging at the Chazen Museum of Art and found inspiration in its collection. This role allows me to return to a campus that I love in a city that excites me and to build opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, curiosity and exploration. I look forward to expanding the Chazen’s impact and strengthening ties between the Museum, University faculty and students and Madison’s communities,” said Ness.

In addition to a master’s degree in art history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Ness studied at University College London and holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Western Washington University. She also completed the 2023 Executive Program for Emerging Leaders at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and Smith College’s 2008 Summer Institute in Art Museum Studies program.

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Amy Gilman, director of the Chazen Museum of Art, will assume new administrative duties as the senior director for the arts and media, providing supervision to the staff in the Division of the Arts, as well as working more closely on behalf of the provost with the UW Press and Wisconsin Public Media. Gilman will also continue as director of the Chazen Museum.

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