MMoCA Newsletter, Winter 2018

winter 2018

EXHIBITIONS
JAUME PLENSA: TALKING CONTINENTS
State Street Gallery • Dec 2, 2017–Apr 15, 2018
Internationally celebrated artist Jaume Plensa is known for
his poetic approach to sculpture. He produces works of
art that evoke silence and inward reflection, engaging in a
creative practice informed by his deep interest in the physical
manifestation of spiritual energy. On view in the museum’s
State Street Gallery December 2, 2017–April 15, 2018, Jaume
Plensa: Talking Continents is an enveloping installation of
suspended steel forms that transcend their own physical
weight and volume, and instead convey lightness, translucence,
and fluidity. In keeping with the artist’s concept of
sculpture as the spiritualization of matter, this floating body
of work transforms the gallery into a space for contemplation.
Plensa uses the human figure as a universal symbol, as
a way to break through cultural barriers that separate and
divide. For instance, the two monolithic towers central to
his famous public artwork Crown Fountain (2004), located
in Chicago’s Millennium Park, function as video screens for
moving-image portraits of 1,000 Chicago residents. Rotating
every few minutes, the portraits illustrate the diversity of the
city while also reflecting on our fundamental commonalities
as expressed through the body.
In addition to his interest in the human figure, Plensa
finds inspiration in language, and often includes literary
phrases, words, or simply letters in his works of art. Like generations
of artists before him, Plensa’s use of text calls attention
to language as a system of shapes that has the power
to mediate—or confuse—our understanding of the world.
The nineteen sculptural elements that comprise Talking
Continents are made entirely from die-cut steel letters from
eight different alphabets. Refusing to come together as words,
the letters instead exist as abstract symbols which coalesce
as a dreamy archipelago of cloud-like forms. As such, the
installation suggests a breakdown in communication, or a
dissolution of meaning, while at the same time embodying
the very components needed to construct words and create
meaning—the building blocks for cultural understanding.
Talking Continents thus brings us into a space of potential.
For Plensa, his multilingual sculptures represent islands
or countries; their alphabetic diversity operating as a metaphor
for our multicultural world. With human figures seated
atop five of the largest orbs, Talking Continents offers a
poetic vision of the most populated continents in conversation
with each other. A firm believer that art has the capacity
to transform our lives, Plensa asks us to consider the ways in
which we are linked together as a collective humanity, and
how global interconnectedness and communication can be
a path to universal tolerance and acceptance.
Jaume Plensa was born in Barcelona, Spain, where he
currently lives and works. In addition to numerous international
solo exhibitions, the artist has large-scale works
installed in public spaces and sculpture gardens worldwide,
from Chicago’s Millennium Park to Japan’s Ogijima Island.
Plensa is represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., New York and
Paris; and the Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago.
Generous funding for Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents
has been provided by the David and Paula Kraemer Fund;
Ellen Rosner and Paul J. Reckwerdt; Mary Ellyn and Joe
Sensenbrenner; Peggy and Tom Pyle; Gina and Michael
Carter; National Guardian Life Insurance; Lynda and
Charles Clark; Dynee and Barney Sheafor; Sara Guyer and
Scott Straus; Karen and Craig Christianson; RSM; Wisconsin
Public Radio; a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National
Endowment for the Arts; and MMoCA Volunteers.
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ART/WORD/IMAGE
Henry Street Gallery • Dec 2, 2017–May 20, 2018
In the Henry Street Gallery, images and words collide, intersect,
and overlap in Art/Word/Image. Drawn from the permanent
collection, this exhibition highlights the increased
engagement with language in the visual arts of the twentieth
century. When artists place words and images on the same
pictorial surface it reinforces how these two systems of communication
differ in their modes of signifying and the ways
in which we comprehend a work of art.
In 1912, when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque introduced
newspaper clippings into their already flattened and
fragmented images, they further removed any allusion to
three-dimensional space. This nontraditional technique liberated
painting from its formal properties. Art was no longer
required to closely resemble the physical world and instead
could focus on the artist’s ideas, however abstract. What followed
was a radical shift in the production of art where artists
refused to be constrained by art historical precedents. The
Dada and Surrealist avant-gardes used typographic elements
and wordplay to reflect their own social and political ambitions,
which included the campaign against artistic tradition.
Words were no longer beholden to grammatical conventions
or confined to the printed page. Artists revealed the
dubious nature of words, as exemplified in René Magritte’s
1929 painting The Treachery of Images where the phrase
“Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (This is not a pipe) floats beneath
an image of a tobacco pipe. The rendering of the linguistic
and visual sign as arbitrary required the viewer to scrutinize
what they observed and address their underlying assumptions
regarding the authority of the written word.
The inclusion of text in works of art was soon amplified
by advancements in photography and film—and further complicated
by social and political unrest after World War II. Art/
Word/Image focuses on art made after 1960, as language
was being harnessed by Conceptual artists in place of brush
on canvas and Pop artists were reclaiming the false imagery
found in advertising. In Bruce Nauman’s lithograph and
screenprint Clear Vision (1973), he uses wordplay to provoke
the viewer. The title of the work is printed backwards and the
words are obscured by areas of heavy black ink making it difficult
to read. Despite the obvious joke of making the words
“clear vision” quite unclear, Nauman also seems to remark on
the common phrase of “having a clear vision.” Just how can a
vision be clear, and thus seemingly accurate, if one is looking
into the unknown of the future?
Many of the artists in Art/Word/Image, including
Robert Cottingham, Jenny Holzer, Jim Nutt, Ed Ruscha,
and Carolee Schneemann juxtapose the word with art in
various formats: as narrative, found object, signifier, social
and political commentary, and in jest. These works welcome
interpretation and introspection as we reflect on the numerous
messages and images we encounter in the context of our
everyday lives.
Exhibitions in the Henry Street Gallery are generously
funded through an endowment established by the Pleasant
T. Rowland Foundation.
COVER AND OPPOSITE: Jaume Plensa, Talking Continents, 2013. Stainless steel, 19 components, dimensions variable. © Jaume Plensa. Courtesy
Galerie Lelong & Co. ABOVE: Bruce Nauman, Clear Vision, 1973. Lithograph and screenprint on paper, 33 1/2 x 46 in. Collection of the Madison
Museum of Contemporary Art. Purchase, through National Endowment for the Arts grant with matching funds from The Art League of the Madison
Art Center. © 2017 Bruce Nauman / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
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EXHIBITIONS
JOSÉ CARLOS TEIXEIRA: ON EXILE
Imprint Gallery • Jan 13–Mar 4 and Mar 9–May 20
Currently based in Wisconsin, Portuguese multimedia artist
José Carlos Teixeira is intimately familiar with the
complexities of immigration—from confronting feelings of
displacement to undertaking the challenges of learning a new
culture. In his artwork, Teixeira creates video installations
that investigate larger notions of belonging and exile. José
Carlos Teixeira: ON EXILE is a two-part exhibition featuring
video essays the artist produced between 2016 and 2017.
As with his previous projects, Teixeira explores the concept
of Otherness in the two films that comprise ON EXILE.
Derived from psychoanalytical, anthropological, and postcolonial
theories, Othering refers to a process whereby societies
establish majority and minority identities, or social categories,
as binary opposites. An individual or group is subsequently
deemed “not one of us,” which in some cases results in the
devaluation, dehumanization, or even persecution of people
classified as Other. Teixeira, however, reverses the human
tendency to demonize those who seem different or unfamiliar
by giving voice to members of stigmatized communities: individuals
with mental illness in his film ON EXILE: Fragments
in search of meaning (2016, on view January 13–March 4),
and Muslim refugees living the United States in ON EXILE:
Elsewhere within here (2017, on view March 9–May 20).
Teixeira’s work teeters between documentary cinema and
video art. His approach to art relies on group participation,
extensive interviews, and collaborative performance. The
artist’s interview process operates as both an exchange of
experiences and an art form. Focusing on the voices and firsthand
stories of his subjects, Teixeira opens up a psychological
space for intimate narratives to unfold, and a cinematic space
for shared creation and authorship.
MMoCA OPENING
FRIDAY, MAR 9 • 6–9 PM
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BIG
Main Galleries • Nov 4, 2017–May 6, 2018
BIG presents over thirty large-scale artworks from MMoCA’s permanent
collection, including works by Sam Gilliam, Ellsworth
Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jennifer Steinkamp. More than other
formal elements in the visual arts, scale demonstrates the capacity
of the artwork to respond to a specific location and call into play the
role of the viewer. Above all, the works of art in this exhibition have
the ability to astonish.
Generous funding for BIG has been provided by Nancy Mohs;
JoAnne Robbins and David Falk; the Theda and Tamblin Clark Smith
Family Foundation; Cathie and Jim Burgess; Hooper Corporation and
General Heating & Air Conditioning; J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.; Nancy Doll and Michael Bernhard; Dane Arts; Bell Laboratories;
Karen and Craig Christianson; a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National
Endowment for the Arts; and MMoCA Volunteers.

EXHIBITIONS & NEWS
IRENE GRAU
State Street Gallery • May 5–Aug 5
Irene Grau is a Spanish conceptual artist who challenges
the boundaries of painting, the perception of color, and the
limits of space. Taking the act of painting beyond the studio
and off the canvas, she enters into the landscape to discover
moments when the power of pure color alters our awareness
of the world around us. In a solo exhibition on view in
MMoCA’s State Street Gallery from May 5 through August 5,
2018, Grau will present a new body of work she began last
summer during her five-week artist residency in Madison.
Grau’s work is grounded in the history of plein air painting,
an in-situ practice of landscape painting based on direct
observation that was initiated by artists such as Claude
Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Camille Pissarro in the
latter half of the nineteenth century. These Impressionist
leaders ushered in future experimentations in modernist artmaking,
including the most simplified expression of formal
abstraction: the painted monochrome.
Playing with the concept and process of plein air painting,
Grau traversed the landscape not to recreate specific
scenes on canvas, but to identify existing instances of monochromatic
abstraction. She discovered a vernacular form of
mark-making in the vibrant, color-coded lines and shapes
spray-painted across the streets and sidewalks by utility
workers. Appearing random and cryptic to the untrained
eye, this sanctioned graffiti points to the subterranean infrastructure
that powers our city. By reframing the overlooked
details within our everyday surroundings, Grau transforms a
standardized mode of communication used by public works
departments across the country into a series of monochrome
paintings—plein air paintings not of landscape, but in it.
MMoCA OPENING
FRIDAY, MAY 4 • 6–9 PM
NEW ACQUISITIONS
Works on Paper
by Bruce Conner
Thanks to a donation from the Conner Family Trust, MMoCA received
a gift of 21 offset lithographs produced by American artist Bruce
Conner (1933–2008). Originally a Midwesterner, Conner moved to San
Francisco in 1957 at the beginning of his artistic career. He remained
there, except for a year-long trip to Mexico in 1963 to find himself
(aided by a variety of psychedelic mushrooms). He became one of the
most prolific postwar artists. His career spanned nearly 50 years and
he worked in almost every medium from painting, sculpture, drawing,
collage, photography, printmaking, to film—often hybridizing them into
unique configurations.
The impetus for the suite of lithographs gifted to MMoCA was to
preserve and perfect a set of felt-tip ink drawings Conner made from
1964 to 1969. To make one of the drawings, Conner would sit for hours
without lifting his pen off the sheet of paper—only stopping when his
pen would run out of ink. The resulting image is a labyrinth of lines that
resemble topographical maps or microscopic organisms in a petri dish.
While the process of making the works was meditative for the artist, he
was also consumed by the desire to create images of high contrast such
that the viewer’s eye would oscillate between detail and whole, creating
a sense of motion. As felt-tip pens were relatively new to the market at the time, Conner wasn’t aware that the ink on the paper
had a tendency to brown over time, leaving his once high contrast drawings muddy and faded.
In 1970, Conner selected Kaiser Graphics in California to begin the process of recovering and improving upon his faded ink
drawings. While he originally sought to improve the varied tonality present in the drawings, he also altered existing lines and
changed the orientation and size of the prints, producing a new set of images that are closer to his original concept. The result is
an intimate set of prints that invite the viewer in to reflect on the artist’s obsession with precision and ultimately, preservation.
OPPOSITE: José Carlos Teixeira. ON EXILE: Elsewhere within here (video still), 2017. Single-channel video with sound, 70 minutes. Courtesy of the
artist. • Ed Paschke, Suture, 1985. Oil on canvas, 42 x 80 inches. Collection of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, The Bill McClain Collection
of Chicago Imagism. ABOVE: Irene Grau, preliminary documentation image taken during artist residency, summer 2017. • Bruce Conner, #209, 1970.
Offset lithograph, 11 1/8 x 7 1/2 inches. Collection of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Gift of the Conner Family Trust, San Francisco.
© 2017 Conner Family Trust, San Francisco / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
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TALKS, TOURS, & POETRY
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FRIDAY, FEB 2, 6:30–7 PM
GALLERY TALK: ART/WORD/IMAGE
The interplay of words and images has a long tradition in
the history of art. Fred Stonehouse will discuss a selection
of works in Art/Word/Image, including his painting, Kilroy-
Coq-à-l’Âne, (1999), in which imagery and text each play a
role in conveying meaning.
Fred Stonehouse is an artist and professor in the
UW-Madison Art Department where he teaches advanced
drawing and painting.
FRIDAY, FEB 9, 6:30–7 PM
GALLERY TALK: MATERIALITY
AND DISEQUILIBRIUM
Highlighting works in BIG, Derrick Buisch will discuss how
scale, form, material properties, and composition combine
to create a sense of instability in the viewer.
Derrick Buisch is an artist and professor in the UW-Madison
Art Department where he teaches painting and color theory.
FRIDAY, FEB 16, 6:30–7 PM
GALLERY TALK:
LANGUAGE, PERCEPTION,
AND THE VISUAL ARTS
What is the role of language in making us human? Can language
literally change what we see? Using Jaume Plensa:
Talking Continents as a point of departure, professor Gary
Lupyan will discuss language and its relevance to art and
aesthetics, as well as how different languages may lead their
speakers to view art in different ways.
Gary Lupyan is associate professor in the UW-Madison
Department of Psychology and director of the Lupyan Lab,
which investigates topics related to language and its effects
on human cognition.
Generous funding for MMoCA
gallery talks is provided by
Bell Laboratories.
FRIDAY, FEB 16, 7:15–8 PM
MONSTERS + MMoCA
Monsters of Poetry is a contemporary poetry and fiction
reading series that began in 2009 to bring new literary
voices to Madison. Monsters + MMoCA brings the group
together at the museum for a reading of original works
inspired by Jaume Plensa’s use of language as a pictorial and
conceptual device. Participating writers are Derrick Austin,
Kara Candito, Adam Fell, Matthew Guenette, Dantiel Moniz,
Marcela Fuentes, and Nick Demske.
Monsters + MMoCA is organized by the museum’s education
department in partnership with Adam Fell. Fell teaches
in the English Department at Edgewood College and is a
founding member and co-curator of Monsters of Poetry.
THURSDAY, FEB 22, 1–1:30 PM
GALLERY TALK: FORM AND
PROCESS IN TALKING CONTINENTS
Gail Simpson will discuss Jaume Plensa’s use of opacity and
transparency, how he materializes language, and the influence
of technology on his artistic process.
Gail Simpson is a sculptor and public artist who maintains
an individual studio practice and works as part of
Actual Size Artworks, a collaboration with Aris Georgiades.
Simpson is a professor in the UW-Madison Art Department
where she teaches sculpture and foundations courses.
FRIDAY, MAR 9, 6:30–7:15 PM
ARTIST TALK:
JOSÉ CARLOS TEIXEIRA
Interdisciplinary artist José Carlos Teixeira will discuss his
work, including ON EXILE: Elsewhere within here (2017), a
recent experimental documentary film on view in the Imprint
Gallery that explores identity, migration, and displacement
through first-person interviews with Muslim refugees. In
addition to his artistic practice, Teixeira is an assistant professor
in the UW-Madison Art Department.
This talk is part of an MMoCA Opening and is free for members
and $10 for non-members. Seating in MMoCA’s lecture
hall is limited.

THURSDAY, MAR 22, 1–1:45 PM
GALLERY TALK: BIGness
Curator of the permanent collection Mel Becker Solomon is
joined by curator emeritus Richard H. Axsom for an exploration
of scale in the visual arts and its effects on emotion,
perception, and sensation. The talk will highlight a selection
of works in BIG.
SATURDAY, APR 7, 7–8 PM
SAM GILLIAM AND WILLIAM WEEGE
IN CONVERSATION
Stephen Fleischman Lectureship
Sam Gilliam and William Weege will discuss their longstanding
friendship and 45-year creative collaboration that,
among other advances, generated pioneering approaches to
printmaking.
Sam Gilliam is internationally renowned for his innovations
in color-field painting, which led the way toward a new
vocabulary for abstract painting. William Weege is professor
emeritus of the UW-Madison Art Department, and founding
artistic director of Tandem Press, whose approach to printmaking
allowed the artists he worked with to break new
ground. Weege is also celebrated as an artist in his own right
for his work in a variety of print media and handmade paper.
The talk is held on the occasion of the third Stephen
Fleischman Lectureship, which honors the 25th anniversary
of Stephen Fleischman’s tenure as the director of MMoCA.
Advance reservations are required; available at mmoca.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 6:30–7:15 PM
ARTIST TALK: IRENE GRAU
Irene Grau will discuss a new body of work she began during
her five-week artist residency in Madison in the summer of
2017. Her plein air paintings draw attention to little-noticed
aspects of the city’s environment and identify instances of
monochromatic abstraction in everyday scenes. Grau describes
her artistic interventions as “going out in search of painting
with a camera and a pair of hiking boots on.”
This talk is held in conjunction with Gallery Night; admission
is free. Seating in MMoCA’s lecture hall is limited.
DROP-IN TOURS
Saturdays, Feb 10, Mar 10, and Apr 14 • 1–1:30 pm
Drop by for lively and informal
discussions of current exhibitions.
Expertly led by docents, these
free, 30-minute guided tours consider
artists’ creative decisions and provide
insight into their methods, ideas, and
influences. Meet in the museum lobby.
FEBRUARY 10:
ART/WORD/IMAGE
MARCH 10:
JAUME PLENSA:
TALKING CONTINENTS
APRIL 14:
BIG
OPPOSITE PAGE: Gallery talk at MMoCA photo © Maurice Thaler. ABOVE: Sam Gilliam, Carousel, 1970. Acrylic on canvas, 10 x 75 feet. Collection
of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Purchase through funds from the Brittingham Foundation and an anonymous donor. Exhibition
installation photo © MMoCA. • Ray Yoshida, AAIEEE!, 1996. Collage on paper, 14 x 22 inches. Collection of the Madison Museum of Contemporary
Art. The Bill McClain Collection of Chicago Imagism. © Raymond K. Yoshida Living Trust.
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FAMILY RESOURCES
KIDS’ ART
ADVENTURES
Families are invited to make art together
in MMoCA’s classroom. First enjoy a lively
discussion in the galleries, then experiment
with what you have learned. Children aged
six to ten with an adult are welcome. Kids’
Art Adventures are free and begin at 1 pm.
Come 15 minutes early to sign up.
Kids’ Art Adventures are generously sponsored
by National Guardian Life Insurance.
SUNDAY, FEB 11, 1–2:30 PM
Experience the sensation of scale—whether
large or small—in BIG, an exhibition that
focuses on the effects of scale on our perceptions.
Then combine your imagination
with your building skills to create a fanciful
sculpture inspired by the Clayton Brothers’
Tim House and Roger Brown’s Skyscraper
with Pyramid.
SUNDAY, MAR 11, 1–2:30 PM
Can a word be an image? How do words enhance pictures?
Explore Art/Word/Image to see how artists have combined
words and images to make works of art that celebrate the
power of language. Afterward, make a mixed-media book
that incorporates words in fun and visually interesting ways.
SUNDAY, APR 8, 1–2:30 PM
Examine the intricacies of light, language, and form in
Jaume Plensa’s Talking Continents. The artist’s vision of
human understanding and connection comes to life in his
large illuminated sculptures, which combine the human
form with characters from eight languages. In the workshop,
create a unique lantern that allows your vision to shine.
MMoCAkids ARTPACK
Stop by the museum’s lobby welcome desk and ask for the
MMoCAkids ArtPack, the museum’s hands-on discovery
kit for exploring art. The ArtPack contains a variety of fun,
easy-to-use, free-choice activities, including on Jennifer
Steinkamp’s video animation, Rapunzel 9.
MMoCAteens AND
MMoCAkids ART GUIDES
Designed for use anywhere in the museum, the MMoCAteens
and MMoCAkids art guides provides young visitors with
multiple ways to investigate current exhibitions.
LEARNING CENTERS
MMoCA’s Learning Centers offer families a variety of fun
and engaging resources for exploring MMoCA’s exhibitions.
A range of kid-friendly activities promote imaginative play
inspired by works of art. Learning Centers are available for
exhibitions in the Henry Street Gallery and main galleries.
MMoCA’s free family resources are
generously funded by the Nimick
Forbesway Foundation.
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ABOVE: Kids’ Art Adventures. Photography by Chelsea Weis. • Rob and Christian Clayton, Tim House (in Green Pastures) from the series Green
Pastures, 2001. Mixed media on wood panel with sound, 129 1/4 x 60 1/4 x 71 1/2 inches. Collection of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
Gift of Howard and Judith Tullman. OPPOSITE: Gallery Night. Photography by Tom Klingele.

EVENTS
MMoCA OPENINGS
Save the date for upcoming MMoCA Opening celebrations,
featuring music, hors d’oeuvres from Fresco, a cash bar,
and engaging visual art programming. The evenings are
always free for MMoCA members / $10 for non-members.
MMoCA Openings are sponsored by Newcomb Construction
Company and The Alexander Company with additional support
from Fresco, and media support from Isthmus.
FRIDAY, MAR 9 • 6–9 PM
Enjoy the work of visual and video artist José Carlos Teixeira
on the opening night of his Imprint Gallery exhibition, ON
EXILE. Teixeira’s work explores notions of belonging and
exile. Beginning at 6 pm, guests may view ON EXILE; BIG
in the main galleries; Art/Word/Image in the Henry Street
Gallery; and Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents in the State
Street Gallery. At 6:30 pm, Teixeira will give a lecture about
the evolution of his work. Following the talk, guests will
enjoy hors d’oeuvres from Fresco and French swing and
Hawaiian music from Mal-O-Dua in the lobby.
FRIDAY, MAY 4 • 6–9 PM
The first Friday in May will offer a wide array of art-related
experiences at MMoCA, in addition to a multitude of Gallery
Night festivities at more than 50 venues city-wide. Join us at
MMoCA from 5–9 pm to celebrate the opening of Spanish
artist Irene Grau’s first solo museum exhibition in the United
States. This MMoCA Opening includes a talk by the artist,
who will discuss her aesthetic and conceptual approach to
contemporary painting. Along with live music and passed
hors d’oeuvres from Fresco, the evening features the unveiling
of MMoCA’s first official beer. Starting at 8 pm, museum
guests will have the opportunity to celebrate the limited
release of the specialty craft beer resulting from MMoCA’s
collaboration with Octopi Brewing, Art & Sons, and artist
Meg Mitchell, whose installation in the rooftop sculpture
garden served as the inspiration for this unique partnership.
GALLERY NIGHT
FRIDAY, MAY 4 • 5–9 PM
Mark your calendar for May 4, as dozens of venues open
their doors for spring’s biggest celebration of the arts.
Tour Madison’s vibrant arts scene—popping up in neighborhoods
throughout Madison from 5 to 9 pm.
Gallery Night has been lighting up the night in Madison for
30 years, offering an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of
visual art offerings throughout the city. Galleries, artist studios,
non-profit organizations, and other local businesses
showcase original artwork and host special exhibitions, demonstrations,
and receptions during this semi-annual event.
Be sure to share your Gallery Night photos and reviews on
social media using #MADGalleryNight.
Gallery Night is sponsored by The Roman Candle Pizzeria
with media support from Isthmus.
ART VELO
THURSDAY, FEB 1 • 5–8 PM
On Thursday evening, February 1, 2018, MMoCA’s
soaring glass lobby will be transformed for the annual
indoor cycling experience and fundraiser for MMoCA—Art
Velo. Participants will shake off the winter cold and get
spinning in cycling sessions led by Cyc Fitness. This high
energy event features dramatic lighting, dance music favorites,
and delicious fare. Individuals and businesses in the
community sponsor each bike to support MMoCA’s free
exhibitions and programming. Contact Annik Dupaty at
annik@mmoca.org/608.257.0158 x229 for more information
about riding or sponsoring a bike.
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EVENTS & GIVING
CHROMA
FRIDAY, APR 27, 2018
Saturated with experiences, vivid with color, Chroma is a
new event taking place. On April 27, 2018, explore color
throughout the museum’s iconic spaces.
Party guests will enjoy artist- and designer-created color-rich
environments, and hands-on group art projects on each level
of the museum. Chroma celebrates color: how it feels, its
intensity and beauty, and the way we use it in our lives. We
choose hues and shades to decorate and express ourselves.
Creative professionals work with color to create moods
and responses. Artists access the spectrum to convey their
vision. This vibrant event will be immersive and fun, unlike
any other.
PLANNED GIVING
Now is the right time
to plan your legacy.
Join the MMoCA Circle and leave a legacy for the future.
The MMoCA Circle recognizes and honors individuals who
have established a planned gift for the museum. Gifts can be
designated to support a favorite program or add funds to the
museum’s endowment, providing free admission to MMoCA
audiences for generations to come.
A fundraiser for MMoCA, Chroma admission includes an
array of sweets and savories, DJs and dancing in different
museum spaces, and a myriad of performances and art activities.
Assemble your crew and get your tickets, on sale starting
February 1. Plan an ensemble in your favorite spectral color
(red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet) to be considered
for a special prize.
#mmocachroma
STAY IN TOUCH
sign up for weekly emails at
mmoca.org/mmoca-notes
MMoCA Circle members are welcomed as special guests at
museum events and are recognized
on the donor wall
outside the main galleries.
If you’d like more information
about the MMoCA
Circle, and making a legacy
gift to the museum,
contact Kaitlin Kropp at
kaitlin@mmoca.org or
608.257.0158 x224.
Photography by Sharon Vanorny
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MEMBERSHIP & GIVING
MMoCA’S BUSINESS COUNCIL
MMoCA’s corporate members – known as the MMoCA Business Council – support a vibrant community by contributing to
museum exhibitions, education programs, and ongoing operations. Thanks to these important contributions, MMoCA can
offer compelling, thought-provoking programming. Through their gifts, Business Council members become known as generous
and engaged community leaders. For information on corporate membership and its many benefits, contact Kaitlin Kropp
at kaitlin@mmoca.org or 608.257.0158 x224. MMoCA thanks the following businesses and organizations for their support:
BENEFACTORS ($10,000+)
Ajenda Interactive Media
The Alexander Company
Art & Sons
Bell Laboratories, Inc.
BioSentinel INC
BMO Private Bank
Eugenie Mayer Bolz
Family Foundation
Flad Architects
Future Foam
Hiebing
J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.
Madison Community Foundation
Madison Magazine
Madison Print Club
MMoCA Volunteers
National Guardian Life Insurance
Newcomb Construction Company
Nimick Forbesway Foundation
Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation
Steinhauer Charitable Trust
W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation
Wisconsin Arts Board
Wisconsin Public Radio
SPONSORS ($5,000-9,999)
American Family Insurance
American Transmission Company
Brava Magazine
The Century House
CUNA Mutual Foundation
Custer Financial Services
CYC Fitness
Dane Arts
Evjue Foundation Inc., the charitable
arm of The Capital Times
Frank Liquor Co. Group
Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.
Habush Habush and Rottier S.C.
Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison
Hooper Corporation/General Heating
& Air Conditioning
Isthmus
maiahaus
MG&E Foundation
Midwest Family Broadcasting
MINI of Madison
Octopi Brewing
Pepsi of Madison
Potter Lawson
Promega Corporation
Supranet Communications Inc.
Theda and Tamblin Clark Smith
Family Foundation
Venture Investors, LLC
Webcrafters-Frautschi
Foundation, Inc.
Wildwood Productions
WISC-TV Channel 3
WKOW-TV Channel 27
Zendesk Inc.
LEADERS ($2,500-4,999)
Access Information Management
Adams Outdoor Advertising
Artful Home
Associated Bank
Capital Newspapers
Cummings Christensen
Family Foundation
Design Concepts
DoubleTree by Hilton Madison
Food Fight Restaurant Group
Ganser Company
Johnson Bank
Milwaukee Valve Company
Perkins Coie LLP
Physicans Plus Insurance Corporation
Roman Candle Pizzeria
RSM
Staff Electric Company, Inc.
Summit Credit Union
TDS Telecom
The Terry Family Foundation
Think Ink and Design
US Bank
Waunakee Remodeling
Wisconsin Lottery
Yelp Madison
PARTNERS ($1,000-2,499)
AC Hotel
Best Western Premiere – Park Hotel
The Capital Times Kids Fund
Celebrations Entertainment
Colony Brands, Inc.
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.
Econoprint
First Business Bank of Madison
Foley & Lardner
Full Compass
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
Greater Madison Convention &
Visitors Bureau
Hovde Properties, LLC
Images Plus
J.F. Ahern Co.
Knothe & Bruce Architects, LLC
Knox Family Foundation
Lycon Inc.
M3 Insurance Solutions
Madison Arts Commission
Oakbrook Corporation
Phillips Distribution Corp.
Potter Lawson
RBC Wealth Management
Smith & Gesteland LLP
Stafford Rosenbaum LLP
The Rock Agency
Total Administrative Services
Corporation
WIPFLi CPAs and Consultants
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
Woodman’s Markets
DONORS ($500-999)
Access Wisconsin
Artist & Craftsman Supply
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
Nordic Consulting Partners, Inc.
Pro Physical Therapy
Shulfer Architects
Sonic Foundry
Stoddard’s Meat Market & Catering
SUPPORTERS ($250-499)
adroable.io
Amanti Art
Ameriprise Financial Services |
Eventus Wealth Advisors
Anthology LLC
Atmosphere Commercial Interiors
Dines, Inc.
DRS Paving
Greater Madison
Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Inn & Suites -
Madison Downtown
Mirror 34 Productions
Piano Fondue
Plantes Company
Russell Arts Law
SunMoon Arts
Ueda Photography
Underground Food Collective
Vierbicher
SPECIAL
PROJECT
UNDERWRITERS
Brand strategy and design support,
including the development
of MMoCA’s new brandmark and
upcoming new website, is contributed
by Hiebing.
A major gift from the Nimick
Forbesway Foundation supports the
museum’s education programs.
ArtZone, MMoCA’s afterschool workshop
program offered in partnership
with Madison community centers, is
supported by by Zendesk Neighbor
Foundation, U.S. Bank Foundation,
the Capital Times Kids Fund, and the
Madison Arts Commission.
Internet service is provided by
Supranet Communications. Design
and technical guidance for MMoCA’s
website is donated by Ajenda
Interactive Media.
11

MEMBERSHIP & GIVING
MMoCA BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
OFFICERS
Rick Phelps, President
Joe Alexander, Vice-President
Jason Knutson, Vice-President
Leslie Smith III, Vice-President
Charlotte Cummins, Secretary
John Sylla, Treasurer
OTHER TRUSTEES
Marian Bolz, Life Trustee
Bryan Chan
Karen Christianson
Vikki Enright
Jim Escalante
Dave Franchino
Sara Guyer
Cedric Johnson
Valerie Kazamias,
Chair, The Langer Society
Elizabeth Kirchstein
Oscar Mireles
Bret Newcomb
Dave Orr
Amy Paulios
Margaret Pyle
JoAnne Robbins
John Ronzia
Dynee Sheafor
John Sims
Sylvia Vaccaro
Marc Vitale
NEW LANGER
SOCIETY MEMBERS:
THROUGH NOV 30
Janet Ady and Linda Leuzke
Dalia and Moses Altsech
Jennifer Bastian and Ryan Minard
Jeff and Elizabeth Bauer
Maggie Breitzmann and Sam Little
Sophie Carr and Jorie Walters
Bill and Mary Checovich
Rachel Felber and Evan Glanzer
Elizabeth Fuller and Jeff Luker
Karina Galvan and James Worker
Joan Grosse and Marysue Rindy
Bonny Kneedler and Andrew Lee
Kelly McGinn
and Matthew Vande Hei
Laura Muzi and Matt Felker
Dan and Maureen Norman
Caroline O’Mahar and Kyle Jenkins
David and Ann Orr
Lisa Pincus
Anne Piper and Grafton Robinson
Chelsea Price and Brandon Lahee
Bridget and Patrick Rentmeester
Carrie and John Scherpelz
Jenay Shook and Colin Thomson
Anna Vembu and Sam Julian
Amanda and Noah Weibel
Regina Whitemarsh
and Mike Epley
NEW REGULAR MEMBERS: THROUGH NOV 30
Nadeem Afghan and Heidi Simmet-Afghan, Patricia Anderson, Jason Bank, Trudy Barash,
Bonnie Beavan and David Bluemke, Susan Benjamin, Marc Bilsky and Judith Tolkov,
Brigitte Boucher, Rebecca Breda and Tim Zander, Kathleen Brumder, Kimberly Buchanan,
Melanie and Frank Cain, David Cancian and Iris Hoxha, Melinda and Phillip Certain,
Priya and Brian Chan, Aishwariya Chandrasekar, Ashley Collins and Sam Lemley, Denis and
Michelle Dale, Michele and Jim Dangelo, Courtney Deisch, Katelyn Ditzler, Heidi and Bill Dorr,
Betsy Draine, Jim and Mary Escalante, Donna Farrer, Marisha Florissant and Josh Pelnar,
Ann Foley, Deborah Foster, Karl Gartung and Anne Kingsbury, Simone Glinberg,
Christal Gordon, Terrie Goren, Lori Grapentine and John Benton, Kendra Greendeer, Jane
Hall, Mary Horowitz, Ann Hoyt, Anna Huttenlocher and Andrew Bent, Joseph Iscaro,
Cary James, Emily and William Keelty, Joan Kerlow and Michael Briggs, David Ketchum,
Muhammad Khalifa, Lars Koch and Sarah Duege, Susan Kuczynski, Siha Lee,
Aaron Loudenslager, Robert McClean and Elizabeth Tiefenthaler, Steff and Jamie McCloskey,
Ron Meerhoff and Michael Rhodes, Laura and Randy Meffert, Bridget Meyer and
Nicholas Rabbitt, Marese Moynihan, Marcia Mueller and Charles Prorok, Alexandru and
Simona Musat, Alice Nelson, Amy Norlin, Melissa Ozel, Linda Pawson, Joshua Peters and
Ciara Wade, Wendy Phifer, Robert Pozner, Luis Sanchez and Harriet Fleming, Catherine
Sbeglia, Carin Scholtz, Jean Shaw, Emily and Dirk Shimpach, Elizabeth Skora, Wesley Smith,
Patricia Soderholm, Jonathan Solari, Carol Spiegel, Michelle and James Stellner,
Lucy Thompson, Sonja Thomsen, Michael Trakman and Angela Liautaud,
Juanita Trujillo, Collin Tuttle and Judit Tuttle, Tony Vincent, Sophie Wagner-Marx,
Judith Ward, Ruth and Roger Westmont, Martha White and Cora White, Janice Williams and
Joyce Zabel, Timothy Yu and Robin Valenza, Matthew Ziehr, Chris and Kathleen Ziemba
PRIVATE EVENTS
With gorgeous spaces such as the lobby and rooftop sculpture garden, as well
as an elegant and high-tech lecture hall, MMoCA is the perfect place to host
your next event. Langer Society members, Business Council members, and nonprofit
groups receive discounted rates. For information, please contact Bob Sylvester at
bob@mmoca.org or 608.257.0158 x251.
12
ABOVE: Wedding photo. © Sharon Vanorny. OPPOSITE: José Carlos Teixeira. ON EXILE, elsewhere within here (video still), 2017. Singlechannel
video with sound, 70 minutes. Courtesy of the artist.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FEBRUARY
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28
MARCH
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
APRIL
M T W T F S S
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30
MAY
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
FEBRUARY
1 5–8 pm Art Velo
2 6:30–7 pm Gallery Talk: Art/Word/Image
9 6:30–7 pm Gallery Talk: BIG
10 1–1:30 pm Drop-in Tour: Art/Word/Image
11 1–2:30 pm Kids’ Art Adventures: BIG
16 6:30–7 pm
MARCH
9 6–9 pm
6:30–7:15 pm
MMoCA Opening:
José Carlos Teixeira: ON EXILE
Artist Talk: José Carlos Teixeira
10 1–1:30 pm Drop-in Tour:
Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents
11 1–2:30 pm Kids’ Art Adventures:
Art/Word/Image
22 1–1:45 pm Gallery Talk: BIG
APRIL
7:15–8 pm
7 7–8 pm Sam Gilliam and William Weege
Stephen Fleischman
Lectureship Series
8 1–2:30 pm Kids’ Art Adventures:
Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents
14 1–1:30 pm Drop-in Tour: BIG
27 8 pm–12 am Chroma
Gallery Talk:
Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents
Monsters+MMoCA
22 1–1:30 pm Gallery Talk:
Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents
MAY
4 5–9 pm
6–9 pm
6:30–7:15 pm
8 pm
Gallery Night
MMoCA Opening: Irene Grau
Artist Talk: Irene Grau
Beer launch with Octopi Brewing
13

ABOUT
Enjoy wintery views of Madison’s
beautiful downtown cityscape at Fresco,
MMoCA’s sleek rooftop restaurant.
With floor to ceiling windows looking
out to the museum’s sculpture garden,
and the Capitol dome glowing in the distance,
snow can fall and temperatures
can drop while you sit in comfort and
dine on a delicious, European-inspired
meal.
Imagine sharing this experience
with 99 friends and family for a festive
party! Already a favorite spot among
theater enthusiasts and symphony
goers for a pre-show dinner, Fresco
is also the perfect location for special
events. The restaurant can host up to
100 guests for a cocktail-style party, or
60 guests for a seated event. If you are
interested in booking Fresco for a buyout
occasion of any kind, mention this
article and receive $150 off your food
and beverage minimum when you book
by March 15.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is
an independent, nonprofit organization presenting exhibitions by local, regional,
national, and international artists. A permanent collection of more than 5,500
works of art is maintained and enlarged through gifts and purchases. The museum’s
education department presents programs to increase public understanding
and appreciation of modern and contemporary art.
HOURS
MEMBERS
MAKE IT
POSSIBLE.
Support from members of
the Madison Museum of
Contemporary Art ensures
that outstanding exhibitions
and educational programs
remain free for all.
THANK YOU!
Galleries Store Fresco
Monday Closed 12–5 pm* Closed
Tue–Thur 12–5 pm 11 am–5 pm 5–9 pm
Friday 12–8 pm 11 am–8 pm 5–10 pm
Saturday 10 am–8 pm 10 am–8 pm 5–10 pm
Sunday 12–5 pm 12–5 pm 5–9 pm
* Closed Mondays in January
Our 2018 catering menus were
released on January 1, and will feature
exciting new entrees inspired by Chef
Giovanni’s eclectic command of worldly
cuisines. Chef Giovanni is a master chef
in all aspects of his life: he delights
in providing delicious fare to Fresco
patrons as much as he enjoys cooking
at home for his wife and young son. For
more information about booking your
private event, please email Amanda
Schnoll, Fresco Event Coordinator, at
aschnoll@foodfightinc.com.
MMoCA MEMBERS
Receive a 10% discount at
Fresco and all Food Fight ​
restaurants.
Join today at
mmoca.org
ACCESSIBILITY Exhibitions, lectures, tours, and special events at
MMoCA are accessible to people with disabilities. Please contact the museum
at 608.257.0158 regarding accommodations for persons with limited mobility,
sight, or hearing. Relay Service is available by dialing AT&T @ 711.
MEMBERSHIP MMoCA members enjoy many privileges, including free
admission to MMoCA Openings and films; discounts at the Museum Store, at
Fresco and other Food Fight restaurants; invitations to special member events
and previews; opportunities to meet artists; a subscription to MMoCA’s newsletter;
and tax deductions for contributions.
VOLUNTEERING Enthusiastic volunteers are vital to MMoCA’s success.
Visit mmoca.ivolunteer.com for current volunteer opportunities.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please notify the office of address
changes so that your mailings are not interrupted. Contact Kaitlin Kropp at
kaitlin@mmoca.org or 608.257.0158 x224.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST MMoCA Notes, the museum’s weekly email
newsletter, will keep you informed about upcoming events, exhibitions, and
museum store specials. Sign up online at mmoca.org.
CONTACT THE MUSEUM
608.257.0158 • info@mmoca.org • www.mmoca.org
© Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Artworks © the artist unless otherwise noted. Artworks
may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder.
14
THIS PAGE: MMoCA at night. Photography by Nicholas Sadowski. • Dinner at Fresco.
Photography by Chris Hayes. OPPOSITE: MMoCA Art & Gift Fair. Photo © MMoCA (left).
Photography by Amit Israeli (top and bottom right). • Arts Ball. Photography by Larry Chua.

EVENT PHOTOS
MMoCA ART & GIFT FAIR, NOV 18 & 19
ARTS BALL, NOV 11
15

227 State Street • Madison, WI 53703
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Madison, Wisconsin
Permit No. 1143
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
FEBRUARY 1–14 Our annual Valentine’s Day Jewelry Sale is quickly
approaching! 15% off all regularly priced jewelry. Langer Society members
may take 25% off the retail price.
MARCH 1–14 Puzzle and Toy Sale: 15% off all regularly priced toys.
Langer Society members may take 25% off the retail price.
APRIL 1–14 Wearable Sale: 15% off all regularly priced purses, scarves,
hats, and gloves. Langer Society members may take 25% off the retail price.
NEW Vegan wallets, purses, and backpacks by Espe of Canada.
Oropopo leather jewelry by Karole Mazeika of New Mexico features
a modern and geometric look that’s easy to wear.
DON’T FORGET MOM ON MOTHER’S DAY! This is the perfect time to
take advantage of our wearable discount. Gift wrap and shipping are available
upon request.
Every purchase supports MMoCA’s free exhibitions and education programs.
Local and regional artists are always featured in our award-winning store.
MUSEUM STORE HOURS
Sun–Mon: 12–5 pm
Tue–Thur: 11 am–5 pm
Fri: 11 am–8 pm
Sat: 10 am–8 pm
CLOSED ALL MONDAYS IN JANUARY
Necklace by Ayala Bar