Last week, I was invited to speak at my alma mater, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). I enjoy opportunities like this because it gives me a chance to reflect on my career as an artist and talk about the projects, exhibitions, or collaborations I have been involved with since graduating college… which seems like an eternity ago.
Since my time as an undergraduate, I have collaborated with many artists on a variety of projects, including founding an artist collective, co-organizing an annual fundraiser for artists with grilled cheese sandwiches, and writing for a few arts publications, including Sixty Inches From Center and Artdose Magazine.
A recent arts writing project produced by the Grilled Cheese Grant, all proceeds support emerging artists in Wisconsin.
As I spoke to upperclassmen in MIAD’s New Studio Practice programs, I discussed all these projects and explained how they “fill my cup” as an artist in different ways than simply making work in my studio. The chance to collaborate with other artists is always something I’ve enjoyed and is a skill I bring to my work at the Woodson Art Museum. I also had the chance to highlight the robust programming calendar at the Museum; talking about visiting artists, monthly programs, and workshops offered at the Glass Box Studio.
At the end of one of the presentations, one of the professors asked, “Rachel, can you talk more about the importance of arts writing, why it’s necessary, and how you began writing?” As I started to form a response, I decided that this was one of the most important questions that could have been asked.
I won’t try to replicate my answer here (partially because it’s like opening a can of worms for me, and I want to spare you all from a 2,000 word blog post on the topic), but rather I’ll encourage you to ponder that question and offer these questions in response: “How do we understand the work of artists and their impact on society? Who is responsible for that? Where do we access that information? Who has written it? In which publications? To what level does arts writing exist in this community? How about the greater Midwest?”
Still from Out of the Picture featuring New York Times art critic Roberta Smith and New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz. Photo courtesy of Katie Avila Loughmiller.
I know these questions also resonate with Mary Louise Schumacher, an art critic and journalist who will be visiting Wausau next week. If I’ve piqued your interest on this topic, I hope you will join us at the Grand Theater on Wednesday, February 19 for a free screening of her documentary, Out of the Picture, which is the first feature-length documentary about art critics in the United States, exploring a period of dramatic change for art and media. Following the screening, Mary Louise will lead a Q&A session.
The Woodson Art Museum has teamed up with the Grand Theater to organize a Pre-Screening Discussion tonight on Zoom titled Why Art Criticism? beginning at 7pm. Panelists Kathy Kelsey Foley, Frank Juárez, and Jim O’Connell will share their insights on the topic of arts criticism and the importance of media in the arts.
Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/guA7PPYETtyd9Tu0rEhPeA
Arts writing is one of my interests, and I anticipate these two events will spark many great conversations in our community. The next time you see me out and about, be sure to stop me and I can give you the long answer to my professor’s question (if you dare).
