Rochester Art Center Fall 2015 Newsletter

OCTOBER, 2015 – JANUARY, 2016

About Rochester Art Center 1

Letter from the Executive Director 2

Letter from Board President 4

Exhibitions 8

Programming and Events 23

Calendar 26

Development 30

Members 34

Rental Space 36

Our Team 40

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOURSWEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY l 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM THURSDAY l 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM SUNDAY l 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL FOR THE REST OF 2015!In recognition of some of the challenges the construction of Mayo Civic Center may cause our visitors, we announce free admission for all.

Photos by Laura Nickel.

Printing courtesy of Davies Printing Company.

Printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. Please recycle.

A leading museum for contemporary art, Rochester Art Center (RAC) is a non-collecting art institution located in the heart of Rochester’s downtown on the Zumbro River. Rochester Art Center operates in a 36,000 square-foot facility containing a variety of flexible gallery spaces, two classrooms, and a large public gathering space. Designed by Kara Hill, Project Designer, Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA), RAC’s simple and clean design works harmoniously with nature, linking the indoors to the outside to create a shimmering complement to the river below. The Art Center shares a connection to Mayo Memorial Park with Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Civic Theatre.

Founded in 1946, Rochester Art Center presents an ongoing schedule of exhibitions, across a broad spectrum, of new and innovative work by local, regional, national, and international artists; dynamic education programs for all ages; and an active program of community partnerships and public engagement initiatives. As a non-collecting institution, RAC focuses on presenting groundbreaking and internationally significant exhibitions that support the development, reception, and interpretation of contemporary art. RAC also offers advancement opportunities to local and regional artists through exhibitions, education programs, mentorship, and important resources.

ABOUT ROCHESTER ART CENTER

Dear Friends,

This fall, Rochester Art Center presents a dynamic lineup of exhibitions, public engagement initiatives, and education opportunities for all. As a space with a mission dedicated to current creativity, artistic innovation, and culture, we breathe new life into our work daily and actively encourage learning and stimulation in our community. This fall also brings invigorating change as I am delighted to announce new professional staff

joining our team, many of whom you may have already met as they all are out in the community! Jovan Speller joined us in March as Curator, Art & Education; Marnie Habberstad joined us in May as Mulitmedia, Marketing & Design Manager; and Susannah Magers joined us in June as Curator, Art & Public Engagement. Please look for Marnie’s inspiring marketing and brand expansion plan unfolding soon; the beginning of which you can see here in her newly designed newsletter. I am thrilled that together Jovan and Susannah will be leading our mission driven curatorial and exhibitions with vision, intelligence, and fresh perspectives that I know will resonate in this community.

Rochester Art Center’s curatorial team has created an ambitious, provocative, and timely schedule through 2016 that promises to inspire, expand knowledge, and impart meaning in powerful and holistic ways. I am enormously proud of the thoughtful programs that have been carefully designed to accompany the exhibitions. I encourage you to visit often and take away something new and different each time.

The exhibition Akosua Adoma Owusu: Existential Crisis opens in our Burton and Judy Onofrio Main Gallery space and includes five breathtaking films about the African diaspora, memory, cultural tradition, and biography in stunning narratives. It is an honor to have Adoma so generously share her work with our community. I am very happy that the work of Julie Buffalohead inaugurates our new exhibition series, FOCUS EXHIBITION SERIES IN ACCENT GALLERY. Our presentation of Julie’s astoundingly beautiful prints is a partnership with Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis; I thank their whole team for sharing this impeccable project with us.

We have an active agenda for our 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Exhibition Series with two compelling upcoming solo shows with Eric Frye and Chad Rutter. This innovative program celebrates the talent we have in the state of Minnesota, and I am grateful for the continued vision and support of the Jerome Foundation who makes this possible.

Our RAC2 exhibition series continues to highlight work by artists who call Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota home. Our season opens with new work by José Dominguez who explores identity, faith, and Mexican mythology in most enthralling ways.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Photos by Laura Nickel

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After three rewarding years in my role as Executive Director of Rochester Art Center, I step down with a sense of gratitude to accept a position and new opportunity in Orlando. It has been a privilege to serve Rochester Art Center and an extraordinary opportunity to connect with this great community. It was an honor to work alongside such a dedicated and talented staff, amazing board leaders, the City of Rochester, and so many outstanding community partners. I look forward to following the many successes the future holds for Rochester Art Center and Rochester.

I am very thankful for all of you, for your dedication and generous support of Rochester Art Center.Please continue your visionary philanthropy this fall!

Shannon Fitzgerald Outgoing Executive Director

Dear Members and Friends,

In my closing remarks at the annual meeting in April, as I became the new Board President, I spoke of the way in which different people interpret art and the world around us. While we don't always see or experience the world or contemporary art in the same way, Rochester Art Center gives us the opportunity to have that innovative experience: to explore, value, and maybe even understand the world in a new way. This is, in part, the mission we aim to fulfill through all of our exhibitions and programming.

As we approach the fall, I'm reminded of the many exciting events that occurred at Rochester Art Center over the past several months that serve that very mission. Perhaps most significantly for many of us, as they're near and dear to our hearts, is the wonder and excitement of young creative minds exploring something new and intriguing through Total Arts Day Camp that just concluded it’s 44th year! Or maybe for some of you it was Kurt Perschke's RedBall Project that began its journey right outside RAC and was launched with a panel discussion on public art and the accompanying exhibition on the second floor of RAC. And yet, for others it may have been one of the many exhibitions or community events in which we were a partner. Or maybe you haven't been able to make it to RAC recently, but you've driven by and seen the amazing stained glass work, Burnt Matchstick by Karl Unnasch in the Remick Sculpture Garden. Whatever your connection to Rochester Art Center, I want to thank you for participating and for your vital support.

There are several exciting changes occurring at RAC; and our mission, vision, and direction remain the same, only more invigorated. We welcomed new staff who bring with them fresh ideas from a variety of experiences from around the world. (We have a major construction project on our front doorsteps that we hope will bring many more people through our doors while we remain open through this entire project.) We are also in the midst of a change in leadership. Shannon Fitzgerald, our Executive Director of the past 3 years, has accepted a wonderful opportunity to lead the Mennello Museum of American Art as well as take on the newly created role of Director of Public Art for the city of Orlando. We thank Shannon for her amazing work advancing our mission and building many partnerships in the community during her tenure with us, and we wish her the best. A search committee has been formed to find our next Executive Director, and we look forward to having them hired before the end of the year.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you all at ARTBASH on October 23, 2015, for an exiting evening benefitting the many programs at Rochester Art Center.

Larry Guse Board President Rochester Art Center Board of Directors

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015 – 2016EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Larry Guse – President Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Think Bank

Bradley S. Nuss – Vice President Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Nuss Truck Group, Inc.

Joan Weber – Treasurer & Finance Chair Chair of Finance, Planning & Analysis, Mayo Clinic

Stephen Troutman – Immediate Past President Futurist-Speaker-Transformation Consultant / IBM (ret.)

DIRECTORS Christine Armstrong Vice President, Fiduciary Advisory Specialist, Wells Fargo

Brian Austin, Ph.D. Founder, Owner and Creative Strategist, Tytology

Tracy Austin Director of Bureau Services, Rochester Convention & Visitors Bureau

Sheila Broughton – Past President Community Volunteer/Artist

Elizabeth Carpenter Adjunct Curator, Walker Art Center

Brian M. Childs Attorney, Larkin Hoffman

Cheryl Hadaway Chief Development Officer and Chair of the Department of Development, Mayo Clinic

Anastasia Hopkins Folpe Community Volunteer

Stephen Lehmkuhle, Ph. D. Chancellor, University of Minnesota Rochester

Timothy Monaghan Department of Development, Mayo Clinic

Ian Mwangi Diversity Program Manager, Mayo Clinic

Kim Norton Minnesota House of Representatives

Nicole Pierson, AIA Associate Architect, The Urban Studio

Stephen J. Russell, MD, Ph. D. Director, Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic

Michael Wojcik Rochester City Council / Owner, Elite Consulting, Inc.

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ROCHESTER ART CENTER WELCOMES THREE OUTSTANDING LEADERS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BRIAN AUSTIN, Ph. D Founder, Owner and Creative Strategist, Tytology

BRIAN M. CHILDS Attorney, Larkin Hoffman

IAN MWANGI Diversity Program Manager, Mayo Clinic

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Brian Austin owns Tytology, a brand insights consultancy specializing in all forms of qualitative research and ideation, including interpretive, ethnographic and social influence methodologies. Through his work at Tytology, Brian accesses and grounds culturally sensitive interpretive frameworks to deliver insights with impact.

Recent work engagements have probed the composition and appeal of a baby boomer oriented holistic health platform; the changing meaning of body and skin care; the role of scent and fragrance in the home; and the various strategies, patterns, and ways of thinking about downsizing as older Americans become empty-nesters and re-evaluate their lifestyles. Tytology’s partial client roster includes AARP, UnitedHealthcare, Target, HP, Best Buy, and Aveda, among others.

Brian also served as Marketing Director for the 2014 Motionpoems program. Motionpoems is a nonprofit film company partnering with publishers and filmmakers to produce world-class original shorts using contemporary poems as scripts.

Previously, Brian has directed Innovation Research for Best Buy, Audience Analysis for NPR, and Communications Planning for a teen anti-smoking (public health) campaign for the State of Florida. Brian holds a Ph.D. in Cultural & Media Studies from the University of Texas, Austin, and Masters/BA degrees in Sociology from Furman University. He is married and commutes between Minneapolis and Rochester.

Brian M. Childs is a business attorney who focuses on commercial litigation, real estate and land use, and workforce issues. He practices at the Minneapolis-based law firm Larkin Hoffman. Larkin Hoffman is a full-service business firm with over 80 attorneys located in Minneapolis and three in Rochester.

Brian is active is his communities. He serves on Rochester’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He is on the board of directors, and is Finance Chair, at Calvary Episcopal Church. He serves on the Government Affairs Committee of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. And he has been active for years in the Princeton University community, currently serving as President of the Princeton Club of Minnesota.

Brian’s law firm is excited to sponsor the Art & Business Breakfast Series at the Art Center, and Brian is looking forward to broadening and deepening Rochester Art Center’s connections to the business community.

Ian Mwangi is Diversity Program Manager, Mayo Clinic, where he is involved in minority recruitment and education administration in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He developed and manages the Mayo Physicians of Tomorrow, a unique program that advances the skills of under-represented college students in preparation for medical school. As a recruiter, he exposes both high school and college students to educational and career opportunities in healthcare and research. He works closely with medical students and residents in developing recruitment, retention, and advancement initiatives within College of Medicine.

Ian served as an Operations Manager for RACE Exhibit where he facilitated the Advisory Group and Community Group for Mayo Clinic in 2010. He is a member of the National Black MBA Association, Twin Cities Chapter, and currently serves as Director of Communications. He is also a member of Rochester’s Journey to Growth, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Mathematics from St. Olaf College. Ian was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and grew up primarily in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has lived in Rochester for the past 5 years.

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AKOSUA ADOMA OWUSU: EXISTENTIAL CRISISOCTOBER 2, 2015 – JANUARY 3, 2016 OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 2 | 6 – 8 PM MEMBER PREVIEW & COCKTAIL RECEPTION 5 – 5:30 PM ARTIST TALK 5:30 – 6 PM

The exhibition Existential Crisis showcases the captivating filmography of contemporary filmmaker Akosua Adoma Owusu. This presentation will include five films of varying lengths which subtly weave together fiction, parable, and autobiographical experiences. These works embody the artist’s response to popular culture, tensions evolving from the African diaspora and dispersion of cultural tradition, while recapitulating methods of traditional storytelling.

Much of Owusu’s works address what she describes as the “warring consciousness,” where the African immigrant located in the United States has a triple consciousness. This triple consciousness includes: in the African Diaspora having to assimilate in white American culture in order to succeed in American society. Second, the African immigrant is often grouped and identified with African Americans in the eyes of others mostly because of a shared skin color; and third, many Africans do not always identify with African American culture and history; they are distinct. Owusu recounts feeling suspended in a constant out-of-body experience and moving through the world as spectacle. African in America and American in Africa, through her work, she seeks to locate a space between the two worlds that she can call home.

Owusu’s films posses a rhythmic pace and quality which allows the viewer to experience the anxiety between these identities. She hopes that with her films she will open audiences up to a new dialogue between the continents of Africa and America — one that incorporates more than just stereotypes but includes both conventionalized and un-conventionalized discourse on race in its service. By creating complex contradictions, she advances new meaning that can be deposited into universal consciousness and societal framework.

Existential Crisis is organized by RAC and curated by Jovan C. Speller, Curator, Art and Education.

BURTON AND JUDY ONOFRIO GALLERY

Above: Kwaku Ananse, 2013, HD video

Left: Me Broni Ba (My White Baby), 2009,16mm film and digital videoRight: Bus Nut, 2014, Super-8 transfer to digital video8

AMANDA CURRERIJANUARY 2016 – MAY 2016

Curreri’s practice investigates and re-contextualizes aspects of cultural production and social histories within constructed and actual radical, feminist, and queer historiographies. Corresponding to three elements of communication present in the work — language, color, and action — Curreri will present new and recent works including paintings, sculpture, prints, video, and performance. Among them, a new series of paintings, Eff, around the theme of effigies, using color and recording action with dye, screen-printing,wrapping, collage, and ripping. She will also present an iteration of CLAMS, a series of intimate dinners prepared and hosted by the artist where the public is invited to a dinner of mussels inspired by Italian-American Anarchist Sacco Vanzetti. The work is as much a catalyst for creating conversation around self-organizing communities, neighborhood education initiatives, and local economies, as it is an excuse to spend quality time with people.

Born in Boston, MA, Curreri is an interdisciplinary artist and educator currently living, working, and teaching in Cincinnati, OH. She presents personal and social histories regarding public experiences of subjectivity. Informed by social activism and built within the vernacular of visual language, her work creates frameworks for rethinking power relationships. Curreri has recently exhibited at the Asian Art Museum, SF; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF; Ortega y Gasset Projects, NY; and the Incheon Women’s Biennale, Korea. She is a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship (2009) and a SF Guardian Goldie Award (2010). Curreri holds an MFA from the California College of the Arts, a BFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and a BA from Tufts University in Sociology and Peace & Justice Studies. Curreri is represented by Romer Young Gallery in San Francisco, California.

Amanda Curreri’s exhibition is organized by RAC and curated by Susannah Magers, Curator, Art and Public Engagement.

Amanda Curreri, Eff (Purple), 2015, acrylic on dyed fabric, 48 x 36 inches. Courtesy of the artist.10

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ROCHESTER ART CENTER IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE FOCUS EXHIBITION SERIES IN ACCENT GALLERYFOCUS EXHIBITION SERIES IN ACCENT GALLERY is a new exhibition series and in a newly dedicated space where we present intimate presentations of an artist’s work in thoughtful juxtapositions of small groupings or even singular works. Such modest presentations offer an engagement opportunity to focus specifically on a particular aspect of an artist’s greater creative cultural production. FOCUS is a fresh initiative to consider, more in depth, an innovative visual stage for looking at and thinking about artistic and scholarly inquiry that examines singular works and their relationship to one another as critical to an artist’s larger research and studio practice. Highlighting singular works or small groupings with a heightened investigative lens hones in on the aesthetic details and conceptual motivations that can perhaps be overlooked in larger presentations. In a series of solo presentations, RAC presents recent work that is part of the artist’s larger narrative as key examples of their artistic thinking and processes. Critical to the program is the publishing of small-scale, full-color catalogs with commissioned scholarship. RAC invites a writer, for each artist, to contribute a written framework and additional voice. FOCUS catalogs, designed as a unifying model, share multiple access points to an artist’s oeuvre via diverse perspectives on art and culture. Small, but smart, the catalogs will be easily distributed to larger audiences in both print and electronic formats. This series of publications will be increasingly valuable to each artist’s practice and visibility, but will also contribute to the diverse audiences we serve in fostering greater appreciation for contemporary art through publications. This is an inventive way to create a widely distributed platform celebrating the FOCUSED details of both artists’ and writers’ work.

FOCUS exhibitions and catalogs provide artists and readers alike with an experience amplified precisely by its small-scale nuanced consideration. As such, FOCUS introduces a calm and insightful way to consider new work, images, and scholarship.

FOCUS EXHIBITION SERIES IN ACCENT GALLERY is initiated by Shannon Fitzgerald, Outgoing Executive Director, Rochester Art Center and is co-curated by Fitzgerald; Jovan Speller, Curator, Art and Education; and Susannah Magers, Curator, Art & Public Engagement. The inaugural artist is Julie Buffalohead (b. St. Paul, lives and works St. Paul, Minnesota) and upcoming artists include Charles Philippe Jean Pierre (b. Chicago, lives and works in Washington DC and New York); Frohawk Two Feathers (b. Chicago, lives and works in Los Angeles); and Carissa Potter b. Minneapolis, lives and works in Oakland, California).

FOCUS exhibition catalogs are made possible by a grant from Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation.

ACCENT GALLERY

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Above: Fox Tussle, 2015, lithograph, 23 x 35 inches, edition of eight, Highpoint Editions.

Photo by David Kern.

Below: The Trickster Showdown, 2014, lithography and screenprint, 27 x 56 inches, edition of eight, Highpoint Editions. Photo by David Kern.

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JULIE BUFFALOHEAD: ENTWINEDOCTOBER 2, 2015 – JANUARY 3, 2016 OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 2, 2015 | 6 – 8 PM

Recent Prints in Collaboration with Highpoint Center for Printmaking Rochester Art Center in partnership with Highpoint Center Printing in Minneapolis is honored to present the exhibition Julie Buffalohead: Entwined Recent Prints in Collaboration with Highpoint Center for Printmaking in our Accent Gallery as part of a new FOCUS EXHIBITION SERIES IN ACCENT GALLERY. The exhibition features ten captivating prints Buffalohead developed in collaboration with Highpoint that were first presented in their gallery space in February, 2015.

The exhibition presents a group of richly sensitive prints that embodies Highpoint’s commitment to the art of impeccable printmaking as well as Buffalohead’s aptitude for creating rich and mysterious pictorial narrative. A member of the Ponca tribe of Oklahoma and primarily known as a painter, Buffalohead’s new prints call upon a personal iconography comprised of splendid anthropomorphized animal protagonists. Themes are drawn from Native American legend and history, politics, contemporary culture, power, parenting, stereotypes, and identity. Buffalohead states “through these images I attempt to harness a mythic power to cope with the perils of human experience.”

Julie Buffalohead, born in 1972, lives and works in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma. She has had solo exhibitions at Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe; Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Minneapolis; Minnesota Museum of American Art, St Paul; Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota; St. Thomas University, St. Paul; St. Johns University,

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St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Bockley Gallery in Minneapolis. Buffalohead has participated in group exhibitions at the Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis; the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, Indianapolis; the Carl N. Gorman Museum in Davis, California; The Plains Art Museum, Fargo; and Artfit Exhibition Space, Phoenix, among others. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and her Master of Fine Arts from Cornell University. Buffalohead is a recipient of the McKnight Foundation Fellowship for Visual Arts, a Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant, and the Fellowship for Visual Artists from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Rochester Art Center is presenting an intimate catalog on the occasion of this exhibition that includes a new commissioned essay by Netha Cloeter, Director of Education and Social Engagement at the Plains Art Museum, and an introduction by Shannon Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Rochester Art Center. This publication is generously funded with support from the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation.

About Highpoint Highpoint Center for Printmaking is dedicated to advancing the art of printmaking. Its goals are to provide educational programs, community access, and collaborative publishing opportunities to engage the public and increase the appreciation and understanding of the printmaking arts. Julie Buffalohead participated in Highpoint’s Visiting Artists Program 2014-2015, a program international in scope—through which invited artists create original prints under guidance and support of a Master Printer. Buffalohead partnered with Cole Rogers, Highpoint’s Co-founder, Artistic Director & Master Printer.

Entwined, 2014, lithograph, 22 ½ x 60 ½ inches, edition of eight, Highpoint Editions. Photo by David Kern.

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In 2004, Rochester Art Center initiated the 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series—an exhibition program dedicated to promising young artists working in the state of Minnesota. Since its inception, the series has reflected shifting trends in contemporary artistic practice and production and has helped to facili-tate the creation of new bodies of work in a variety of media including photography, installation, sound, painting, drawing, sculpture, and film. Now in our eleventh year, the 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series continues to support emerging artists and provide a dedicated forum for the exhibition of new work. Proposals are reviewed by Susannah Magers, Curator, Art & Public Engagement, and a review panel composed of working artists, curators, teachers, and arts professionals. From this review, four artists are chosen for the next season of four exhibitions.

CHRIS CLOUD: MAYOR FOR A DAYAUGUST 10, 2015 – SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

Mayor For a Day is a snapshot of Rochester, a day in the city from the perspective of an outsider. Minneapolis-based artist Chris Cloud, who spent a day with Rochester Mayor Brede. The exhibition features a video of their day together as well as photographs and ephemera from the day: a parking ticket, wooden nickel, and baseball game, among other items. Capturing the city of Rochester now, Mayor For a Day also calls attention to Rochester’s expansion and construction. What will Rochester look and be like in the future?

Rochester Mayor Ardell F. Brede, pictured left; artist Chris Cloud, pictured right. Photo credit: Daniel Garristen.16

CHAD RUTTERNOVEMBER 27, 2015 – JANUARY 10, 2016

Exploring a fascination, both individual and cultural, with natural disasters, Chad Rutter culls source images of floods and landslides online, obscuring the final images through blurring as a meditation on distance. Rutter also focuses on the online consumption of these natural disasters in allowing a partial experience of these events in real time even when they are several counties, states, or continents away — an endless, sensationalist stream of photos and coverage. Through digital prints, collages, and drawings, Rutter continues to investigate how we understand natural disasters in the information age, balancing realistic portrayal with processes that obscure final images.

ERIC FRYEOCTOBER 2, 2015 – NOVEMBER 15, 2015 OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 2, 2015 | 6 – 8 PM

Eric Frye presents a 12 channel sound piece focusing on the concept of sonic objects in which the listener must ask questions about the reliability of their own senses and the materiality of sound. Through an investigation of the perceptual organization of sound, Frye exposes the objecthood of sonic events and emphasizes the spatial aspects of compositional structures. Listeners must construct personal navigations within a sound-filled space and consider what happens when the human / sound relationship is acutely reconfigured.

Photos courtesy of the Eric Frye.

Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

CHARLES PHILIPPE JEAN PIERRE: THE FEMINISTJANUARY 21, 2016 – MAY 1, 2016

The Feminist is a solo exhibition by Haitian American artist Charles Philippe Jean Pierre. This exhibition is the culmination of Jean Pierre's studies into the nature of women as portrayed through contemporary literature. This exhibition attempts to build a bridge for women and men to explore feminism and self-define men's role in the propagation of gender equality. The Feminist celebrates the rich history of women of the diaspora and re-examines their fortitude within a male dominated society that continues to perpetuate their disregard. Jean Pierre's works pose the questions, "How do men nurture?" and “How does lessening ones position worsen our condition?" The Feminist is both an empathetic reckoning and a call to the action of conscientious discernment through visual media.

Charles Philippe Jean Pierre lives and works in Washington, DC and New York. His multimedia work addresses a nexus of political, social, and economic structures. Much of his work is representative of the synergy, or lack thereof, between conceived social perceptions and reality. He is a US State Department Art in Embassies Artist and his work is in the collection of US Embassy in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa. Jean-Pierre has been highlighted by numerous media outlets including: The Washington Post, Ebony Magazine, Black Enterprise, NHK TV (Japan), MTV, The Village Voice, NBC News, and Fox News. He received his BFA from the University of Illinois in Africana Studies and MFA from Howard University. Jean Pierre has created public art murals in Panama, New York, Chicago, Washington, Istanbul, Montreal, Port-au-Prince, London, and Paris.

The Feminist is curated by Jovan Speller, Curator, Art & Education.

Spiritual DNA, 2013, mixed media, 24 inches x 30 inches

Cultural DNA, 2013, mixed media, 24 inches x

30 inches

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KARL UNNASCH: BURNT MATCHSTICKJUNE 2015 – JUNE 2016

Burnt Matchstick continues to brighten our day and skies; it has been a joy to live with this newly commissioned sculpture by artist Karl Unnasch, beautifully installed in the Jack and Mary Ann Remick Sculpture Garden. This work, resembling a burnt matchstick, is constructed of welded steel and colored glass and is illuminated from within making it visible at night from many viewing perspectives. Standing 30 feet tall, this work represents many things to Unnasch—evidence of an impactful event, fire as a metaphor for both saving and taking life, and the physical relationship to the human figure.

It is enthralling to relaunch our sculpture garden with such an awe-inspiring piece that serves as a beacon to our beautiful building, our inspirational community, and all of our visitors seeking a bit of light. It is an honor to present Karl’s work, a renowned Minnesota artist, whose dream of seeing this realized is now a reality.

JACK AND MARY ANN REMICK SCULPTURE GARDEN

Photo by Laura Nickel

RAC2 supports talented artists throughout our region. RAC2 serves eleven counties including Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona. With this series, RAC has broadened and diversified the creative opportunities for Rochester area artists as RAC’s professional staff serves both a curatorial and mentorship role, working directly with artists on realizing their vision throughout the implementation of a new project. This collaboration creates an enriching experience and an exciting program and venue for artists practicing in our area. It also offers the community the opportunity to celebrate local artistic achievement.

RAC2 is supported by Rochester Downtown Alliance, The Judy & Jim Sloan Foundation, and Maggie & Dr. Paul Scanlon.

Left: Deliver Me, 2014,

3ft x 9ft, craft paint on cardboardRight: Illumíname, 2014, 4ft x 5ft, craft paint, cut paper, spray paint,

and tape on cardboard

JOSÉ DOMINGUEZ: ILUMÍNAME (ENLIGHTEN ME)OCTOBER 2, 2015 – JANUARY 3, 2016 OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 2, 2015 | 7 – 9 PM

In Ilumíname, JOSÉ DOMINGUEZ creates characters and scenarios influenced by childhood recollections of playing Lotería, a bingo-like traditional Mexican card game. The cards used in Lotería depict an outlandish collection of consequential characters from nature, mythology, and everyday objects. In this body of work, Dominguez begins to explore similarities between Lotería and other mystical cards, like the Tarot, and their ability to conjure and calculate fortune and misfortune. His drawings and paintings on found objects like cardboard boxes and manila folders effortlessly and authentically reveal the artist’s struggles with identity and faith.

Ilumíname is curated by Jovan Speller, Curator, Art & Education.

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Left: Patricia, 2012, 20 x 24,”

silver gelatin printTop: Abandoned III, 2012, 16” x 20,”

silver gelatin printBottom: Come Inside, 2012, 20”x 24,”

silver gelatin print

JOVAN C. SPELLER: EMBRACING AMBIGUITY JANUARY 21, 2016 – MARCH 20, 2016

Embracing Ambiguity is a visual representation of artist Jovan C. Speller’s fragmented and faltering connection to memory. Speller’s process of interpreting then replicating how her personal memories are formed, stored, and inevitably begin to fade is primarily depicted using anthotypes, a photographic process of creating light-sensitive surfaces using plant dye. This process represents both the formation and the fragility of her memories. After exposure, the surfaces of the works remain sensitive to light and continue to fade with time. In this body of work, Speller underscores the fascination photographers have for remembrance while at the same time, turning her lens inward to reveal the source of her compulsion. The works in Embracing Ambiguity work to locate or establish a place of acceptance and contentment between certitude and uncertainty.

Embracing Ambiguity is curated by Susannah Magers, Curator, Art & Public Engagement. 21

NICOLE HAVEKOSTJULY 13, 2015 – OCTOBER 19, 2015

Nicole Havekost is an artist living in Rochester, Minnesota, whose work is varied in media and technique but linked by her interest in material and process. For several years, Havekost has been making three-dimensional figures that are doll-like in form. These figures are covered in sewing pattern paper and then stitched and painted. When manipulated, the sewing pattern paper takes on a creased, pulled, and worn feel suggesting the aging of the body. But the material is also resilient, with an ability to adapt and accept those alterations. Her new work further investigates this process of manipulation with flat pieces of sewing pattern paper and sculpture. The massed areas of hook-and-eyes and accumulated stitching suggest wounds to the surface. These marks can also be areas of scarring or healing.

Rochester Art Center and People’s Food Co-Op (PFC) have partnered to present the exhibition series Locally Grown. Locally Grown is a curated series that continues to celebrate local artists who have exhibited in Rochester Art Center’s RAC2 (Rochester Area Collaborative) Exhibition Series.

As the community’s appetite for local art and food increases, PFC is the ideal partner for Rochester Art Center, broadening local artist opportunities and engagement with the public. This partnership recognizes the many ways in which healthy food and contemporary art are good for you. Together we are serving our community the best in local art and food.

MICHELLE FAGAN OCTOBER 29, 2015 – JANUARY 24, 2016

Ligatures (hands), 2015, plaster, tissue paper,

acrylic paint, cotton thread, metal eyelets (installation)

TEAKI GARCIA FEBRUARY 4, 2016 – MAY 1, 2016

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PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS

Rochester Art Center’s newest community-oriented program, Art & Business Breakfasts, engages representatives from Rochester’s business, arts, and nonprofit organizations with unique ideas about developing artful and mutually beneficial relationships in Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota. Rochester Art Center engages ROI – Return on Innovation, Invention, Imagination, Ingenuity, and Investment to encouraging the community’s businesses to “Ask not what Rochester Art Center can do for you. Ask what you can do to center the arts in Rochester.”

For our introductory gathering in May, Art & Business Breakfast received an amazing standing room only reception. Our second session in August, “How Public Art Engages and Enriches Communities,” presented by Susannah Magers, RAC’s Curator, Art & Public Engagement, thoroughly absorbed an even larger turn-out.

A monthly series of Thursday evening events that take place from 5 - 7 pm—each one with a different theme. Contemporary Connections is free for our members and $5 for non-members.

Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming Contemporary Connections events this fall!

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Cross Cultures & Multimedia utilizes photography, film, and video to engage diverse groups of teenagers. This free program encourages participants to tell their story through the use of multimedia equipment. With the conclusion of this 11- week program, individuals will be able to show off their work in a final exhibition. Participants will meet at the Rochester Art Center Thursdays from 4 – 6 pm. Meals will be provided at each session. Registration is on our website and is on a first-come/first-serve basis.

Rochester Art Center is excited to present Stretch, our lunch hour program designed to connect and engage audiences who are curious about contemporary art. Each gathering in RAC will welcome a new voice from the community to guide a unique gallery experience. Participants will be able to experience the exhibitions on view and engage in intimate conversations about the works, the art center, and Rochester at large. Join us on the first Wednesday of each month from 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm.

Stretch is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.

MEETS EVERY TUESDAY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR | 3:30 – 5:00 PM

Call for Young Artists Tastes Like Paint (TLP) is Rochester Art Center’s teen art group that participates in a variety of activities including visits to local contemporary art galleries, museums, and organizations; discussion of contemporary artists’ practices with local artists, curators, and arts professionals; and the production of unique artworks. The mission of TLP is to foster a community of young artists, championing the importance of contemporary art to inspire and engage people. The group creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for teens to feel confident in creative expression.

TLP is free and open to all area teenagers. If you are an area teenager who enjoys making art and exploring new ideas, we encourage you to join us! For additional information, please contact Susannah Magers, Curator, Art & Public Engagement, at 507-424-3302 or [email protected].

Taste Like Paint is supported by the Amadio Family Fund for the Arts.

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Since 2004, children and families have taken part in one of Rochester Art Center’s most popular and exciting programs, Free Family Days. On the first Saturday of every month guests are invited to create original art pieces in the studio classroom, our Grand Lobby, and occasionally off-site with a collaborative partner.

EVERY FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH | 1:00 – 4:00 PM

October 3, 2015 | Create Your Own Animal Story Inspired by Julie Buffalohead’s lithographs, we’ll meet in the Accent Gallery to look at her work, and at Native American animal mythology books from the public library, to create our own animal stories.

November 7, 2015 | Kaleidoscope Workshop Based on Akosua Adoma Owusu’s video work in our Judy and Burton Onofrio Gallery, Split Ends, I Feel Wonderful, we’ll explore how a kaleidoscopic image is made and make our own kaleidoscopes with beads, sequins, mirrors, and tubes.

December 5, 2015 | Potato Print Holiday Cards Decorate a DIY holiday card with custom winter characters made from potato stamps! From penguins to polar bears, snowmen to sea lions, create your very own card using paint, a potato, and lots of imagination.

January 2, 2016 | Shake and Shimmer! Snow Globe Scenes Homemade snow globes are a winter Free Family Day must! Join us to celebrate the mesmerizing magic of snowfall by creating a wondrous wintery scene with a few simple, but dazzling, materials.


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CALENDAR

OCTOBER

1 THURSDAYCross Cultures & Multimedia 4 pm – 6 pm

2 FRIDAYExhibitions Opening 6 pm – 8 pm Akosua Adoma Owusu Julie Buffalohead Eric Frye José Dominguez

3 SATURDAYFree Family Day 1 pm – 4 pm Create Your Own Animal Story

6 TUESDAYTastes Like Paint 3:30 pm – 5 pm

7 WEDNESDAYStretch 12 pm –12:45 pm


Contemporary Connections 5 pm – 7 pm





23 FRIDAYARTBASH 6 pm – 9 pm



NOVEMBER


4 WEDNESDAYArt & Business Breakfast 7:30 am – 9 am

Stretch 12 pm – 12:45 pm


7 SATURDAYFree Family Day 1 pm – 4 pm Kaleidoscope Workshop





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26 THURSDAYHappy Thanksgiving RAC Closed

DECEMBER


2 WEDNESDAYStretch 12 pm – 12:45 pm

3 THURSDAYExhibition Opening 5 pm – 7 pm Chad Rutter

5 SATURDAYFree Family Day 1 pm – 4 pm Potato Print Holiday Cards


6 WEDNESDAYStretch 12 pm – 12:45 pm



21 TUESDAYExhibitions Opening Amanda Curreri Charles Jean Pierre Jovan C. Speller



24 FRIDAYChristmas Eve 10:00 – 3 pm

25 SATURDAYChristmas Day RAC Closed


31 SATURDAYNew Year’s Eve 10:00 – 3 pm

JANUARY

1 FRIDAYNew Year’s Day RAC Closed

2 SATURDAYFree Family Day Shake and Shimmer! Snow Globe Scenes 1 pm – 4 pm


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Friday, October 23, 2015

6 – 9 pm

All funds raised at ARTBASH support Rochester Art Center exhibitions, art education programs, and community collaborations for the next 12 months. This year, ARTBASH includes a unique silent auction, delectable food & drink, live entertainment, dazzling décor and over 300 of the community’s valuable supporters.

This year’s ARTBASH 2015 co-chairs are Larry Guse and Christa Welbon.

TICKETS Early Bird Rate Regular Rate (purchase prior to October 9, 2015) (purchase October 10 – October 23, 2015)

Members $75 Members $100 Non-Members $100 Non-Members $125

Tickets can be purchased at www.rochesterartcenter.org.

To learn about our sponsorship levels and how to get involved contact Sandy Thompson at 507-424-3303 or [email protected].

THANK YOU, SPONSORS! Altra Federal Credit Union Carlson Capital Management Davies Printing Company Dunlap & Seeger KTTC Mayo Clinic McGladrey Modern Design & Concepts Nuss Truck Group, Inc. Powers Ventures Rochester Women Magazine Shop Rochester

Join us for an evening of casual elegance as we celebrate art enrichment in our community.

Snappy Stop Spectrum Pro-Audio The Creative Side The Urban Studio Think Bank Townsquare Media University of Minnesota Rochester

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DEVELOPMENTThe grant world today — especially for contemporary art organizations — is incredibly competitive. RAC constantly strives for consideration among some of the most pretigious grants and, while awarded many of them, sustainment remains a challenge.

Successful grants are directly related to quality programs. Favorable decisions depend on an applicant’s robust and sustainable financials, accomplished and stable leadership, and recommendations all of which indicate that an applicant can not only envision programming commensurate with its mission, but successfully realize the program.

In 2015, RAC has been recognized with grants awarded from:

• City of Rochester: $286,000 Facility Operations and Capital Improvements

• Minnesota State Arts Board: $66,000 General Operations each year for the next four years and our largest-ever grant from MSAB

• Mayo Clinic: $25,000 Exhibition, Program, and Event Support

• Jerome Foundation: $23,000 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series and largest-ever grant from Jerome

• Minnesota State Arts Board’s Cultural Community Partnership: $8,000 RAC exhibition with Jovan C. Speller

• Elizabeth Firestone Foundation: $7,500 Julie Buffalohead catalog Charles Philippe Jean Pierre catalog Frohawk Two Feathers catalog Carissa Potter catalog

• The Clinton Family Fund: $3,000 Art Education programming

• Judy & Jim Sloan Foundation: $1,000 RAC2: Rochester Area Collaborative / Local Artists Series

• Rochester Downtown Alliance: $1,000 Community programming

• US Bank: $1,000 The Bus Fund for transportation of public school students to RAC

• ARTBASH: $12,500 Carlson Capital Management, Think Bank, Nuss Truck Group, Dunlap & Seeger, McGladrey, University of Minnesota Rochester, Altra Federal Credit Union, and The Urban Studio

• Rochester Area Foundation: $500 Juneteenth Celebration

• Amadio Family Fund for the Arts: $1,000 Tastes Like Paint

IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONSRochester Art Center depends on the generous philanthropy of our surrounding and immediate communities. In-Kind contributions are a significant part of that support, providing the Art Center with needed services and products to assist in presenting exemplary exhibitions, stimulating art education and public programs, and engaging community-oriented collaborations.

For their recent In-Kind contributions, Rochester Art Center would like to recognize:

• Canadian Honker Cris & Joe Powers

• Catering By Design Kathy & Jeff Windt

• Davies Printing Company Tom Davies, Sue Dripps, and Tom Dripps

• Diversity Council Rochester Kay Hocker

• Em En Design Neil Moeller & Matt Decker

• Go Rochester Direct Laura Elwood

• KTTC Jennifer Janvrin

• Minnesota Twins Glo Westerdahl

• Modern Design & Concepts Brianna Truax

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• MPR Chris Cross

• Rochester Women Magazine Jorrie Johnson

• Schad-Tracy Signs Connie & Mike Schad

• Shop Rochester Magazine Cindy Schumacher and George Wright

• Snappy Stop Bucky Beaman

• Söntés / Grand Rounds Tessa Leung

• Spectrum Pro-Audio Dan VanHook

• Townsquare Media Shannon Knoepke


DONOR SPOTLIGHTBRIAN AUSTIN & JOHN KNUDSEN

Brian Austin and John Knudsen are outstanding models of committed stewardship and giving. Starting off as general members and growing to become generous contributors to the Annual Fund, Brian and John have been major bidders at ARTBASH auctions and served as key program sponsors. Most recently, Brian joined the Rochester Art Center Board of Directors as one of three new members in 2015. Brian and John’s full support of RAC’s Public Lecture Program, Distinguished Speaker Series, Past President’s Lecture, (K)NOW: Artists as Producers of New Knowledge, and PrideFest Films further reflect their strong dedication to advancing RAC’s mission. Rochester Art Center is thankful for their visionary support and leadership.

To gain some insight into their engagement and support, RAC asked Brian and John…

You live in Minneapolis. Why have you chosen to support Rochester Art Center? We’ve found the RAC to consistently offer exhibitions that are challenging, stimulating, provocative, affecting, and moving…sometimes all in the same show! RAC brings a range of great local, regional, national, and global work to Rochester giving us a mix of talent we’d otherwise never see. RAC is also a friend to artists and a champion of audiences, bringing the two together to make contemporary art meaningful.

What effect do you want your support to have? The dramatic changes affecting Rochester through DMC are part of a longer narrative about how this city has grown, changed, and developed since it was founded. Since its founding, RAC has played a strong role in this city’s story. We want our support to not only just continue RAC’s current program but to build and strengthen its contribution to our community through offering a diverse, inclusive, and engaging experience with art.

Brian, as a board member, how do you see your talents and expertise helping RAC? In my work practice, I provide insights about marketing and brand development. I see the work of creatives in artistic practice is a complement to my skills and interests. But the great thing about getting involved with RAC is that so many different skill sets are valued in the organization. RAC is very welcoming to everyone that wants to contribute to its mission.

How do see Rochester Art Center developing an outreach into the Twin Cities? The Twin Cities have long played a strong centripetal role for art in our state and region. As RAC continues to build out its own network of support, opportunities for integration and overlap between the two regions are only destined to become stronger. Our Minneapolis friends are not just aware of what’s happening at RAC, they are genuinely curious and actively involved in learning how to extend their outreach. We’re excited by the possibilities for RAC to strengthen those bonds.

BRIAN AUSTIN, Ph.D. Founder, Owner and Creative Strategist, Tytology

JOHN KNUDSEN, M.D. Physician Radiologist, Mayo Clinic

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D.C. MANGUM, JR. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRochester Art Center Board of Directors and Staff announce the creation of the D.C. Mangum, Jr. Scholarship Fund.

Rochester Art Center’s longest running and most robust education program, Total Arts Day Camp provides children and young teens the opportunity to experience creativity, innovation, and the joy of art making and collaboration in a welcoming studio environment. Local artist and luminary, Judy Onofrio established Total Arts Day Camp in 1971 as an immersive contemporary art experience for students in grades 1 – 8. The program continues to be a unique and memorable opportunity for young artists to explore transformative educational possibilities in a variety of artistic mediums. This is a terrific opportunity for all young people to engage with contemporary art—as shared and taught by the regions most talented professional artists!

Rochester Art Center is proud of its commitment to diversity and inclusion in all our programs, and this is an exciting way to honor D.C. Mangum, Jr.’s outstanding service and leadership as an exemplary RAC Board Member. D.C. was an outstanding pillar of compassion, leadership, and kindness in our community for which Rochester Art Center was privileged to have him share all his strengths and goodness with us as a Board Member from 2010 - 2015. The D.C. Mangum, Jr. Scholarship Fund encourages diversity and inclusion in our summer camp and provides an opportunity for young people to be able to participate in our outstanding program. Our current tuition for Total Arts Day Camp is $365 for RAC members and $390 for non-members. Our goal with this fund is to provide both full and half scholarships to as many young people seeking to attend.

To contribute to the D.C. Mangum, Jr. Scholarship Fund, make a pledge, help us celebrate D.C’s legacy, and send a child to camp, please contact Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara, Program and Development Associate at [email protected].

33 Photos by Laura Nickel.

HERO Larry Guse & Christa Welbon

INNOVATOR Stephanie & Brian ChildsKatherine & Andrew MooreRebecca & Bradley NussJaney & Steve RussellPaulette & Charles SchurhammerMaggie & Dr. Paul ScanlonJill & Jim Suk

CONNOISSEUR Lucy & Mark BahnBetty & Rick DevineLynn W. DidierJudy & Robert DouglasCynthia & Stephen LehmkuhleVivita K. LeonardJudy & Burton OnofrioBruce E. & Kristen M. PollockConnie & Edward RosenowPougiales TrustJim WalchAnn Farrell & Joan WeberDr. & Mrs. Richard Weinshilbaum

PROMOTER Bari & Peter AmadioJane Bisel & Stevenson Williams Carol & Yosef BittonAnnie L. Black-SinakAleta Borrud & James FindlayMary DunlapHolly & David EbelCharles Erlichman & Patricia KerseyAlison & Andrew GoodRoberta M. HerrellSimon Huelsbeck & Denise OttesonMary Beth Magyar & Todd MilbrandtSheri-Lu & John PappasHelen & Chris RolandPaula SantrachStephanie & Don SupallaJulie & Stephen Troutman

2015 MEMBERSDrs. Shawna Ehlers & Mark WilburKaren & Steven Ytterberg

ADVOCATE Jane BartonMary & Malcom BastronCorene BernatzElizabeth BradleyNancy & Richard BrubakerBryan Cannon & Carrie Robinson-CannonElaine Case & Bill WiktorIris Kemler Cattaneo & Roberto CattaneAnn & Gus ChafouliasSheryl & Randy ChapmanBarbara & David DaughertyEmily DeGrazia & Atta BefharJulie Domaille & Jack GrossEd DonoghueRichard Ehman & Margaret HoustonVicki & David EricksonMichelle & Shawn FaganShannon Fitzgerald & Glen GenteleJoy & Mike FogartySharon & Greg GentlingColum & Una GormanKathleen HannonJames HelgetDr. Kara HillBryan HoerlDaniel JohnsonJanet & Robert JohnsonJeannine KarnesMary & Steve KramerSandra & Stevan KvenvoldMary Ellen & Dick LandwehrTina & Mark LieblingAnna Lleal & Vincent TorresJoe Lobl & Robin TaylorTimothy MackeyD. C. Mangum, Jr.June & Glenn MillerIan Gacheru Mwangi

Lois & Bill McGuireCinta & Kevin MolloyIrv PlitzuweitSandra & Chris RackleyCheryl & Robert RoedigerVeronique Roger & Maurice SaranoJane M. ScanlonMike SchillerDarlene & Byron StadsvoldCecelia & Joseph SzurzewskiClaudia Tabini & Victor MontoriTim TroxelMelanie & Tony TschidaPatricia Dunn-Walker & Randy WalkerMargaret WeglinskiDoris E. WengerElaine & Bill WiktorBarbara & Charles WithersElizabeth Yan

ENTHUSIAST Michael Augustin & KathyMcLaughlin FamilyFaith & Andrew BackesStacey & Andrew BadleyLisa BeckerJenna & Allison BowmanMary A. BrenkKelsey & Jacob BrettinSonya & Joseph BullockLori & Ross CampbellMary & Jane CampionCarol & Peter CarryerKathy ClarkeNneka & Thomas ComfereStacie ConwayKathy CookPaula CraigoTimothy Daun-Lindberg Susie DempseyAnne Marie DennisonDr. & Mrs. David E. DinesLisa Drage & Brian Olson34

Paul Walech-RothAileen Williams

INSPIRED Joseph AlexanderKatie BaumanMaggie BrimijoinStephen BrummStephen CarmichaelAnn CatherwoodWilliam CharlesKathleen Greden ChristensonKeith ChurchillKay CooperJ. D. BartlesonBarbara DepmanRamona DigrePeg FarrellRobert FinchLinda FrieJoni GammAlexander GinsburgLenny HaasRichard HallStephen HammillRalph A. Hanggi Jr.Stephen HarnerAnnie HendersonNick HoffmanElizabeth HouserDouglas JohnsonAugustin JosephEileen JursikVytas KaraliusSarasa KimBrittany KimballEric KischellNana Kyei-BaffourKathy LessardRegina M. FlanaganSandy MacLaughlinJean Larson MartinJim MikkelsonJames Mikos

Elizabeth & Halil DudakovicJennifer DuganAlana & Jason EldrigeElizabeth GallanisStephanie & Christopher GarbischMolly & Dan GossmanKari Grabowsky & David LevinSuzanne & Jim GreenleafDiane HellieAnastasia Hopkins Folpe & Andrew FolpeSusan & David HutchisonChristine & Todd HuyberTerri & Tom JaegerDiane Jerome & Tom KottkeAngela & Tony KadlecAllyson & Any KelchenDonald W. KlassBeth & Jesse LamsamNoelle & Scott LarsonKelsie & Sam LeofJessica & Brian LipinskiThanila MacedoHerta MattesonCatherine & Russell McBrideAbby & Adam MeyersMalory & William NaslundCatherine & Mark NathanBeth NienowKatie & Justin PazKatie Pederson & Travis WilsonKelly & Ross RatajczykMary Alice & Wayne RichardsonSharon & Charles RosenJennifer & Cory RubinBarbara Jean SchwenkJean & George SedgwickLynda & Frank SharbroughTheresa & Dan SmedbergLyn & Steve SmithJudy & Tony SmithsonSandra Taler & Andrew WestreichJulie & Dan TschumperlinMargaret & John Wade

Linda K. MillerCarl Heinz MostBillie NeedhamPatty NobleEdward O'ConnellJ. P. WhisnantDavid ParisiRosemary PerryKatharine PriceArnold SchroeterLori ShawBrian SmidtBetty SpitzmillerAntoinette "Toni" StevensJohn StewartG M SutcliffeLois SwansonHarry SwedlundElizabeth Regina TooheyLynn and Laurence TorsherDoris TroutmanMel TurcanikJan UlrichM.Cristina Zimmerman

LIFETIME Nancy & Warren MackenzieJackie & Don SchachtB.J. ShigakiDenise & Abraham SoromSarah & Michael StauderScott Stullen

ASSOCIATE LEVEL Armon Architecture, Inc.KTTC Television, Inc.Nuss Truck Group, Inc.Rochester TrolleyRochester Women Magazine

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GRAND LOBBYRochester Art Center’s Mayo Clinic Grand Lobby is Rochester’s favorite hidden treasure providing ambiance that translates to any type of event! The stunning Mayo Clinic Grand Lobby is known for providing the ultimate event value with its picturesque surroundings and unparalleled service where guests will have an experience like no other. The space features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of Rochester’s city scape and exhibits beautiful, contemporary art to add an extra element of uniqueness to your event! As a dynamic and exciting venue for wedding receptions, corporate events, or private events, our built-in patio space allows your event to spill into the outdoors to enjoy spectacular views of Rochester and Mayo Memorial Park.

RENTAL SPACE

Every Picture is Worth a Thousand Words We invite you to create your picture perfect portrait in our beautiful space. Rochester Art Center’s celebrated architecture, contemporary art exhibitions, and lovely vistas make for a stunning backdrop for all sorts of photography. Unlike any space in the region, we are not only a suitable, but an ideal setting for capturing personalities and creating engaging images that tell your story in photographs. Bring your favorite photographer and subjects together in making memorable photographs now! To learn more and book your photo session, contact Jenny Seresse, Event and Visitor Services Manager, at (507) 424-3316 or [email protected]. Video sessions available by request.

EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOMLocated on the third floor of the Art Center, the Executive Conference Room offers floor to ceiling glass windows and walls with views not only of the Art Center’s current Atrium Exhibit but of Mayo Memorial Park and Downtown Rochester. Equipped with a wall-mounted flat screen monitor, take-apart conference table, and kitchenette, this space is ideal for hosting events from business meetings and seminars to bridal showers and birthday celebrations.

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THE CATERING ALLIANCESince its beginning in December, 2014, Rochester Art Center’s Catering Alliance – Powers Ventures, Catering by Design, and Söntés Catering– has provided flawless services to the Art Center’s program guests and rental customers. Their outstanding reputations and unique promises of value have aligned well with RAC’s own history of excellence and commitment to community, art and culture, education, and civic engagement. With such industry expertise and strong business prowess, the Alliance provides the highest quality food and culinary-rich experiences that our guests expect and deserve. This dynamic business relationship has raised the bar in the expertise, quality, diversity, and hospitality the Art Center now provides.

RAC is at an important cultural moment in our history; and with the Catering Alliance, this dynamic team is establishing Rochester Art Center as the premier boutique venue offering in the region.

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OUR TEAM

ALYSSA DEGRAND Visit Experience Associate & Event Liason

MULLI HARRIS Visit Experience Associate & Event Liason

VIKA ISHCHUK Visit Experience Associate & Event Liason

MEG MORIARTY Visitor Experience Associate & Event Liason

KALI MORRISON Visitor Experience Associate & Event Liason

LAURA QUEST Visitor Experience Associate & Event Liason

SUSANNAH MAGERS Curator, Art & Public Engagement

JENNIFER SERESEE Event & Visitor Services Manager

PHILLIP AHNEN Facility Director/Exhibition Preparator

MARNIE HABBERSTAD Multimedia Marketing & Design Manager

JOVAN SPELLER Curator, Art & Education

SANDY THOMPSON Director of Development

SHANNON FITZGERALD Outgoing Executive Director

JOAN LOVELACE Administrative Operations Director

NICOLE NFONOYIM-HARA Program & Development Associate

STAFF

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ROCHESTER ART CENTER WELCOMES NEW PROFESSIONAL STAFFJovan Speller joined us in March and is an art educator whose creative career has taken many forms: curator, entrepreneur, program developer, grant writer, community leader, and advocate for emerging artists. She was Adult & Public Programs Coordinator at the renowned Studio Museum in Harlem; Project Director for City Arts, Inc., Washington, DC; Art Program Developer, See Forever Foundation, Maya Angelou Transition Center, Washington, DC; and nationally, has worked as independent curator. She joined RAC last summer as an instructor for Total Arts Day Camp. She earned her BFA in Photography from Columbia College in Chicago and studied photography and fine arts at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Baltimore. Jovan curates select exhibitions and multiple education initiatives, including Cross Cultures & Multimedia program which utilizes photography, film, and video to engage diverse groups of teenagers. Jovan is curator of our fall exhibition with Akosua Adoma Owusu.

Marnie Habberstad joined us in May and oversees the promotion, brand, and image of Rochester Art Center and its programs. RAC continues to move in an inspiring new direction in a quest for unprecedented public engagement and marketing to include a broader reach into the communities we serve. Marnie is reinvigorating our marketing strategies and community image with a freshness and innovative approach alongside the creation and management of all current media platforms and design initiatives.

Marnie has more than seven years of brand development and design experience. She comes to Rochester Art Center after serving as Art Director for Paulsen Marketing in Sioux Falls, SD, where she worked on a variety of award-winning projects. She has a rich portfolio that includes advertising campaigns from concept to completion, the creation of websites, collateral materials, branding systems and packaging, for both small and large companies throughout the Midwest. She also served on the board for the American Institute of Graphic Arts, South Dakota Chapter. Marnie earned a Bachelor of Arts from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. When not at work, Marnie enjoys freelance graphic design and time with family.

Susannah Magers relocated to Rochester from Oakland, CA, and has a passion for and background in independent curatorial practice, writing, exhibition interpretation and management, and public engagement with the arts. Her most recent experience includes working as the Interpretation Manager for the site-specific exhibition @Large: Ai Wei Wei on Alcatraz, the unprecedented contemporary public art collaboration between the FOR-SITE Foundation, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Parks Service. Susannah also co-directed the North Oakland, CA, alternative arts and project space, Royal NoneSuch Gallery, which supports emerging and mid-career artists in the Bay Area with an emphasis on experiential and experimental programming. In 2012, she managed visitor engagement for the FOR-SITE Foundation’s International Orange, a site-specific group exhibition featuring artists such as Allison Smith, Stephanie Syjuco, Mark Dion, Doug Hall, and Courtney Lain at Fort Point National Park, in San Francisco, CA. She earned an MA in Curatorial Practice from the California College of the Arts, in San Francisco, CA, and a BA in History and a BA in Photography from the University of California, Santa Cruz. For RAC, and on the occasion of Rochester PrideFest Susannah curated All Together Now, an evening of contemporary queer cinema and performance at the Rochester Civic Theatre and (Out) of Our Collections from the personal collections of RAC staff, presenting paintings, mixed media, works on paper, photographs, ceramics, and ephemera made by LGBTQIA-identified artists.

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MISSIONRochester Art Center offers the opportunity for all people to understand and value the arts through innovative experiences with contemporary art. Through world-class exhibitions and programs, we present a welcoming, integrated, and diverse experience that encourages questioning, creativity, and critical thinking. These exhibitions and programs are designed to reflect the dynamic relationship between art and society. They educate, challenge, and connect individuals to our world in compelling new ways. We are committed to being a cultural center in our community and to enhancing our region as a destination for creativity and innovation. We provide value through engagement with broad communities, strong collaborations with other organizations, and a history of excellence.

Cover Image: Akosua Adoma Owusu, Kwaku Ananse, 2013, HD video

40 Civic Center Drive SE | Rochester, MN 55904 | www.rochesterartcenter.org | 507-282-8629

40 Civic Center Drive SE Rochester, MN 55904

507-282-8629 www.rochesterartcenter.orgRETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Documents

Rochester Art Center Fall 2015 Newsletter