Walter S. Hamady
Almost Like Having a Philosophy (Dos a dos/feather in yr cap, box #3 reworked), 1990-91
Found objects, paper, and wood
20 1/4 x 11 x 7 1/4 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of the Artist
Photography: Jon Bolton
Open Storage: RAM Showcases Artists’ Book Archives
February 16 – October 3, 2020
Historically, collection-building for museums has gone on behind-the-scenes. In the last decade, more institutions have offered transparency regarding how collections are developed, stored, and conserved. Open Storage offers a series of exhibitions that clarify this process by drawing attention to some of RAM’s particular strengths—collecting the work of artists in-depth and establishing archives that further document their working processes and careers. While RAM frequently talks about the importance of gifts from donors’ estates, archive building—both by artists and institutions—is critically important for the field because it offers a more comprehensive look at creative activity.
This exhibition features the work of two artists—Walter S. Hamady and Claire Van Vliet—through multiple examples of their work. Both primarily focus on artists’ books. Hamady was a long-time University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and founder of The Perishable Press Limited while Van Vliet is a MacArthur Fellow and founder of Janus Press. RAM’s archive has artists’ book examples from both as well as other types of their work—collages and sculpture by Hamady alongside prints by Van Vliet.
More About the Exhibition
Open Storage: RAM Showcases Artists’ Book Archives
February 16 – October 3, 2020
Walter S. Hamady
Almost Like Having a Philosophy (Dos a dos/feather in yr cap, box #3 reworked), 1990-91
Found objects, paper, and wood
20 1/4 x 11 x 7 1/4 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of the Artist
Photography: Jon Bolton
Historically, collection-building for museums has gone on behind-the-scenes. In the last decade, more institutions have offered transparency regarding how collections are developed, stored, and conserved. Open Storage offers a series of exhibitions that clarify this process by drawing attention to some of RAM’s particular strengths—collecting the work of artists in-depth and establishing archives that further document their working processes and careers. While RAM frequently talks about the importance of gifts from donors’ estates, archive building—both by artists and institutions—is critically important for the field because it offers a more comprehensive look at creative activity.
This exhibition features the work of two artists—Walter S. Hamady and Claire Van Vliet—through multiple examples of their work. Both primarily focus on artists’ books. Hamady was a long-time University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and founder of The Perishable Press Limited while Van Vliet is a MacArthur Fellow and founder of Janus Press. RAM’s archive has artists’ book examples from both as well as other types of their work—collages and sculpture by Hamady alongside prints by Van Vliet.
More About the Exhibition
Gallery of Work
Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:
Platinum Partners
Anonymous
The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
Ron and Judith Isaacs
The Estate of Marilyn Rothschild
Windgate Foundation
Diamond Partners
David Charak
Ruffo Family Foundation
Ruth Arts Foundation
Diane Zebell
Gold Partners
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Reliance Controls Community Fund
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.
Silver Partners
Anonymous
Anonymous
Bader Philanthropies
Baird
A.C. Buhler Family
Dave’s Wine Garage
Paula and E.L. Donovitz Memorial Endowment Fund
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Tom Harty
Horizon Retail Construction, Inc.
Johnson Financial Group
Robert E. Kohler Jr. Fund
Luanne Frey and Mark Lukow
Sheri and Frank Sullivan
Wisconsin Arts Board
Bronze Partners
Sandy and Gus Antonneau
Carol Baylon
Susan Boland
Rose and Peter Christensen
Educators Credit Union
Carol Griseto
Julia Ann Oas and Don Gloo
Hitter’s Baseball
Debbie and Chuck Hoffman
Susan and Dan Horton
Gary Van Wert and Ronald Jacquart
Paula Kalke
Bill and Debbie Keland
Nancy Kurten
Susan Manalli
Norbell Foundation
O&H Danish Bakery
Rita Petretti
Rasmussen Diamonds
SC Johnson
Harold and Lois Solberg
Twin Disc
Marc J. Wollman
Amy and Robb Woulfe
Media Sponsor
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