Warrington Colescott
The Death of Dillinger, 1964
Color etching
Racine Art Museum, Gift of Karen Johnson Boyd
Photography: Michael Tropea, Chicago

The Scene of the Crime: Warrington Colescott Depicts Dillinger

May 24 – September 6, 2009
at Racine Art Museum

RAM marked the release of the film Public Enemies with an exhibition of prints, based on the exploits of John Dillinger, by internationally recognized Wisconsin artist Warrington Colescott. On November 20, 1933, the legendary gangster of the Depression, John Dillinger robbed the bank that once occupied the Racine Art Museum building. The Scene of the Crime commemorates this historic event.

Featuring the exploits of fabled Depression era outlaw Dillinger, this exhibition of graphics is drawn from RAM’s extensive holdings of work by the Wisconsin printmaker, Warrington Colescott. In the 1960s, Colescott created a series of etchings based on stories he heard about John Dillinger. Many of these prints were in RAM’s collection before the new museum opened on the site in 2003. For added interest, the show was displayed in a space adjacent to one of the bank’s original vaults, still intact inside RAM and rarely seen by the public.

More About the Exhibition

Press Room

The Scene of the Crime: Warrington Colescott Depicts Dillinger

May 24 – September 6, 2009
at RAM’s Wustum Museum
Warrington Colescott
The Death of Dillinger, 1964
Color etching
Racine Art Museum, Gift of Karen Johnson Boyd
Photography: Michael Tropea, Chicago

RAM marked the release of the film Public Enemies with an exhibition of prints, based on the exploits of John Dillinger, by internationally recognized Wisconsin artist Warrington Colescott. On November 20, 1933, the legendary gangster of the Depression, John Dillinger robbed the bank that once occupied the Racine Art Museum building. The Scene of the Crime commemorates this historic event.

Featuring the exploits of fabled Depression era outlaw Dillinger, this exhibition of graphics is drawn from RAM’s extensive holdings of work by the Wisconsin printmaker, Warrington Colescott. In the 1960s, Colescott created a series of etchings based on stories he heard about John Dillinger. Many of these prints were in RAM’s collection before the new museum opened on the site in 2003. For added interest, the show was displayed in a space adjacent to one of the bank’s original vaults, still intact inside RAM and rarely seen by the public.

More About the Exhibition

Press Room

Sample of Work in the Exhibition

Click/tap an image for more information

Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:

Platinum Sponsors

The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
David Charak
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Rcf Logo 2021
Windgate Foundation

Diamond Sponsors

City of Racine’s Grow Racine Grant
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Ruffo Family Foundation
Ruth Arts Foundation

Gold Sponsors

Anonymous
Tom and Irene Creecy
Richard and Patricia Ehlert
Herzfeld Foundation
Reliance Controls
Ruth Foundation for the Arts
Trio Foundation of St. Louis
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.
Wisconsin Arts Board

Silver Sponsors

Anonymous
Art Bridges
Baird
A.C. Buhler Family
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Jim Harris
Sharon and Tom Harty
Lise Iwon
J. Jeffers & Co.
Johnson Financial Group
Dorothy MacVicar
Jan Serr and John Shannon

Bronze Sponsors

Ellen and Joseph Albrecht
Andis Foundation
Susan Boland
Virginia Buhler
Butcher & Barrel/Amos Los Tacos
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Tony and Andrea Hauser
Bill and Debbie Keland
Susan Manalli
Jean and Alex Mandli, Jr.
The Prairie School
Cathy Stanghellin
Georgiana Treivush
Twin Disc, Inc.

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