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

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
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

Gallery of Work

Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:

Platinum Sponsors

Judith and David Flegel Fund
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Windgate Foundation

Diamond Sponsors

Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Ruffo Family Foundation

Gold Sponsors
Anonymous
David Charak
Silver Sponsors
Art Bridges
A.C. Buhler Family
Andis Foundation
Baird
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Annette Hirsh Family
J. Jeffers & Co.
Dorothy MacVicar
RDK Foundation

Jan Serr and John Shannon
Bronze Sponsors

Anonymous
Susan Boland
Virginia Buhler
Butcher & Barrel/Amos Los Tacos
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour
William A. Guenther
Tom and Sharon Harty
Tony and Andrea Hauser
David and Judy Hecker
Bradley Lynch
Carlotta Miller
Larry and Barbara Newman
The Norbell Foundation
The Prairie School
Georgiana Treivush
Twin Disc, Inc.
Deb and Will Walker

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