Beatrice Wood
Assorted Works, 1970 – 87
Glazed earthenware with lustres
Largest 10 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches diameter
Racine Art Museum, Gifts of Devra Miller Breslow and Helen Gabriel
Photography: Jon Bolton

Vignettes: Concentrated Views of RAM’s Collection

February 1 – August 19, 2023
at Racine Art Museum

Artwork cannot be experienced in a vacuum. The meaning of individual pieces can fluctuate and change—not just between what the artist intended and what the viewer sees but also within the dynamics created in the context of a gallery space. Playing with this idea, Vignettes is comprised of several smaller exhibitions of works gathered under various organizing principles or themes—emphasizing specific characteristics of the individual pieces and overall groupings. These groupings are inspired by RAM’s history or collection in different ways—for example, some reference past exhibitions while some highlight time periods, favored pieces, or ideas donors explored. As a vignette is defined as a “brief, evocative description” of a larger entity, each group of this exhibition is a self-contained idea that gives a sense of RAM in a “snapshot” through curatorial eyes.

Celebrating RAM’s Twentieth Anniversary and featuring textiles, art to wear, art jewelry, photography, prints, ceramics, and more, this atypical presentation highlights the range of the permanent collection in its variability of artist voices and backgrounds as well as types of media. Panels next to each sub-theme contain keywords or ribbons of thought that link artworks together. While the words offer curatorial transparency, visitors are encouraged to find their own meaning and potential connections.

Some of the over-arching themes in Vignettes include glamour, black/white, colorful, 1940s/2000s, topical, out of the ordinary, and cosmic.

Please note that because this is a long exhibition showcasing pieces made of fragile materials, some works—and therefore some artists—will be changed midway through.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Press Room

Artists in the Exhibition

James Acord, ADÁL, Jeanette Ahlgren, Robert Arneson, Sid Avery, Lori and Marshal Bacigalupi, Leonard Baskin, Bennett Bean, Dawoud Bey, Bonnie Jean Bishoff, Aaron Bohrod, Barbara Brandel, Bill Brandt, Christie Brown, Grażyna Brylewska-Pędzialek, Andy Buck, Rose Cabat, Crucita Gonzales Calabaza, Clea Carlsen, Sydney Cash, Wendell Castle, Peter Chang, José Chardiet, Warrington Colescott, Colette, Lia Cook, Claire Curneen, Karen Dahl, Dorothy Dehner, Richard Diebenkorn, James Doran, Edward S. Eberle, Sandra Enterline, Gerda Flöckinger, Nora Fok, Richard Ford, Mary Frank, Azusa Fukawa, Michael J. Gallagher, John Garrett, Giles Gilson, James Groleau, Babs Haenen, Hideo Hagiwara, Philippe Halsman, Tim Harding, William Harper, Caren Heft, Barbara Heinrich, Yael Herman, Julia Hill, Carl Hoeckner, Laurie Hogin, Tina Fung Holder, Robyn Horn, Mary Lee Hu, Sergei Isupov, Reika Iwami, Zoltán Jánváry, Doug Jeck, Luis Jiménez, Morigami Jin, Rosita Johanson, Ruth Lee Kao, Hannah Keefe, Naomi Kobayashi, Nancy Koenigsberg, Al Krescanko Jr., Geo Lastomirksy, Chunghi Lee, Juana Leno, Ken Loeber, Truamn Lowe, Terence Main, Kurt Markus, Beverly Mayeri, Luis Molinari-Flores, Judy Moonelis, Zoe Morrow, Philip Moulthrop, Jay Musler, Madeline Naranjo, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, John Nieto, Richard Notkin, Amber O’Harrow, Steve Peter, Binh Pho, Mary Preston, Aoudla Pudlat, Seth Randal, Lisa Reinertson, Juan Sánchez, Joyce Scott, Ben Shahn, Diane Sheehan, Susan Shie, Esther Shimazu, Tommy Simpson, Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell, Jean Stamsta, Dirk Staschke, Therman Statom, Phil Stern, J.M. Syron, Lino Tagliapietra, Toshiko Takaezu, Irvin S. Tepper, Chiu Tsang-yi, Huang Tsun-ren, Deborah Valoma, Michael Velliquette, Jason Walker, Barbara K. Warren, Jane Weintraub, Beatrice Wood, and Eva Zeisel

Vignettes: Concentrated Views of RAM’s Collection

February 1 – August 19, 2023
at Racine Art Museum
Beatrice Wood
Assorted Works, 1970 – 87
Glazed earthenware with lustres
Largest 10 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches diameter
Racine Art Museum, Gifts of Devra Miller Breslow and Helen Gabriel
Photography: Jon Bolton

Artwork cannot be experienced in a vacuum. The meaning of individual pieces can fluctuate and change—not just between what the artist intended and what the viewer sees but also within the dynamics created in the context of a gallery space. Playing with this idea, Vignettes is comprised of several smaller exhibitions of works gathered under various organizing principles or themes—emphasizing specific characteristics of the individual pieces and overall groupings. These groupings are inspired by RAM’s history or collection in different ways—for example, some reference past exhibitions while some highlight time periods, favored pieces, or ideas donors explored. As a vignette is defined as a “brief, evocative description” of a larger entity, each group of this exhibition is a self-contained idea that gives a sense of RAM in a “snapshot” through curatorial eyes.

Celebrating RAM’s Twentieth Anniversary and featuring textiles, art to wear, art jewelry, photography, prints, ceramics, and more, this atypical presentation highlights the range of the permanent collection in its variability of artist voices and backgrounds as well as types of media. Panels next to each sub-theme contain keywords or ribbons of thought that link artworks together. While the words offer curatorial transparency, visitors are encouraged to find their own meaning and potential connections.

Some of the over-arching themes in Vignettes include glamour, black/white, colorful, 1940s/2000s, topical, out of the ordinary, and cosmic.

Please note that because this is a long exhibition showcasing pieces made of fragile materials, some works—and therefore some artists—will be changed midway through.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Press Room

Artists in the Exhibition

James Acord, ADÁL, Jeanette Ahlgren, Robert Arneson, Sid Avery, Lori and Marshal Bacigalupi, Leonard Baskin, Bennett Bean, Dawoud Bey, Bonnie Jean Bishoff, Aaron Bohrod, Barbara Brandel, Bill Brandt, Christie Brown, Grażyna Brylewska-Pędzialek, Andy Buck, Rose Cabat, Crucita Gonzales Calabaza, Clea Carlsen, Sydney Cash, Wendell Castle, Peter Chang, José Chardiet, Warrington Colescott, Colette, Lia Cook, Claire Curneen, Karen Dahl, Dorothy Dehner, Richard Diebenkorn, James Doran, Edward S. Eberle, Sandra Enterline, Gerda Flöckinger, Nora Fok, Richard Ford, Mary Frank, Azusa Fukawa, Michael J. Gallagher, John Garrett, Giles Gilson, James Groleau, Babs Haenen, Hideo Hagiwara, Philippe Halsman, Tim Harding, William Harper, Caren Heft, Barbara Heinrich, Yael Herman, Julia Hill, Carl Hoeckner, Laurie Hogin, Tina Fung Holder, Robyn Horn, Mary Lee Hu, Sergei Isupov, Reika Iwami, Zoltán Jánváry, Doug Jeck, Luis Jiménez, Morigami Jin, Rosita Johanson, Ruth Lee Kao, Hannah Keefe, Naomi Kobayashi, Nancy Koenigsberg, Al Krescanko Jr., Geo Lastomirksy, Chunghi Lee, Juana Leno, Ken Loeber, Truamn Lowe, Terence Main, Kurt Markus, Beverly Mayeri, Luis Molinari-Flores, Judy Moonelis, Zoe Morrow, Philip Moulthrop, Jay Musler, Madeline Naranjo, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, John Nieto, Richard Notkin, Amber O’Harrow, Steve Peter, Binh Pho, Mary Preston, Aoudla Pudlat, Seth Randal, Lisa Reinertson, Juan Sánchez, Joyce Scott, Ben Shahn, Diane Sheehan, Susan Shie, Esther Shimazu, Tommy Simpson, Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell, Jean Stamsta, Dirk Staschke, Therman Statom, Phil Stern, J.M. Syron, Lino Tagliapietra, Toshiko Takaezu, Irvin S. Tepper, Chiu Tsang-yi, Huang Tsun-ren, Deborah Valoma, Michael Velliquette, Jason Walker, Barbara K. Warren, Jane Weintraub, Beatrice Wood, and Eva Zeisel

Sample of Work in the Exhibition

Click/tap an image for more information

Installation View

Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:

Platinum Sponsors

The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
David Charak
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Racine Community Foundation logo
United Way Of Racine County logo
Barbara Waldman
Windgate Foundation

Diamond Sponsors

Ruffo Family Foundation
Ruth Foundation for the Arts

Gold Sponsors

Anonymous
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Trio Foundation of St. Louis
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.
Wisconsin Arts Board 50th Anniversary Logo

Silver Sponsors

Anonymous
Baird
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Friends of Fiber Art International
Sharon and Tom Harty
Dave and Judy Hecker
Horizon Retail Construction, Inc.
Johnson Financial Group
Lang Family Foundation
Dorothy MacVicar
Jan Serr & John Shannon

Bronze Sponsors

Dave’s Wine Garage
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Lucy G. Feller
Hitter’s Baseball
SC Johnson
Bill and Debbie Keland
Susan Manalli
Norbell Foundation
JoAnna Poehlmann
Rasmussen Diamonds
Tito’s
Twin Disc

Media Sponsor

Radio Milwaukee logo

Love Art?  You’ll Love RAM!

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