Aquae Nguvu Gallery and Studio - The Contemporary Art of Eugene Donner: The Human Form

“The Contemporary Art of Eugene Donner” at Aquae Nguvu Gallery, marks the first time since 1960 that his work has returned to be shared with his hometown art community.

by

Supporting Milwaukee Arts

Aquae Nguvu Gallery was established by Tony Nickalls in 2022, with the objective of promoting emerging artists from Wisconsin and the mid-west region, either in group shows or solo exhibitions; with an emphasis on underrepresented groups, over 47 artists have shown their work in the gallery by late 2025.

Exhibitions have included:

  • A Woman’s Worth (Co-curated with Jody Alexander - 9 artists)
  • Unravelling the Threads of Modern Masculinity (co-organized with Antonio Testolin - 13 artists)
  • A two person show on the topic of Dementia (artists Tracy Keller Nickolaus and Cindy Hansen)

Currently the gallery is showing work from the estate of Eugene Donner; highlighting the series “Ruling Class, War/Civil War, Cocoon and Bathroom.” This work, which is exhibited until October 24, 2026, is drawn from approximately 230 pieces in the estate that have been brought back from the West Coast where Donner spent most of his career having trained at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee.

Of the many paintings in the collection, few are dated, and the family is working to establish approximate dates from various pictures and slides. The Trust set up by Donner is seeking to set place work in public display and anyone interested in this work should contact Nickalls at : (414) 943-0039 or tony.nickalls@outlook.com

Learn more or get involved: