Tell Me A Story
On the cusp of 2015, it feels like there are some exciting things happening in the Milwaukee art scene. There are a number of new galleries to celebrate, exhibitions to look forward to and a year of strong shows to fondly recall.
One of the quiet developments during the past year was the establishment of new art venues. Usable Space in Bay View opened just over a year ago, and the emergence of Ski Club in Riverwest and the cavernous Pitch Project in the Fifth Ward were welcome additions to the scene during the past year.
The curatorial tendencies in local venues favor contemporary work, and much by local or nationally recognized artists. Interestingly enough, a couple of the strongest contemporary shows were held in a venerable old mansion, the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. Last spring’s “Species and Specimens” featured sculptures in porcelain, fiber, found objects and more, all calling to mind an imaginative animal kingdom. The current exhibition, “Tell Me A Story,” showcases monumental installations of preserved insects formed into decorative designs and dioramas by Jennifer Angus, and also ranks among the year’s best shows.
Some of the exhibitions at INOVA have shared the quality of enveloping the viewer in the gallery experience. The current Nohl Fellowship exhibition is one example, as was last summer’s architectural dreamscape by Leo Saul Berk, “The Uncertainty of Enclosure.
