Over the past several years, Dean Jensen gathered important artworks from six internationally renowned painters with ties to Wisconsin. The result is “Wisconsin Moderns,” a museum-quality exhibition at the Dean Jensen Gallery featuring the works of Fred Berman, Carl Holty, Karl Knaths, Jon Schueler, Lucia Stern and Mark Tobey.
All of these artists impacted the modernist movement of abstract expressionism and had paintings exhibited in prestigious museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Art.
Tobey is perhaps the most recognized artist. Berman, at the age of 83, may be the most beloved because of his role as a longtime art professor at UW-Milwaukee. Stern stands out as the lone woman. This creative pioneer was born in 1895 and worked as a “non-objective” artist in Milwaukee before it became fashionable or even acceptable for women to do so.
More than 30 images from these impressive artists will line Jensen’s walls. The works include oils on board, canvas and masonite, as well as ink washes, gouaches and lithographs.
These artists achieved international acclaim, but their names and Wisconsin roots have largely been forgotten in recent years. From Oct. 15-Nov. 27, Jensen brings their work home so Milwaukee’s art community can admire and appreciate them once more.
Tory Folliard Gallery features a painter from Tucson, Ariz., in the exhibition “Robert D. Cocke: The Laughter of Trees” (Oct. 15-Nov. 13). Cocke, who will bring more than 15 oil on board and canvas pieces to Milwaukee, portrays atmospheric landscapes with a mystical vision. Filling his canvases with luminous sherbet-colored skies and cotton-like clouds, Cocke creates enchanting scenes with meticulous details.
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More recent paintings from his extensive career incorporate objectsincluding antique toys from his own collectionthat create magical still-life paintings. These images highlight Cocke’s playful, witty side and reflect his personal memories.
Both galleries open their exhibitions with receptions on Gallery Night, which takes place Friday, Oct. 15. Berman will attend the reception at Jensen Gallery; Cocke comes from Arizona for an appearance at Folliard Gallery.
Art Happenings
‘Wisconsin Masters: Bruno Ertz’
Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave.
The Charles Allis Art Museum explores the detailed paintings of 19th-century Wisconsin artist Bruno Ertz. A gallery talk by curator Martha Monroe takes place at the exhibition’s opening on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
‘On Site: Chakaia Booker’
Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive
This recently opened installation by Manhattan artist Chakaia Booker features automobile tires fashioned into extraordinary sculptures in the Baumgartner Galleria.
