Wustum Museum Highlights Wisconsin Photography

Since 1979, Racine's Wustum Museum has sponsored the triennial&nbsp;“Wisconsin Photography” exhibition.&nbsp;Considered a portfolio review for state artists, the exhibition allows each artist to submit up to 10 prints for this prestigious show. Subjects include documentary, figurative, still life and urban landscape.<br /><br />For the 2012 exhibition, Bruce Pepich, executive director and curator of collections for the Wustum, said that approximately 85 artists submitted about 850 entries, from which slightly more than 110 photographs were chosen. Guest juror Dean Otto is a Wisconsin native who works at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.<br /><br />Pepich notes that digital photography has been the technique of choice over the last several shows, with few artists using traditional silver gelatin prints. This fact reflects the technological advances that have transformed fine art photography over the past decade. “I was amazed how quickly the artists embraced the new technology,” Pepich says, “which then opened the field to discovering more photographers.”<br /><br />In line with its mission, the Wustum uses its photography exhibitions to document Wisconsin artists who contribute to the state's art history. With this mission in mind, the exhibition's Purchase Awards offer winning artists an opportunity to have their photographs remain part of the Racine Art Museum and Wustum Museum's permanent collections.<br /><br />Framed entries arrive at the museum this week to pass final approval for the 2012 exhibition, which opens Sunday, Sept. 9, with a 2-4 p.m. artists' reception. The awards ceremony begins at 3 p.m.<br /><br /><strong>Art Happenings</strong> <p>2012 Arts and Rivers Contest</p> <p>Milwaukee Riverkeeper</p> <p>1845 N. Farwell Ave.<br /><br />Artists of all skill levels, working in any medium, may submit work revealing the beauty of Milwaukee's rivers online at <a href="http://www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org" target="_blank">www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org</a>. Works must be submitted by Sept. 21 to be selected as one of 25 finalists for the organization's Clean Water Act 40th anniversary celebration Oct. 10 at Discovery World.<br /><br />The Milwaukee Observatory Project</p> <p>Bay View Historical Society Lawn</p> <p>2590 S. Superior St.<br /><br />Celebrate Bay View history and a public installation by bringing stories and artifacts of Milwaukee. Experts from Discovery World and students from Bay View High School will transform them into art 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 25. The project will continue in September at the lawn of Bradley Tech High School. Learn more by visiting <a href="http://www.milwaukeeobservatory.com" target="_blank">www.milwaukeeobservatory.com</a>.</p>