If you’re tired of the snow and stir-crazy from camping out at home, then it’s time for a fieldtrip to the Weisman Art Museum at the U of M. It will be like those epic days of elementary-school bliss, except as an adult you’ll actually appreciate the free museum designed by world-renown architect Frank Gehry for what it is, and not just because it’s your out from responsibility and routine.
“Red Lake Fishermen,” 1946,
Patrick DesJarlait
There’s no better time to go than now. Last weekend, the Weisman unveiled a new exhibition featuring all-American art. That’s right, 4,000 pieces from the Minnesota Museum of American Art went head to head and competed for spots in the show. Only 30 works made the cut, and together create Our Treasures: Highlights from the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
Our Treasures has been on tour since August 2011, showing at three Minnesota museums plus the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, North Dakota. The Weisman is its last stop, which means this is your last opportunity to see the works as they complement and relate to one another.
“Death Valley, Nevada,” Wing Young Huie
The show’s themes are varied, and include intimate looks at the American landscape, portraiture, and the rise of 20th-century abstraction. Craft is also prominent throughout, as it plays a large part in Minnesota’s history as well as MMAA’s collection.
Be sure to wander around the rest of the Weisman while you’re there. The newly renovated museum has a beautifully curated collection of everyting from American Modernism pieces to ceramics.
Bonus: the museum’s adorable gift shop is having a Valentine’s Day sale now through February 14—the perfect place to pick up a handmade one-of-a-kind card, scarf, or bracelet for a loved one.
Our Treasures: Highlights from the Minnesota Museum of American Art
On display through Sunday, May 12
Free
333 East River Rd., Mpls.
612-625-9494, weisman.umn.eu
