Layered, Stitched, & Assembled: Works from the Permanent Collection

Overview

Opening at the Madison Art Center, Layered, Stitched and Assembled: Works from the Permanent Collection explores some of the many forms collage and assemblage have taken during the past century. The works included—in two and three dimensions, wall-mounted and free-standing—shed light on the fundamental impulse to combine pieces into a whole. Many of the selections on view tap the expressive potential of paper, with elements that recall kites, quilts, and sails.

In the hands of such masters as Romare Bearden or Robert Rauschenberg, a startling range of effects result from the simple accumulation or juxtaposition of forms. In one striking example, the child’s blocks that frame Elizabeth Erickson’s Baby Suit make the chunky relief of Louise Nevelson’s monochromatic End of Day XXVIII seem at once more imposing and more energetic. Some artists are represented by multiple works, offering the opportunity to follow the process of discovery. A triptych by Henry Botkin opens a window onto the artist’s imagination; literally ripped from their original context, the torn paper fragments achieve an unexpected coherence and elegance. Layered, Stitched and Assembled also features works by some of the most recognized names in Wisconsin art, from Aaron Bohrod to William Weege.

Layered, Stitched and Assembled brings together 25 works from the Museum’s collection. Both recent and historical acquisitions are included, some of which will be on view for the first time.

Exhibition Support

Layered, Stitched and Assembled: Works from the Permanent Collection is organized by the Madison Art Center. Funding has been provided by: Andreas and Valerie Kazamias; an anonymous donor; The Art League of the Madison Art Center; the Exhibition Initiative Fund; the Madison Art Center’s 2003–2004 Sustaining Benefactors; and a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin.