All Union Art Gallery exhibitions are FREE and open to the public
SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN FOR ONE SKY WE SHARE!
Submissions for our final show of this season, One Sky We Share are open to any UWM student!
The deadline to submit your work is April 7th at 12 am.
There is no fee for this submission, just follow the link below !
Submission Form:
https://sites.uwm.edu/uag-virtual-exhibitions/one-sky-we-share-submissions/
The opening reception will take place on April 22nd from 5-8pm!
Please email the gallery if you have any questions!
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Upcoming Exhibition
First-Year Experience 2024
April 5 – April 12, 2024
The First Year Program in Art and Design at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts prepares students to be creative, engaged, and ready to advance in their chosen areas of study. The first year is a time of artistic and personal development during which students choose their areas of concentration and begin to see themselves becoming practitioners in their field. The Union Art Gallery’s First Year Exhibition is an opportunity for these students to showcase the work they have created during this process. Join us in celebrating the work of these talented artists!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
April 5, 5-7 pm
One Sky We Share
April 22-May 10, 2024
Eighty percent of people on Earth do not have access to a truly dark night sky. For the last century, planetariums have given all of us a window into the cosmic world and inspired audiences to engage with astronomy. The night sky has continually ignited inspiration for artists, astronomers, and those looking up at the stars.
One Sky We Share celebrates the 100th anniversary of planetarium projectors and brings together artists whose fascination with the night sky represents the beauty and intrigue of the world above us.
The Union Art Gallery is proud to present One Sky We Share in conjunction with the Manfred Olson Planetarium!
Exhibiting Artists: Russell Crotty, Lia Halloran, Jessica Laub, John Riepenhoff, and Sam Zimmerman
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
April 25th, 5-8pm
Panel Discussion:
May 2nd, 6-7pm
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Past Exhibitions
Union Art Gallery 51st Annual Juried Show
February 23 – March 14, 2024
The Union Art Gallery presents the 51st Annual Juried Exhibition, a showcase of artwork in a variety of mediums by college student artists from around the Greater Milwaukee area. Juried by a panel of three Milwaukee arts professionals, the top exhibiting artists will be announced and awarded cash prizes during the opening reception. This is a great opportunity to see and support the incredible talent of emerging contemporary artists right in our local area!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
February 23 from 5–7 pm
Artist talks:
March 7, 7 pm in the Union Art Gallery
Seeing the Unseen: Reflections on Patriarchy
January 22 – February 9, 2024
The recent release of the Barbie movie has prompted an increase in discussions on the role and influence of patriarchal societies. Throughout the movie, viewers are introduced to how patriarchy defines gender expectations, determines the language we use, and ingrains stereotypes. Seeing the Unseen: Reflections on Patriarchy highlights the work of five artists who explore the impact of living in a patriarchal society and the effects of this experience. The exhibition also includes interactive material inviting visitors to reflect on how patriarchy has played a role in their lives.
This exhibition is co-sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
Exhibiting Artists: Sheila Pree Bright, Meg Lionel Murphy, Spooky Boobs, Valaria Tatera, with select work from the UWM Libraries Special Collections.
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
January 26 from 5–8 pm
Artist talks:
January 26, 6 p.m.
Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Voices of Native American Women
November 16 – December 15, 2023
Matika Wilbur’s (Swinomish and Tulalip) extensive photography portfolio captures the diversity and beauty of contemporary Native America while challenging its stereotypical representations. Wilbur’s work combines imagery and stories of Native Americans in the United States to create conversations about their experiences. Her recent publication, Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America quickly became a New York Times Best Seller and tells the stories of members from each of the federally recognized tribes in the United States.
The Union Art Gallery is honored to present Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Voices of Native American Women which combines audio with stories from those photographed to create an immersive experience. The exhibition will run from November 16 through December 15, 2023. In conjunction with the exhibition opening, Matika Wilbur will speak on Thursday, November 16 from 6-7 p.m. in the UWM Student Union Ballroom on the campus level at 2200 E Kenwood Blvd.
This exhibition is co-sponsored by the Union Art Gallery, Sociocultural Programming, UWM Women’s Resource Center, American Indian Student Center, and the Electa Quinney Institute for American Indian Education, with thanks to the Indian Community School for their participation.
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
November 16 from 5–8 pm
Keynote with Matika Wilbur:
November 16, 6-7 p.m. in the Union Ballroom
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Crossing Over 2023
October 5 – November 3
The Crossing Over exhibition showcases work created by undergraduate students of the UWM Peck School of the Arts, Department of Art and Design, who have received a scholarship and/or fellowship award in 2023. This exciting annual exhibition highlights the exceptional artwork produced by these promising emerging artists in a wide range of mediums and themes.
Join the Union Art Gallery in celebrating these outstanding UWM artists!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Thursday, October 5th from 5 pm to 7 pm
Artist Talks:
Thursday, October 19th, 7 pm via Zoom
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First-Year Experience 2023
April 14th-April 28th
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Friday, April 14th from 5 pm to 7 pm, with remarks at 6 pm
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50th Annual Juried Show
March 3rd-March 31st 2023
The Union Art Gallery presents the 50th Annual Juried Exhibition, a showcase of artwork in a variety of mediums by college student artists from around the Greater Milwaukee area. Juried by a panel of three Milwaukee arts professionals, the top exhibiting artists will be announced and awarded cash prizes during the opening reception. This is a great opportunity to see and support the incredible talent of emerging contemporary artists right in our local area!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Friday, March 3rd from 5 pm to 7 pm, with remarks at 6 pm
Artist Talks:
Thursday, March 16th at 7 pm over Zoom
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Crossing Over 2022
November 11 – December 14, 2022
The Crossing Over exhibition showcases work created by undergraduate students of the UWM Peck School of the Arts Department of Art and Design who have received a scholarship and/or fellowship award in 2022. This exciting annual exhibition highlights the exceptional artwork produced by these promising emerging artists in a wide range of mediums and themes. Please join the Union Art Gallery in celebrating these outstanding UWM artists!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
MKE GENERATIONS: New Work by Willie G. and Michael Davidson
Aug 26 – Sept 13, 2019
For the first time ever, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee alum Michael Davidson and his father Willie G. are presenting artworks in a side-by-side gallery exhibition, showcasing their mutual lifelong devotion to painting. Willie G. helped shape 50 years of legendary and iconic designs as Vice President of Styling at Harley-Davidson, but it was his watercolor practice that inspired Michael’s childhood interest in painting. This fascination eventually led Michael to study at UWM before venturing into the art world of New York City. Although these two artists have explored a variety of styles and subjects independently throughout the decades, the elegant directness of paper, paint, and brush has guided their continued commitment to the expressive possibilities of their first love: abstract watercolors.
Please join the UWM Union Art Gallery as we present this pioneering exhibition of recent work by father and son, Willie G. and Michael Davidson.
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Saturday, Aug 31, 5-7 pm, Artist Talk at 7 pm.
Fall Welcome Trip to the Harley Davidson Museum: Wednesday, Aug 28 | 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Join us on a FREE trip to the Harley Davidson Museum, a Milwaukee icon! During the trip, you can explore the museum. Free for UWM students w/ ID. Meet in the Union Concourse at 12:00 p.m. on 8/28. Busses leave at 12:30 p.m. and return at 2:30 p.m. Sponsored by Student Involvement.
Screening of “Willie G. Davidson: Artist, Designer, Leader, Legend”: Thursday, Sept 12 | 6 pm
Union Art Gallery
Join the Union Art Gallery as we celebrate the Milwaukee icon, Willie G. Davidson, and the many depths that make the man the legend.
G • 2015 • 60 min • Biography/Documentary
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10 Wisconsin Sculptors: Not Just a Boy’s Club
Sept 20 – Oct 11, 2019
Creating sculptural works, especially those larger in scale has historically been viewed as a male-dominated field within the arts. The reality however is that many significant women artists have influenced and shaped the sculptural conversation in Wisconsin. This exhibition, presenting ten Wisconsin artists, highlights some of the impactful work being done by women sculptors in Wisconsin. It is by no means a complete survey.
EXHIBITING ARTISTS: Emily Belknap, Prithika Deivasigamani, Yevgeniya Kaganovich, Katie Martin Meurer, Nirmal Raja, Lisa Beth Robinson, Mary Roley, Jill Sebastian, Valaria Tatera and Kristin Thielking
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Friday, Sept 20, 5-8 pm, Artist Panel 5-6 pm.
Wisconsin Avenue Sculpture Walk: Friday, Oct 4 | Buses leave UWM Student Union at 1 pm
Public art is a fascinating topic with many different facets – motivations, intended audience, budget, location, and many others. Join the Union Art Gallery for a FREE trip downtown to walk along Wisconsin Avenue and tour Sculpture Milwaukee, a temporary installation of large-scale public sculptures. The tour will include a discussion led by a docent from the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Leah Schretenthaler Artist Talk: Thursday, Oct 10 | 6 pm
Union Art Gallery
UWM MFA candidate Leah Schretenthaler will talk about her dual practices as an exhibiting photographer and sculptor and detail the process of designing and installing her new large-scale sculpture, The Current Will Guide You. Commissioned by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Union, Leah’s sculpture is a new and public addition to the Union Art Gallery Student Art Collection.
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Photographic Reflections: Documenting Community
Oct 17 – Nov 8, 2019
The UWM Union Art Gallery is honored to present the work of internationally renowned photographers Alejandro Cartagena, Justine Kurland, and Darcy Padilla. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Society for Photographic Education (SPE) Midwest Conference, being held at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel from October 24-27. Photographic Reflections explores representations of diverse communities throughout the United States and Mexico.
While photography has a unique way of capturing small glimpses into reality, it is the recontextualization of these unrelated moments that offers new narratives. Because these photographs present images both familiar and unfamiliar, the analysis of the dichotomies grants the viewer opportunities to see the world in new ways, expanding an understanding of human existence.
This exhibition is co-sponsored by the Union Art Gallery, the SPE Midwest 2019 Conference “Communities, Collaborations and Collectives”, the UWM Student Photography Club-FOCUS, and Peck School of the Arts.
Additional Programing:
Panel Discussion:
Thursday, Oct 17, 6 pm
Opening Reception:
Saturday, Oct 26, 5-8 pm, Artist Talk by Darcy Padilla at 7 pm.
SPE Conference Events:
UWM Artist Now Lecture Series / SPE Midwest 2019: Wednesday, October 23 | 7:30 pm
Alejandro Cartagena at UWM Art Center Lecture Hall 120 (ACL 120)
SPE Midwest 2019 Featured Speaker: Thursday, October 24 | 7:30 pm
Justine Kurland at Saint Kate Hotel Ballroom
MIAD Creativity Series / SPE Midwest 2019: Friday, October 25 | 6-8 pm
Strange Fire Collective at MIAD’s 4th Floor Raw Space
Union Art Gallery / SPE Midwest 2019 SPE: Saturday, October 26 | 7:00 pm
Darcy Padilla at UWM Union Ballroom
Peck Arts Center Gallery Exhibition:
Boundaries and Borders Opening Reception at the Arts Center Gallery: Saturday, October 26 | 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Open concurrently with the reception for Photographic Reflections: Documenting Community, an exhibition featuring the work of Alejandro Cartagena, Larry Chatman, Dave Jordano, Barbara Minor, and Johanna Warwick.
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Crossing Over
Nov 15 – Dec 12, 2019
The Crossing Over exhibition showcases work created by undergraduate students of the UWM Peck School of Arts Department of Art and Design who have received a scholarship and/or fellowship award in 2019. This exciting annual event highlights the exceptional artwork produced by these promising emerging artists in a wide range of mediums and unpredictable themes. Please join the Union Art Gallery in celebrating these outstanding UWM artists!
Additional Programming:
Opening Reception:
Friday, Nov 15, 5-7 pm, Remarks at 6 pm.
Crossing Over Artist Talks:
Thursday, Dec 5th | 5:00-7:00 pm
Union Art Gallery
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Manufacturing Creativity: Reginald Baylor Studio
Jan 21-Feb 14
Venturing out of painting, Milwaukee-based artist Reginald Baylor has shifted his focus to building brands. After realizing the time it took him to finish a painting that most people couldn’t afford, Baylor turned to the examples of past business-minded artists like Takashi Murakami, Kehinde Wiley, and Andy Warhol for the inspiration to imagine manufacturing creativity.
In 2018, in order to advance the creative industry, he relocated Reginald Baylor Studio to Walker’s Point where it now targets its energies on the design and development of brands. The diverse brands produced at Reginald Baylor Studio sell products and produce short films, while co-branding and offering specialized design services.
Please join the Union Art Gallery for this innovative exhibition, focusing on new models of creative output and the business of design, and showing what creativity can do for the community.
Additional Programing:
Opening Reception:
Thursday, Jan 23, 5-8 pm
Talk by Milwaukee-based artist and RBS Studio Owner, Reginald Baylor and RBS Creative Director, Melissa Courtney:
Thursday, Jan 23, 6-7 pm
“The Business of Art” talk by Milwaukee-based artist and Gallery Director, Pamela Anderson:
Thursday, Jan 30, 6-7 pm
Tour of Reginald Baylor Studio and Material Studios + Gallery. Free and open to UWM students with ID – transportation provided (meet in the Union Concourse):
Friday, Feb 7, 1-3:30 pm
“The Business of Art” talk by Milwaukee-based artist and educator, Mutope Johnson:
Thursday, Feb 13, 6-7 pm
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47th Annual Juried Show
Feb 21-Mar 13
The Union Art Gallery presents its 47th Annual Juried Exhibition showcasing student artists from around the Greater Milwaukee area working in a variety of mediums. Juried by a panel of three Milwaukee arts professionals, the top three exhibiting artists will be announced and awarded cash prizes during the opening reception. This year’s jurors will be: Michael Davidson: A Milwaukee-based painter and educator. Fatima Laster: Milwaukee-based visual artist and interior designer and owner of 5 Points Art Gallery and Studios. Rosy Petri: Milwaukee-based multi-disciplinary artist and 11th Pfister Artist-in-Residence.
Additional Programing:
Opening Reception:
Friday, Feb 21, 5-7 pm, Awards at 6 pm.
47th Juried Show Artist Talks:
Thursday, Mar 5th | 5:00-7:00 pm