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TIMELINE

1951 opens adjacent to H. Harvard Arnason, Chair of Art the Walker; project made possible Department at the University with a lead gift from the T. B. of and author of The Walker Foundation. History of , becomes the Walker’s second director. , with the Dance Company, Spring Dance Festival, organized 1953 presents first Walker performance. by Gertrude Lippincott, is the first Center Arts Council (CAC) is 1879 performance event at the Walker. formed as a volunteer arm of the 10 American Sculptors and Adolph Lumber baron Thomas Barlow Walker to organize performing arts Gottlieb, Walker-organized (T. B.) Walker opens the first public and film programs. exhibitions, are U.S. entries to the art gallery west of the Mississippi 7th São Paulo Biennial. Gottlieb at his residence on Hennepin Art of the Film series showcases wins the grand prize, the first Avenue in downtown . the work of directors René Clair, American to receive that honor. Jean Cocteau, and Roberto 1916 Rossellini. James Wines becomes first visual T. B. Walker purchases Thomas 1942 artist-in-residence. Lowry mansion; future site of Franz Marc, Die grossen blauen 1954 the Walker Art Center’s 2005 Pferde (The Large Blue Horses) Georgia O’Keeffe, Lake George Robert Indiana, The Green Diamond expansion. (1911) is the Walker’s first Barns (1926) acquired. Eat The Red Diamond Die (1962) acquisition of modern art. acquired. 1955 Alexander Calder, Mobile (circa Henry Moore, Reclining Mother and 1948) acquired; first work by this Child (1960–1961) acquired. artist in the collection. 1964 1956 Isamu Noguchi, Mortality (1959) 1927 1946 , 1953 (1953) and , Sketch Les Indes Walker Art Galleries opens Everyday Art Gallery, curated by acquired. Galantes (1962) acquired. in a Moorish-style building, Hilde Reiss, opens; first exhibition designed by Long and Thorshov, space dedicated for design in a 1957 Dominic Argento’s Masque of Minneapolis, on the current Walker U.S. . , Buste de Angels performed by the Center Art Center site. Diego (Bust of Diego) (circa 1954) Opera Company; first performing Everyday Art Quarterly begins acquired. arts commission. 1939 publication; first U.S. museum Minnesota Arts Council, assisted by journal on design (later renamed 1958 the Work Projects Administration Design Quarterly). Martin Friedman becomes senior (WPA), is granted control of the curator. Walker Art Galleries, which is Marsden Hartley, Coast Still renamed the Walker Art Center. Life (1941) acquired; first work by 1960 Daniel S. Defenbacher becomes this artist in the collection. H. H. Arnason accepts position as first director. vice president of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. 1965 1940 London: The New Scene exhibition Walker Art Center opens to the 1961 features (right), public with the exhibitions Ways Martin Friedman becomes the Bridget Riley, and Joe Tilson to Art, Parallels in Art, and Trends in third director of the Walker. (center), among others. , signaling its new interest in modern art. 1963 Center Arts Council receives 1948 Rockefeller grant to establish the Edward Hopper, Office at Night Center Opera Company, which (1940) acquired. later becomes the Minnesota Opera Company.

WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 1 1969 Works for New Spaces, the inaugural Visiting Filmmaker program begins The 1927 Walker building is exhibition, features works by Siah with Gunvor Nelson and Hollis razed. “Museum without Walls” Armajani, , Dan Flavin, Frampton. exhibitions and activities take Robert Irwin, , Robert place around the Twin Cities Rauschenberg, and . 1973 during construction of new facility. Edmond R. Ruben Film Study Alexander Calder, The Spinner Collection is founded; John (1966), , Alloy Hanhardt is first film coordinator. (1967), and James Rosenquist, Area Not Seen and/or Less Seen of/by Code (1970) acquired. D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance is the /Rrose Sélavy first screening from the Ruben exhibition opens; Duchamp is Grand Union’s first Walker Collection. interviewed by Martin Friedman. residency. 1974 1966 1972 Prints from Gemini G.E.L. exhibition Major acquisitions include: Robert Motherwell: Recent features work by Jasper Johns, , Red Green Blue exhibition opens; the artist’s first Ellsworth Kelly, , (1964); , Shoestring Major acquisitions include: Chuck solo show at the Walker. Robert Motherwell, , Potatoes Spilling from a Bag (1966); Close, Big Self-Portrait (1967–1968); Robert Rauschenberg, Richard George Segal, The Diner (1964– Carl Andre, Slope 2004 (1968); Serra, and Frank Stella; tours North 1966); Lucio Fontana, Concetto Donald Judd, untitled (1968); Dan America. Spaziale “Natura” (Spatial Concept Flavin, untitled (1966); Ellsworth “Nature”) (1961); Michelangelo Kelly, Green Rocker (1968); Robert ’s first residency Pistoletto, Seated Woman (1963); Morris, Untitled (1968); and Louise and performance of Education of Lee Bontecou, Untitled (1961); and Nevelson, Sky Cathedral Presence a Girlchild. Donald Judd, untitled (1965). (1951–1964). Mario Merz exhibition opens; 1975 Performing arts season features the artist’s first U.S. show. Merce James Byrne, Translucent, Tangent, pop/rock/folk programs: Arlo Cunningham Dance Company Both (1974) is first single-channel Guthrie, B.B. King, , Led performs (above). video acquired. Zepplin, Frank Zappa, The Who, and Steve Miller Band, among others. Oldenburg: Six Themes exhibition opens; tours U.S. and Canada. 1970 Performing Arts Department is Nelson/Eames/Girard/Propst: Design formed; Suzanne Weil becomes Process at Herman Miller exhibition : A Reflected coordinator. opens; tours North America. World exhibition opens; the artist’s first U.S. solo show. Steve Reich, Ensemble, Philip Glass Ensemble performs Visiting Filmmaker program with and Sonic Arts Group perform Music in Twelve Parts. Yvonne Rainer, George Kuchar, and 1967 Seven Evenings of New Music. Sally Potter, among others. Merce Cunningham’s first Walker residency. Robert Rauschenberg, Trophy II (for 1976 Teeny and Marcel Duchamp) (1960) The Walker becomes a public acquired. institution; T. B. Walker Foundation establishes museum endowment.

The River: Images of the Mississippi Patti Smith’s first Walker exhibition opens; tours U.S. and appearance. Europe.

Twyla Tharp’s first Walker residency. 1977 Richard Foreman produces City 1971 Film/Video Department is Archives, commissioned by the 1968 New Walker Art Center opens, established under Tim Shepard. Walker. , 16 Jackies (1964) designed by Edward Larrabee acquired. Barnes.

WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 2 1981 Tyler Graphics Archive acquired , THE BRIDE (1960) New Dance USA Festival with 26 by the Walker and subject of acquired. choreographers, organized by the the exhibition Prints from Tyler Walker, features Bill T. Jones, Laura Graphics. Walker receives Gold Medal Dean, Eiko & Koma, Lucinda Childs, from the American Institute of Sage Cowles, and David Gordon. Graphic Arts for distinguished contributions to the field of design. Roy Lichtenstein, Artist’s Studio No. 1 (Look Mickey) (1973) acquired. Art on the Air, an eight-part radio 1978 series and curriculum guide for performs as Jean-Luc Godard makes students and teachers, features part of the Perspectives series, appearance during major film musical compositions by Laurie copresented with the Saint Paul retrospective. Anderson, , Kronos Chamber Orchestra. Robert Wilson (center) and David Quartet, Bobby McFerrin, Meredith 1983 Byrne’s (right) the Knee Plays Monk, and others. Summer Music & Movies in Loring Hockney Paints the Stage exhibition premieres, commissioned by the Park begins. opens; tours North America and Walker and copresented with the Discover series begins in partner- Europe. Guthrie Theater. ship with Northrop Auditorium and features Sankai Juku, Philip Lee Breuer and present Glass, and Martha Clarke. the first workshop production of The Gospel at Colonus, co- Merce Cunningham Dance commissioned by the Walker. Company performs Fabrications, co-commissioned by the Walker. Fab 5 Freddy and Graffiti Rock perform at closing event of Barnett Newman, The Third (1962) Word Works series; first Walker- acquired. sponsored hip-hop performance.

Noguchi’s Imaginary Landscapes Media Arts in Transition exhibition opens; tours U.S. conference. 1985 , The Subconscious 1979 Sink (1985) acquired; first work by 1988 , Untitled No. 7 (1977) this artist in the collection. Minneapolis Garden acquired. opens, designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes and landscape Filmmakers Filming series on architects Quinnel and Rothschild. avant-garde cinema begins. Commissioned works include Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van 1980 Bruggen’s Spoonbridge and Cherry Picasso: From the Musée Picasso, (1985–1988) (above) and Siah Paris exhibition opens; travels 1984 Armajani’s Irene Hixon Whitney to the , Addition to the 1971 building Bridge (1987). New York, to join Pablo Picasso: A opens. Inaugural two-week Artfest, 1986 Retrospective. organized by Adam Weinberg, The Architecture of Frank Jasper Johns’ complete print includes . Gehry opens; the artist’s first archive acquired. New Music America, featuring comprehensive museum show. Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Laurie Corporation for Public Architecture Tomorrow begins, a Anderson, Pauline Oliveros, Robert Broadcasting awards the Walker Insights lecture series on graphic multiyear exhibition series featuring Ashley, and others, is organized and KTCA-TV grant to create design with American Institute of Steven Holl, Diller + Scofidio, Tod and hosted by the Walker. Alive from Off-Center, a nationally Graphic Arts/Minnesota begins. Williams/Billie Tsien, Frank Israel, televised program to showcase Stanley Saitowitz, and Morphosis. Summer Design Series on new music, theater, dance, and 1987 architecture begins long-term video works. Anselm Kiefer, Die Ordnung der 1989 collaboration with the American Engel (The Hierarchy of Angels) Out There series of experimental Institute of Architects/Minnesota. (1985–1987) acquired. performance art and theater begins.

WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 3 Marcel Broodthaers opens, the Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker’s first Hélio Oiticica opens, organized Fischli/Weiss: In a Restless World artist’s first comprehensive U.S. Walker performance. with Witte de With, Rotterdam; first exhibition opens; tours U.S. and exhibition; features films acquired comprehensive U.S. exhibition of Europe. for the Ruben Collection; tours U.S. Meredith Monk performs Atlas, co- the artist’s work. and Europe. commissioned by the Walker. The Photomontages of Hannah 1994 Höch opens; first comprehensive More than 500 Fluxus objects “New Definitions/New Audiences” U.S. museum exhibition of the acquired. initiative receives major five-year artist’s work; tours U.S. and Europe. grant from the Lila Wallace- Graphic Design in America: A Visual Reader’s Digest Fund. Language History opens, first large-scale museum exhibition to Teen Programs begin. explore the evolution of American Wooster Group performs Brace Up, graphic design; tours U.S. and co-commissioned by the Walker. Richard Flood is appointed chief Europe. curator. John Zorn/Arto Lindsay perform 1990 The Houdini/de Sade Project, Bruce Nauman exhibition opens; Eiko & Koma perform River, Director Martin Friedman and commissioned by the Walker. tours U.S. and Europe. Catalogue commissioned by the Walker. Design Curator Mildred Friedman raisonné published. retire from the Walker. Kei Takei performs 24 Hours of 1997 Light, commissioned by the Walker. Women in the Director’s Chair film/ Multiples exhibition Regis Dialogues, a series of film video festival begins, predecessor opens; tours U.S. and Europe. retrospectives and interviews Jodie Foster’s Regis Dialogue and to Women with Vision. Catalogue raisonné published with noted filmmakers and actors, film retrospective. by the Walker and the Busch- begins with and ’s and Chen Reisinger Museum, Cambridge, James Ivory. 1992 Kaige’s Regis Dialogues and film . Minneapolis Sculpture Garden retrospectives. Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance expansion opens. Dialogues, a series of exhibitions Company debuts The Promised Bill T. Jones performs Still/Here, featuring emerging artists from Land, co-commissioned by the Adolescent Think Tank program commissioned by the Walker. Minnesota and New York, begins. Walker and Northrop Auditorium. begins. Mark Morris Dance Group Ralph Lemon begins long-term Urban Bush Women performs More than 450 multiples by Joseph performs L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed residency project to develop the Praise House, commissioned by Beuys acquired. il Moderato, commissioned by the Geography trilogy. the Walker. Walker. and Guillermo Gomez- Gallery 9, a Web site for net art, 1991 Peña’s artist residency. 1995 launches with Piotr Szyhalski, Ding Kathy Halbreich becomes fourth Bordering on Fiction: Chantal an sich (The Canon Series) (1997), director of the Walker. Ron Vawter performs Roy Cohn/ Akerman’s “D’Est” is commissioned the first new-media commission. Jack Smith, commissioned by the and exhibited by the Walker; tours Free First Saturdays family program Walker. U.S. and Europe. Peter Greenaway’s, Tom Hanks’, begins. and Spike Lee’s Regis Dialogues Two Rivers Native Film Showcase “Brilliant!” New Art from London and film retrospectives. , TV Bra for Living begins, copresented with Native exhibition opens, featuring Dinos Sculpture (1969) acquired. Arts Circle. and Jake Chapman, Tracey Emin, Liam Gillick, Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, Sam Taylor Wood, Gillian Wearing, Rachel Whiteread, and others.

Matthew Carter’s typeface “Walker” debuts, commissioned by the 1998 Sigmar Polke, Frau Herbst und ihre Walker. Atelier van Lieshout’s The Good, zwei Töchter (Mrs. Autumn and her the Bad, and the Ugly (1998) opens, Two Daughters) (1991) acquired. 1993 1996 a mobile art lab and permanent In the Spirit of Fluxus exhibition New Media Initiatives Department structure, commissioned for the opens; tours U.S. and Europe. is formed. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 4 äda’web, a Web site of online art, 2000 BC: THE BRUCE CONNER 2002 Improbable Theatre performs The acquired; Digital Media Study STORY PART II opens, first mnartists.org, a joint project of Hanging Man, co-commissioned by Collection launches. comprehensive exhibition of the Walker and the McKnight the Walker. the artist’s work; tours U.S. Foundation, launches. Kazuo Shiraga, Untitled (1959) is Rennie Harris performs Facing first Gutai work acquired. Outer Reaches: New International Bruce Nauman, Mapping the Studio Mekka, co-commissioned by the Theater series includes new Walker II with color shift, flip, flop, & flip/flop Walker. commissions from Robert Lepage (Fat Chance John Cage) All Action and Chen Shi-Zheng. Edit (2001) acquired. The Builders Association/moti roti perform Alladeen, co- Lee Breuer/Mabou Mines perform Michelangelo Pistoletto, Quadro commissioned by the Walker. Red Beads, commissioned by the da pranzo (Oggetti in meno) (Lunch Walker. Painting [Minus Objects]) (1965) 2004 acquired. “Walker without Walls,” a series of Charles Ray, Unpainted Sculpture ’s Regis Dialogue; citywide events, debuts February (1997) acquired. world premiere of The Earth Song performs Logic of 15, following closure of the 1971 of the Cricket and U.S. premiere of the Birds, co-commissioned by building for renovation and Art Performs Life: Merce Birds of Paradise. the Walker. expansion. Cunningham/Meredith Monk/Bill T. Jones, a multidisciplinary exhibition, 2000 2003 William and Nadine McGuire celebrates the Walker’s long-term Walker announces building Robert Motherwell: The Complete announce major gift that supports relationships with the artists. expansion to be designed by Prints, 1940–1991 catalogue the performing arts at the Walker, Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, raisonné is published by the including the new theater, artist ArtsConnectEd, a Web site Switzerland. Walker in association with the commissions, and the institution’s featuring the collections of the Dedalus Foundation. first named curatorial position. Walker and the Minneapolis Jasper Johns, Walkaround Time Institute of Arts, launches. (1968), a stage set created for Alighiero Boetti, Mappa (Map) a Merce Cunningham Dance (1978) and Guilio Paolini, Delfo 1999 Company performance, acquired. (Delphi) (1965) acquired. Allianz Life Insurance Company property is purchased by the Let’s Entertain exhibition opens; How Latitudes Become Forms: Art Walker, allowing for future tours North America and Europe. in a Global Age exhibition opens; 2005 museum expansion. tours North America and Europe. Newly expanded Walker Art Center, Acquisition of more than 200 designed by Herzog & de Meuron, Robert Gober: Sculpture + Drawing prints and plates by Robert opens in April. Exhibitions feature exhibition opens; tours U.S. and Motherwell. works from the collection; James Europe. Turrell’s Skyspace, commissioned The Home Show, a four-part by the Walker, debuts in the new exhibition on domestic garden. design featuring an in-gallery architectural studio with the Walker Art Center Collections, University of Minnesota, opens. : Drawing into Painting a comprehensive catalogue, opens, the artist’s first major documents the institution’s museum exhibition; tours the U.S. multidisciplinary focus and the scope of its collection. Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life exhibition opens; Ralph Lemon performs Come tours U.S. and Europe. Home, Charley Patton, part three of the Geography trilogy, co- Past Things and Present: Jasper commissioned by the Walker; the , Cremaster 2: 2001 Johns since 1983 exhibition opens; new-media project House (raw) The Drones’ Exposition (1999), Zero to Infinity: Arte Povera 1962– tours U.S. and Europe. launches. premieres at the Walker; acquired 1972 exhibition, organized by the jointly by the Walker and the San Tate Modern and the Walker, opens Matthew Barney’s Regis Dialogue : Self-Portraits, Francisco Museum of Modern Art. in London and Minneapolis; tours and screenings of the complete 1968–2005 opens in July; first the U.S. Cremaster cycle. single-artist traveling exhibition in expanded Walker.

WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 5