WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 1951 Guthrie Theater 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 Minnesota and author of The Walker Foundation. History of Modern Art, becomes the Walker’s second director. John Cage, with the Merce Cunningham 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 Minneapolis. 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 Joan Mitchell, Painting 1953 (1953) and Frank Stella, 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. museum. Alberto Giacometti, 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, Maine 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 David Hockney (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. Contemporary Art, 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, Lynda Benglis, Dan Flavin, Frampton. exhibitions and activities take Robert Irwin, Donald Judd, Robert place around the Twin Cities Rauschenberg, and Richard Serra. 1973 during construction of new facility. Edmond R. Ruben Film Study Alexander Calder, The Spinner Collection is founded; John (1966), Helen Frankenthaler, 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 Marcel Duchamp/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 Paintings features work by Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Red Green Blue exhibition opens; the artist’s first Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, (1964); Claes Oldenburg, Shoestring Major acquisitions include: Chuck solo show at the Walker. Robert Motherwell, Bruce Nauman, 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 Meredith Monk’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, Chuck Berry, 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 Michelangelo Pistoletto: A Reflected coordinator. opens; tours North America. World exhibition opens; the artist’s first U.S. solo show. Steve Reich, Philip Glass 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. Andy Warhol, 16 Jackies (1964) designed by Edward Larrabee acquired. Barnes. WALKER ART CENTER TIMELINE 2 1981 Tyler Graphics Archive acquired Bruce Conner, 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 Laurie Anderson 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, David Byrne, 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 Bob Telson 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 Robert Gober, The Subconscious 1979 Sink (1985) acquired; first work by 1988 Agnes Martin, Untitled No. 7 (1977) this artist in the collection. Minneapolis Sculpture 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 Museum of Modern Art, 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 Keith Haring. Gehry opens; the artist’s first archive acquired. New Music America, featuring comprehensive museum show. Steve