Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and More
50 paintings by giants of European modernism coming to MAM starting Friday.

Vincent van Gogh, Entrance to the Public Gardens in Arles, 1888. Oil on canvas, 28 1/2 x 35 3/4 in. The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC. Acquired 1930
It may not be Thanksgiving yet, but the holidays are in full swing at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
This year, the MAM will offer plenty of festive activities for visitors, including MAM After Dark: Friendsgiving, Friday from 7 to 11 p.m. The event will include ‘90s TV series “Friends”-themed trivia, treats, and more. To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, this month’s MAM After Dark will include a local artists market and live performances.
But the biggest deal in some time at the museum will open Friday: A Modern Vision: European Masterworks from the Phillips Collection will display 50 paintings created by giants of European modernism, including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Cezanne and Vincent van Gogh.
“The Philips Collection is one of those unique institutions, with a collection that was groundbreaking in its day and is full of singular paintings that exemplify the very best of each artist that Duncan Philips collected,” said Tanya Paul, MAM’s Isobel and Alfred Bader Curator of European Art.
The exhibit’s 50 paintings incorporate vivid, bold colors, experimentation with shapes, and other artistic techniques that were novel in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
“We’re thrilled to showcase incredible paintings by van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Morisot, Cezanne, Picasso, Kandinsky, and many more of the greatest artists of European modernism,” said Josh Depenbrok, MAM public relations manager. “This will be a beautiful installation, and a fantastic opportunity to view these works in one place in Milwaukee.”
To complement the exhibit, MAM visitors can purchase a catalogue, Master Paintings from the Philips Collection, from the museum store.
On December 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., children and families can learn about the art of printmaking in conjunction with the MAM’s current Landfall Press exhibition during Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays: Artful Holiday.
Visit www.mam.org for more information about upcoming events.
Art News
Last week, Frank Juarez announced that, after 13 years, he will be closing his gallery located in the Third Ward’s Marshall Building at 207 E. Buffalo St. #600, as of December 21. “I have been fortunate to have had opportunities that have inspired, challenged, and opened my eyes to the creative world we live in,” Juarez said in a press release. The gallery owner noted that he will dedicate his efforts “100%” to his print and digital publication Artdose Magazine. Urban Milwaukee reviewed the gallery’s final show, of artist Dale Knaak, which runs through December 20.
Exhibit Openings and Art Events
Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.:
The MAM will host a gallery talk on its current exhibit, Landfall Press:Five Decades of Printmaking, with associate curator of prints and drawings Nikki Otten.
Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
Ceramics artist Katheryn Corbin will host Majolica:Creating a Memory Plate, a workshop at Lynden Sculpture Garden. Fee is $150 or $140 for members. Visit www.lyndensculpturegarden.org for more details.
Friday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
An opening will be held at Portrait Society Gallery, 207 E. Buffalo St. Suite 526, to celebrate the gallery’s latest exhibit, Day Drawing/Day Dreaming. The exhibit features drawings by Carri Skoczek, Christopher T. Wood, Tracy Cirves, and Emily Rudolph.
Friday through Sunday:
INOVA Gallery at Kenilworth Square East, 2155 N. Prospect Ave., will host the 2019 Contemporary Craft Exhibition and Sale, which showcases work created by UWM Peck School of the Arts students. Hours are from Friday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
Highland Community School, 1706 W. Highland Ave., will host its sixth annual holiday art and craft fair. The event will feature more than 40 local artisan vendors.
Saturday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.:
The Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) in West Bend will host an artist talk with painter Tom Uttech, in conjunction with his current MOWA exhibit Into the Woods. The talk is free for members.
Saturday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
The MAM has partnered with UW-Milwaukee’s Union Cinema and the Department of Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres to screen Sharon Lockhart’s Goshogaoka and James Benning’s One Way Boogie Woogie. Films will be shown in the UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.
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