Opening Reception for “ECO ephemeral”: Works by Thomas Ferrella and Artists’ Books from Special Collections September 16 @ 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Please join us for the opening celebrations on September 16, 2016 at the UWM Golda Meir Library. All are welcome! At 4 p.m. there will be a walking tour of the exhibition, guided by the curator, Pamela Caserta Hugdahl. The tour will include several of artist Thomas Ferrella’s temporary outdoor installations on campus. Meet at the Grind cafe on the first floor of the Golda Meir Library. From 5 to 6 p.m. there will be a reception in Special Collections on the fourth floor of Golda Meir Library. This thesis exhibition approaches environmental concerns through an art historical perspective by considering works of art by Dr. Thomas Ferrella, M.D. and artists’ books from Special Collections at UW-Milwaukee Libraries. The exhibition evades conventional boundaries of galleries in order to present artists’ books in their intended manner and to display Ferrella’s outdoor installations in context with UWM’s award-winning sustainability initiatives. The results exemplify how we shape earth and in turn how our actions upon earth impact us, emphasizing human interdependence on fragile ecosystems. Ferrella’s artworks and medical expertise in combination with the content in the artists’ books and UWM sustainability initiatives argue for a holistic approach to environmentalism that is yet to be embraced by much of the world’s human population. The exhibit, located in the Grind and in Special Collections, runs from Sept. 10 to October 12, 2016. Exhibition and accompanying catalogue made possible by the Jeffrey R. Hayes Graduate Research Award, granted through the Department of Art History, and by Jan Serr and John Shannon. Co-sponsored by the UWM Libraries.

The two main Galleries will feature an expansive new body of work by Mark Mulhern which reflects his ongoing interest in the figure and its surroundings. Introspective but unselfconscious, the work is filled with subtle gestures and freely painted locations that invite contemplation on the part of the viewer. Inspired by the Brocante (vintage markets) of France and garden parties, these paintings expose moments of everyday life through simplified abstraction. Mulhern’s paintings capture fleeting moments, but are the result of making marks, revising, amending, and finally, accepting the end result.

UCB TourCo brings the best improv comedians from the legendary Upright Citizens Brigade Theatres in New York and Los Angeles to new audiences all around the country. The UCB Theatre - founded by Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh - has been home to some of the biggest stars in comedy today.

The sixth annual DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE event will open the doors to over 150 wonderful buildings free-of-charge to the public –buildings that hold hidden treasures and special stories – from churches to office buildings, theaters to work sites, museums to hotels, clubs to universities; all sites of historic, architectural, cultural, or commercial interest. The event has two major components: 1) design your own itinerary to visit over 150 buildings that will open their doors (often with guided tours, no tickets necessary); 2) join one or more in-depth tours that are ticketed (find details under the “Event Guide – In-Depth Tours” section of this website).

The International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW) will host a benefit concert on Sunday, September 18 to raise funds for its Refugee Resettlement Program. The event will be held at 2 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. It will include a reception, an arts & crafts installation and a silent auction held prior to the concert (which will be held at 3 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m.) William Neil and Tom Gullion of Project Fourth Stream – known for their intrepid fusing of jazz improvisation and classical composition – will headline. The guest artist will be Issam Rafea, a composer and virtuoso with the oud: pear-shaped cousin of the lute and ancestor of the modern guitar. Also included will be a performance by Saadi Tawfeeq al Baghdadi, a traditional Iraqi musician, who will play the oud and the ney: a flute made of reed. IIW is dedicated to the promotion of international cooperation, understanding and multicultural perspectives. For more than seven decades IIW has assisted with the resettlement of refugee individuals and families fleeing violence or persecution in their homelands; its goal being to welcome these newcomers into our society and help them to integrate. Last year IIW lit the way for 290 refugees; 290 men, women and children who fled the darkness of turmoil in Burma, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan. With the help of fundraisers, such as this benefit concert, IIW will continue striving forward on its humanitarian mission; will continue brandishing a torch in the dark. The cost of the New Beginnings benefit concert is $30 per person, or $25 for those under age 25 with a valid Student ID.

Dr. Ute Schneider (University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany) speaks about Heinrich Schiffers, an influential 20th century German geographer who specialized in Africa. Dr. Schneider is currently a Best Fellow at the American Geographical Society Library. Talk at 2 p.m. Reception at 1:30 pm.

Join Jewish Museum Milwaukee for an engaging four-part series highlighting and celebrating individuals with local roots making an impact in a diverse range of artistic arenas on a national level. Brad Lichtenstein is an award-winning filmmaker & president of 371 Productions. He’s won two Duponts: one for the recent Al Jazeera America series Hard Earned (produced by Kartemquin Films) and another for his 2001 film Ghosts of Attica (produced with Lumiere Productions). Check out our website for Brad’s complete biography.