| Springfield Art Museum Director Nick Nelson has described the commercial burglary of seven iconic Andy Warhol Campbells Soup Can screenprints as feeling like the loss of a family member. Lafayette, Colorado artist Lindsey Wohlman is no stranger to that feeling. She lost her mother, sculptor Robin Starkey, to cancer at the age of 12. Her mothers passion for drawing and sculpting led Wohlman to become an artist herself.
In an open letter to Nelson on her website, Wohlman, moved by the recent theft of public health and happiness, offered to donate a set of works from her Warhol Naked and Unlabeled series to fill the void left in the Museums collection.
We were touched and inspired by her generosity, as well as her understanding of what the loss of cultural property means to a community. We continue to be humbled by the outpouring of support from the artistic community, both local and national, as we navigate this difficult time, Nelson said.
Indeed, the Museum faces a delicate balance of how to best secure the works of art entrusted to its care, with the need for art to remain open and accessible to the public.
We could become very internalized, or we can continue forward on our current trajectory, adamant in our resolve that our primary mission is one of community outreach and education through the public display of art, Nelson added.
Wohlmans willingness to share her art with a community, that she is admittedly far-removed from, is a powerful confirmation of the healing power of art and the positive social impact that the artistic community engenders. In that vein, says Curator of Art Sarah Buhr, we are mounting a temporary exhibition of her work titled Warhol Uncanned. This collaboration inspired us to transform our loss into a response that addresses a real need in our community. Locally, we are partnering with Ozarks Food Harvest to address key themes expressed in Wohlmans work: food insecurity, food deserts, and GMOs.
One in six adults and one in four kids right here in our community are food insecure, often unsure of where their next meal is coming from, said Christy Claybaker, community engagement coordinator at Ozarks Food Harvest. "At some point, 67 percent of households in the Ozarks have had to make the choice between paying for utilities or buying food. Food drives help to raise awareness of food insecurity in a tangible way. While hunger is a big problem facing our community, partnerships like this are one way to make a real impact on solving this critical issue.
Wohlman felt the need to reach out because the Museums bare wallscall out (to me). The Springfield Art Museum stands resolute in their conviction of tolerating no bare walls in the Springfield community.
Warhol Uncanned may be viewed at the Springfield Art Museum, 1111 E. Brookside Dr., from May 4 through August 28, 2016. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays-Wednesdays, Fridays-Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays; 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.
Donations of non-perishable food items will be gratefully accepted in the Museums lobby, and through Ozarks Food Harvest, will be distributed to over 200 hunger-relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. Go Back |
