MIAD alumni, faculty featured in Baird Center art collection

MIAD alumni are well represented in the We Energies Foundation Art Collection at the Baird Center, as are MIAD Professor Emerita Jill Sebastian and acclaimed artist Dawoud Bey, who created ”Milwaukee Portraits” of MIAD students. The collection was introduced to the public under its new name at the Baird Center in May 2024.

The alumni are Mark Brautigam, Nova Czarnecki, David Najib Kasir, kathryn e. martin, Brandon Minga and Tom Uttech (Layton School of Art).

“The We Energies Foundation Art Collection has been carefully curated to portray the characteristics, culture, people and landscapes of Milwaukee and the surrounding region,” according to the Baird Center website.

On the site, Brandon Minga describes one of his several works on view: “Milwaukee Rising was created to welcome people into Milwaukee and specifically [the] Baird Center. With modern Milwaukee rising out of the past through its heavy metal and industrial trades the piece looks towards the city’s future being built on the strong backs of the people who made it the machine shop of the world.”

Nova Czarnecki’s “Honeyed features a young woman whose dress is made of water as the central focus, standing within a Wisconsin summer forest just beginning its transition into autumn. The folds of her gown meld into water that holds native Wisconsin fish, floating flowers, fruits that have fallen from the trees above and a fawn coming to drink.”

The artist’s statement continues with the “hopes the viewer can see themselves in the painting and see themselves as royalty.”

kathryn e. martin’s “Transformation, framed in ten pieces, is a snapshot of Milwaukee as it has transformed over the years through a compilation of census data and Milwaukee names, with acknowledgement to the Native American Indians. In each frame, set behind conservation glass, is a 4” low-relief mixed-media work.”

martin is also one of the co-curators of “Viewpoints on ARTservancy: An artists’ residency that supports artists and partnerships with land conservancy,” on view August 19 – October 5, 2024 in MIAD’s Brooks Stevens Gallery.

The Baird Center is open to visitors Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 400 W Wisconsin Ave.