Art Outside the Walls – What is the Wisconsin Union Art Collection?
The Wisconsin Union Art Collection, established in the 1920s by the Wisconsin Union founders, is one of the largest art collections in Wisconsin. Today, the collection has grown to more than 2,000 pieces and continues to evolve.
The foundation of the Wisconsin Union Art Collection is to “cultivate art and recognize creative endeavors by students.” This entire collection has been selected, managed and created by students’ voices and volition. Therefore, all pieces not only hold great beauty and importance but also have a direct tie to Wisconsin. This could mean the artist is a Wisconsin student, a Wisconsin native, or an artist who spent a months-long period in the state.
The collection includes works of all mediums, covering topics from bodily autonomy to mental health to the essence of Lake Mendota. The range can be attributed to the students and collection managers over the years.
Currently, the Wisconsin Union team displays the collection at its buildings Memorial Union and Union South, where patrons can see them for themselves. This accounts for approximately 3-5% of the collection. The Union team rotates the artwork about every three years.
Over the past 100 years, each artist has brought new perspectives and ideas, ultimately contributing to the education, research and history of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The selected works provide a necessary lens into the cultural reality of each time period, creating a snapshot powered by multigenerational students and educators. The variation is part of what makes this collection like no other.
To start the selection process, the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Art Committee and the collection manager discuss the works and, after extensive consideration and thought, purchase pieces.
Depending on the year, the number of acquired selections varies. More recently, Collection Manager Tony Wise has advocated for solely purchasing works from the annual Student Art Show and has worked with students to purchase three to seven works each year. Due to the size of the collection, Wise is choosing to limit additions as planning for the future occurs.
Wise is working to digitalize the collection, transforming the Wisconsin Union Art Collection into an internationally accessible database. In doing so, the collection will become more accessible to the public, and each piece can be enjoyed, studied and appreciated by many more people.
The Wisconsin Union Art Collection is a one-of-a-kind creation. The student leadership and enthusiasm over the years have cultivated a historical selection that embodies the University and the state of Wisconsin. And the collection has brought people of many backgrounds, interests, and identities together. Art is an integral part of the Wisconsin Union, student life, and the human experience, and the Wisconsin Union Art Collection embraces and prioritizes those needs.
Stop by Memorial Union and Union South to experience some of the Wisconsin Union Art Collection. You can also visit WUD Art Committee-hosted art exhibitions throughout the year at Memorial Union and Union South: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/art/exhibitions.
