JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER INC

VISUAL ARTS: THE JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER STAFF ANNUALLY ORIGINATES 10-15 CURATED EXHIBITIONS THAT EMPHASIZE INSTALLATION WORKS, NEW GENRES, CRAFT-RELATED FORMS, COMMUNALLY TRANSMITTED TRADITIONS, AND THE WORK OF SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS. TO ENHANCE THE IMPACT OF THIS WORK, EXHIBITIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS DEVELOPED AROUND AN ANNUAL THEME, THUS CREATING MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS AND A RIPPLE EFFECT OF UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGEMENT FOR OUR AUDIENCES. THE PROGRAMMING THEME FOR 2024 WAS "WORK IN PROGRESS," CELEBRATING THE 50 THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARTS/INDUSTRY PROGRAM. THROUGH ALL OUR 2024 PROJECTS, WE BROUGHT THIS NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTIST-RESIDENCY PROGRAM TO THE FOREFRONT, INVITING VISITORS TO EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE, AND REFLECT ON THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN ART AND INDUSTRY. THE ARTS CENTER STAGED SEVERAL GROUP AND SOLO INSTALLATIONS FEATURING ARTS/INDUSTRY ALUMNI ALONGSIDE THE INNOVATIVE PRESENTATION OF 'WORKPLACE" (MARCH 9, 2024 JANUARY 19, 2025). THIS IMMERSIVE, INTERACTIVE RE-CREATION OF THE FACTORY FLOOR BLOSSOMED INTO A VIBRANT HUB WHERE 5 ARTISTS AND 16,146 VISITORS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES COLLABORATED ON PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OTHER EXHIBITIONS REFLECTING THE ANNIVERSARY THEME INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:"JOYCE KOZLOFF: HOW WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW" (FEBRUARY 3 JUNE 30) CONSIDERED A TWENTY-YEAR SPAN OF KOZLOFF'S CAREER, BEGINNING WITH HER ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENCY. THROUGH A PRESENTATION OF WORK FROM FIVE OF HER SERIES FROM 19862006, THE EXHIBITION EXPLORED THE TRANSITIONS IN HER ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OVER THE YEARS. THE EXHIBITION ALSO FEATURED A SOUND COMPOSITION BY CAROLYN YARNELL."THE SECRET OF MUDDY WATER (FEBRUARY 17 MAY 19) WHEN ARTISTS BEGAN MAKING WORK AT KOHLER CO. FACTORY IN 1974, THEY WERE TAUGHT SOME OF THE INDUSTRIAL TECHNIQUES KOHLER ASSOCIATES WERE WILLING TO SHARE. "THE SECRET OF MUDDY WATER" CELEBRATED THE ESSENCE OF WISCONSIN, THE INDUSTRIES ROOTED IN THE STATE, AND WHAT MAKES ARTS/INDUSTRY'S LOCATION A SOURCE OF DELIGHT AND WONDER FOR ARTISTS WHO TEMPORARILY RELOCATE FOR THE EXPERIENCE.MAD DASH: 50 YEARS OF ARTS/INDUSTRY (MARCH 3, 2024 JANUARY 12, 2025) WAS A CHRONOLOGICAL INSTALLATION OF ARTWORKS, LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS DATING FROM 1974 TO THE PRESENT. IT REVEALED THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ARTS/INDUSTRY THROUGH THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES. KEY MOMENTS, SUCH AS THE FIRST ARTIST TO WORK IN THE FOUNDRY AND A NOTABLE PERFORMANCE ON THE KOHLER CO. CAMPUS, DISPLAYED A RANGE OF CONCEPTS AND MATERIAL EXPLORATIONS THAT ARTISTS HAVE PURSUED OVER THE PROGRAM'S FIVE DECADES."CLOCKING IN: 2024 ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENTS" (MARCH 16, 2024 MARCH 2, 2025) HIGHLIGHTED THE TWELVE ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE AT THE KOHLER CO. FACTORY DURING 2024, EXHIBITING THEIR WORK IN A YEARLONG GROUP EXHIBITION. THE EXHIBITION PRESENTED FOUR RESIDENTS' WORK AT A TIME, IN ROTATIONS OF APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS EACH. ARTISTS FEATURED IN THE EXHIBITION INCLUDED FIRST-TIME RESIDENTS SHAE BISHOP, JUSTIN FAVELA, CATHY HSIAO, SAHAR KHOURY, LAUREN MABRY, AND GER XIONG/NTXAWG XYOOJ. RETURNING ARTS/INDUSTRY ALUMNI ARTISTS SHARIF BEY, MARY ANNE KLUTH, HAROLD MENDEZ, MARTHA POGGIOLI, LEE EMMA RUNNING, AND EDRA SOTO ALSO EXHIBITED WORK."NO GROUT" (JUNE 6 OCTOBER 27) SHOWCASED TILES CREATED BY ARTS/INDUSTRY ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE AT THE KOHLER CO. FACTORY. THE PIECES SPAN ALL FIVE DECADES OF THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM, REFLECTING INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND MATERIAL PLAY, AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGICAL AND SKILL-SET PROGRESSIONS INHERENT IN FACTORY CULTURE."KNOCK FIRST" (JUNE 8 SEPTEMBER 8) PAID HOMAGE TO THE WORLD-FAMOUS WASHROOMS AT THE JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER AND ART PRESERVE. THESE SPACES WERE BORN OF THE BELIEF THAT ART CAN ENLIVEN, ENRICH, AND INFORM EVERY FACET OF LIFE. A COMMUNITY-SOURCED EXHIBITION, "KNOCK FIRST" REVEALED HOW THE WASHROOMSCREATED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENCYHAVE STIRRED THE IMAGINATIONS OF PEOPLE FROM WISCONSIN AND BEYOND."LUNCH BREAK: ARTS/INDUSTRY IN BETWEEN" (JUNE 29, 2024 MAY 4, 2025) CELEBRATED THE POWERFUL MOMENTS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN ARTIST AND ASSOCIATE THROUGH THE MAKING OF ART IN THE FACTORY. KOHLER CO. FACTORY ASSOCIATESMECHANICS, ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS, MOLD MAKERS, AND MANY MORE WORK SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE ARTISTS, GIVING TIME, SHARING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, AND OFTEN OPENING THEIR HOMES AND PERSONAL LIVES. THE EXHIBITION CHRONICLED THE CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF MAKING ART."WILLIE COLE: HOME ASSEMBLY," (JULY 13, 2024 APRIL 27, 2025) A SOLO EXHIBITION OF WORK BY WILLIE COLE, WHO WAS AN ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENT IN THE KOHLER CO. POTTERY IN 2000, FEATURED NEWLY COMMISSIONED SCULPTURES ALONGSIDE A SELECTION OF WORKS SPANNING OVER THREE DECADES. COLE VISUALIZES THE REALITY THAT DOMESTIC SPACES ARE OFTEN TANGLED WITH HISTORIES OF ENSLAVED LABOR. HE USES THE VISUAL VOCABULARY OF THE DOMESTIC SPHERESHOES, TOOLS, FURNITURE, FOR EXAMPLETO BRING FORWARD THE GRIEF AND INTIMACY THAT LINGER WITHIN PRIVATE SPACES."MILESTONES IN THE MAKING" (SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 FEBRUARY 9, 2025) PRESENTED DOCUMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTISTS' SKETCHES, AND MORE, OFFERING A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE ARTS CENTER'S COLLABORATION WITH KOHLER CO. MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE INNOVATIVE ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENCY PROGRAM, SINCE ITS BEGINNING IN 1974 CREATING NEW BODIES OF WORK IN STUDIOS LOCATED IN KOHLER CO.'S FACTORY. THROUGH ARTS/INDUSTRY ALUMNI REFLECTIONS AND CREATIONS, THE IMPACT OF RUTH DEYOUNG KOHLER'S VISIONARY PROGRAM IS EVIDENT."PROCESS PRO FORMA (NOVEMBER 9, 2024 FEBRUARY 16, 2025) FEATURED WORK HIGHLIGHTING VARIOUS PROCESSES THAT ARE PART OF THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AT THE KOHLER FACTORY. MANY OF THE WORKS FOCUSED ON ONE STEP IN THE TYPICAL SEQUENCE OF FABRICATION, OFTEN A STEP THAT IS NOT APPARENT IN THE FINAL PRODUCT. BY REVEALING HIDDEN PARTS OF ART MAKING, THE WORKS ON VIEW PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO THE KOHLER CO. FACTORY AND THE SYSTEM IN WHICH ARTISTS FIND THEMSELVES. THIS INTERACTION BETWEEN ARTISTS AND THE FACTORY IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE ARTS/INDUSTRY RESIDENCY.

EDUCATION:THE ARTS CENTER PROVIDED PARTICIPATORY FIELD TRIPS TO 3,275 CHILDREN. IN 2024, THE ARTS CENTER PROVIDED PARTICIPATORY FIELD TRIPS TO 3,275 CHILDREN. DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024, THE SOCIAL STUDIO WAS ACTIVATED BY 850 INDIVIDUALS WHO TRIED THEIR HANDS AT VARIOUS PROCESSES INSPIRED BY THE EXHIBITIONS. THE SOCIAL STUDIO SPACE WAS RE-IMAGINED AND RELOCATED TO THE WORKPLACE EXHIBITION WITH RESIDENCIES NOTED ABOVE FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2024, WHERE 14,270 VISITORS EXPLORED, EXPERIMENTED, OR COLLABORATED WITH VISITING ARTISTS.YOUTH ART MONTH FOCUSED ON 250 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE ARTS CENTER'S ARTS-BASED PRESCHOOL REACHED 180 STUDENTS OVER 2024; AN AVERAGE OF 45 STUDENTS DAILY. ART CLUB, IN WHICH THE ARTS CENTER PARTNERS WITH RCS PARTICIPANTS, SERVED 25 PEOPLE A MONTH; SPARK! REACHED 30 PEOPLE A MONTH. FIVE WORKSHOPS DEDICATED TO INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE IN THE HMONG COMMUNITY SERVED 150 PEOPLE (25 AT EACH). TWENTY PEOPLE ATTENDED A COIN-STITCHING WORKSHOP HOSTED BY GER XIONG. A CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP FOR TEENS WAS HELD TWICE IN 2024, SERVING 12 TEENS TOTAL. THE OPEN CALL EXHIBITION KNOCK FIRST DISPLAYED WORKS BY 50 LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS, AND THREE YOUTH CAMPS SERVED 60 CHILDREN TOTAL.