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Press Release                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Racine, WI     April 8, 2010
 
Museum Welcomes Insects Within an On Its Walls
Jennifer Angus: Patterns of Insect Life
April 25 - September 26, 2010

Jennifer Angus, Insecta Fantasia, 2008-2009,
Photo courtesy of Newark Museum
Jennifer Angus

Culturally, insects have long been considered an unwanted aspect in our human environment. Artist Jennifer Angus challenges this notion by forcing her audience to confront the many apprehensions they have towards insects by creating a walk-in environment of dioramas and elegant wallpaper-like installations. Open April 25 through September 26, Jennifer Angus: Patterns of Insect Life calls our attention to the inherent beauty of insects while exploring ideas of home and comfort.


Her installations take inspiration from the exciting Victorian era - the age of travel, exploration, scientific discovery and the dawn of photography. Voracious collecting of all manner of plants and wildlife was extremely popular. Angus' work, on the contrary, examines insects through the lens of ecology and her use of insects is, in fact, the use of renewable resources.


Angus uses real insects that are farmed or collected by local indigenous peoples who live in and around the rainforest.
In addition, Angus reuses insects for different installations. After an exhibition, the specimens are gently pinned to foam boards and put into boxes. If damage occurs, every attempt is made to repair the insect before it has to be discarded. Those beyond repair are given to children to further study and appreciate.

On Friday, June 4, 2010 at 6:30 pm, Jennifer Angus will guide visitors through a behind-the-scenes tour of Patterns of Insect Life with RAM Executive Director and Curator of Collections, Bruce W. Pepich. This event takes place during downtown Racine's Free First Friday in June, which includes free RAM admission and extended museum hours from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Visitors are encouraged to participate in a free family hands-on art event from 4:00 - 8:00 pm.



All the Buzz: Insects Invade RAM

This summer, the Racine Art Museum will be invaded by insects - as depicted by contemporary artists. RAM announces an exciting array of exhibitions and programming that feature these crawling, flying, hovering, and often times, beautiful creatures at both museum locations. RAM hosts Catherine Chalmers: American Cockroach, a mid-career survey of large-scale color photographic images and a number of recent videos that humanize these insects and call out attention to the preciousness of life.

Visitors are also invited to marvel at the unexpected natural beauty of insects created by a life-long Milwaukee resident. The Insectopedia of JoAnna Poehlmann features graphics and artists' books unified by both the subject matter of insects and her clever use of visual and verbal puns.


Insects and Invaders in RAM's Collection presents artworks from RAM's significant permanent holdings that depict insects, their view of the natural environment, and their predators in the cycle of life. Works in a variety of craft media such as ceramics, metals and wood will be included. Eccentric Insects features installations of small- scale works by mid-career contemporary artists, working in fibers, glass and metal, who have created imaginative works depicting insects and insect imagery specifically for RAM's smaller Ruffo and Schumann Galleries.


The presentation of this exhibition at the Racine Art Museum was made possible by: Presenting Sponsors - Karen Johnson Boyd and William B. Boyd, RAM Society Members, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., The Hearst Foundation, Inc., and Windgate
Charitable Foundation; Gold Sponsors - Racine United Arts Fund, The Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation, and Wisconsin Arts Board; Silver Sponsors - Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation and Real Racine; Bronze Sponsors - E. C. Styberg Foundation, Inc., In Sink Erator, Midwest Contemporary Glass Art Group, and Target
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Together, the two campuses of the Racine Art Museum, RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts at 2519 Northwestern Avenue, seek to elevate the stature of contemporary crafts to that of fine art by exhibiting significant works in craft media with painting, sculpture and photography, while providing outstanding educational art programming.

Docent led contemporary craft and architectural tours of the museums are available. Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum, are open to the public Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and are closed Mondays, Federal holidays and Easter. RAM is open Sunday Noon - 5:00 pm, while Wustum is closed Sundays. An admission fee of $5 for adults, with reduced fees for students and seniors, applies at RAM. Admission to Wustum is free. Members are always admitted without charge to either campus.

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For more information or to request images, please contact:

Laura Gillespie
RAM Marketing Assistant
262.638.8300 x 114




All the Buzz
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Tuesday, April 27
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

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