Current and Upcoming Exhibitions | Past Exhibitions

From the Vault

Reception: Friday November 15, 5-7pm | Exhibition Dates: November 15, 2019 – January 4, 2020

Creative people and creative institutions look to the future. What will be next? How will the achievements of the present be expanded, extended, and enriched in succeeding endeavors? Tandem Press is such a creative center, but it is now over thirty years old, and one must remember its history—what has been created here—as well as contemplating what is to come in the future. As one of the country’s leading publishers of fine art prints, Tandem stands at the confluence of creation and commerce. In a more intimate sense, think of Tandem as being co-equal with other research programs of the University of Wisconsin which exist through funding provided from sources other than Wisconsin’s taxpayers. As research advances in other fields such as medicine, science, and engineering by being underwritten by public grants and private contributions, Tandem too must support itself through outside sources, in this case from the sale of the works of art created in its studio.

This exhibition examines a fragment of Tandem’s past; prints made here during its first decade, 1987-1996, and which remain in the vault. If these editions have not yet sold out, are they in any way less successful as works of art? Even a quick glance around the gallery will answer that question in the negative. What you see here are objects marked by a unique vision, a lively ambition which has no bearing on the size of the object, and a skillful mastery in the artisanal translation of the artist’s concepts into the finished work.

Visitors to this exhibition will also enjoy a unique experience – the exhibition of artworks printed on paper are seen here without any of the usual interposition of mats, frames, or glazing. It is a reminder of the delicacy of this art form, and how, through vision and technique, a powerful imagery may be created on such a delicate substrate. Yet, carefully enclosed within the protection of a frame and reasonably protected from fire, water, and too much sunlight, these works of art may enjoy a centuries long lifetime. 

This exhibition has been selected by Thomas H. Garver, a retired art historian and former director of the Madison Art Center, now known as the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Prior to this, Tom held positions at the Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. He is the founding director of the Orange County Museum of Art in California and the organizing curator of the O. Winston Link Museum in Roanoke, Virginia. 

This exhibition was made possible through support from the Anonymous Fund.

Click here for a PDF of the artworks included in this exhibition