Find below a list of resources on this site related to 30 Americans, as well as the companion exhibitions Wisconsin 30 and Question Bridge: Black Males, all on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum, June 14–September 8, 2013.
What does it mean to be a contemporary artist and an African American today? The artists in 30 Americans explore these questions through art. Drawn from the collection of the Rubell Family Foundation in Miami, Florida, the exhibition features paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, video, and more made by African American artists since 1970. Their artwork addresses issues of race, gender, sexuality, politics, and history. Use this exhibition to spark dialogues with your students about cultural identity, artistic legacy, and recent American history.
Two companion exhibitions provide further opportunities for conversation. Wisconsin 30 features artists with ties to Wisconsin, an avenue for students to discuss art in a local context. Question Bridge: Black Males is a dynamic video installation that seeks to widen understanding of the experiences of this population, break down misconceptions, and provide links to universal questions of identity.
We encourage you to preview the exhibition before bringing your students (remember, K-12 Wisconsin teachers receive free admission to the Museum through August 31, 2013). Feel free to adapt these activities to your class or group—and please share how you’ve used this guide in the comments!
- 30 Americans: Exhibition Information and Themes
- 30 Americans: Collection Connections
- Wisconsin 30: Exhibition Information and Discussion Prompts
- Question Bridge: Exhibition Information and Discussion Prompts
- Multimedia and Further Resources
Pre-Visit Classroom Activities
- Artwork Ambassador (5-8, 9-12)
Gallery Activities
- 30 Americans Family Guide (K-4, 5-8)
- 30 Americans Thematic Trail: Art as History (5-8, 9-12)
- 30 Americans Thematic Trail: Art as Social Commentary/Critique (5-8, 9-12)
- 30 Americans Thematic Trail: Art and Portraits (5-8, 9-12)
Post-Visit Classroom Activities
- Quotables: Respond and React (5-8, 9-12)
- Symbolic Portraiture (K-4, 5-8, 9-12)
Presented by:
Additional support provided by:
Milwaukee Art Museum’s Friends of Art, Argosy Foundation, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Wisconsin Energy Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum’s Contemporary Art Society, Brewers Community Foundation, Angela and Virgis Colbert, Johnson Controls Foundation, Stanley Black & Decker, Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan LLP
The Milwaukee presentation of 30 Americans is dedicated to the memory of Dorothy Nelle Sanders, a community leader, the Museum’s first African American trustee and docent, and a founder of the Museum’s African American Art Alliance.