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Wisconsin Artist's Massive Art Donation to Kohler Center
3 Aug
Summary
- Michelle Grabner gifts over 2,000 artworks and teaching archives.
- Kohler Arts Center becomes primary institutional home for her work.
- Gift includes paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures.
Michelle Grabner, a prominent Wisconsin artist and curator, has bestowed an immense gift of over 2,000 artworks spanning her career, alongside 300 pieces from her personal collection and her teaching archives. This substantial donation will position the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan as the primary institutional repository for her artistic practice.
The collection comprises approximately 700 paintings, 1,200 prints and photographs, and 200 sculptures. Grabner's art often explores themes of labor, domesticity, pattern, and repetition, reflecting her deep connection to the Midwest. Her engagement with the Kohler Arts Center dates back to 2017 through its Arts/Industry residency program.
The Kohler Arts Center plans to catalog and research the donated collection, with an exhibition to be announced at a later date. Grabner, who co-curated the 2014 Whitney Biennial, has a long-standing relationship with the center, having previously participated in residencies and created a functional washroom for its Art Preserve.
Grabner's generosity significantly enhances the Kohler Arts Center's holdings, solidifying its role as a vital hub for artistic exploration and support in the Midwest. The gift underscores the center's commitment to experimentation and its profound impact on the region's artistic landscape.
