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Past Exhibitions

Spring 2023
March 30 through May 13, 2023
Americans in Burma: The Art of Collecting
From a sacred altar of Buddha images and manuscripts to musical instruments, textiles, silver, bronze, ivory, and lacquerware, the artworks on view tell individual American stories and their love for Burmese arts and crafts. The exhibition asks how these objects may reveal a “true” local tradition or respond by adapting to the western taste and growing souvenir market.
Local Visions II
Local Visions II is a sequel to the first Local Visions exhibition at the NIU Art Museum held in 2015. It will highlight the personal collections of objects that can be found in the homes of local residents. Many of these collectors started at a young age, making significant sacrifices to fuel their growing passion, including making down payments, paying in installments or trading either their own artwork or labor for artwork that would enrich their living environment.
Winter 2022-2023
Nov. 29 through Dec. 17, 2022, and Jan. 10 through Feb. 17, 2023
Stories From My Childhood
"Stories From My Childhood" explores both dark childhood experiences and somewhat humorous and quirky observations of life from a child's perspective. Artists were asked to depict a transformative event that occurred during their childhood through visual media and text.
This exhibition contains mature content and may not be suited for all audiences.
"Stories From My Childhood" features the work and stories of Salma Arastu, Nava Atlas, Karen Avant, Anna Betts, Natalie Christensen, Julia Fauci, Shawna Gibbs, Ronald Gosses, Juan Hernandez, Zach Horn, Fletcher Koehrsen, Oxana Kovalchuk, Julia LaChica, Carol Larson, Kaila Larson, Jamie Luoto, Lex Marie, Lori Markman, DaNice D. Marshall, Norbert Marszalek, Rebecca Mason, Michelle Mullet, Amy Nelder, Janelle O'Malley, Diane Rickerl, Arielle Romano, Griselda Rosas, Boryana Rusenova-Ina, Maryam Safajoo, Baylee Schmitt, Sydney Small, Alfred Stark, Amanda Taves, Christian Ulloa, Kyle White, Lisa Fayiza Wright, Ana Zanic, Abby Moon Zeciroski and Jane Zich.
Image: Diane Rickerl. "Metamorphic Marianne," 2002. Steel, glass linen. Photo: Robert Banke.
Ronald Gonzalez: As a Child I Sailed the World
Regarding his exhibition of figurative objects made periodically over many years, artist Ronald Gonzalez explains, "Behind every object is a story. As a young boy growing up, I was fascinated with everything small. I collected trinkets from gumball machines where a miniature parallel world existed; it had small versions of tiny cars, houses, money, playing cards, books, guns, and trains. Everything was there to have and to hold. I found things from the streets to make toys and playthings. I remember making boats out of bottle caps with paper sails to float ants across water puddles. As a child I sailed the world."
Image: Ronald Gonzalez. 2007-2016. Found objects, wax, wire over rusted and welded steel. Photo: Robert Banke
A Show of Hands: Recent Work by Ben Stone
Ben Stone, sculptor and coordinator of 2D and 3D Foundations in NIU's School of Art and Design, is showcasing new work in an installation in the North Gallery. According to Stone, "the work relates to several concurrent themes dealing with late 70's and early 80's iconography and aesthetics...the time period my adolescent identity emerged...Dark and terrible things contribute just as much to identity as [do] beauty and the good parts."
Fall 2022
August 23 – October 15, 2022
Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books
The internationally acclaimed historian on children's books, Leonard S. Marcus served as co-curator for Golden Legacy. His "Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon along the Way" was the impetus for this exhibition in 2007. It has since been updated with newer illustrators of some of the older classics and will feature a wide-ranging selection of original illustration art by Richard Scarry, Garth Williams, Tibor Gergely, Feodor Rojankovsky, Eloise Wilkin, Alice and Martin Provensen, Leonard Weisgard, Mary Blair and more.
Everyday People: The Art of James E. Ransome
Everyday People is clustered in books about the land, books about famous people, books about family, and classic story retellings. James E. Ransome has illustrated over 60 picture books and is the recipient of the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for "Before She Was Harriet." His books have included the stories of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Satchel Paige, Louis Armstrong, the Alvin Ailey Dancers, as well as stories of the use of quilts along the freedom trail and the fight to win access to the ballot box. He is a frequent collaborator with his wife, author Lesa Cline-Ransome, whom he met while both were students at Pratt Institute of Art.
Both of these shows are organized and traveled by the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature in Abilene, Texas.
Burnishing the Medals of Children's Literature
Burnishing the Medals of Children's Literature celebrates award-winning children's books that honor the frequently forgotten, acknowledge the experience of the traditionally marginalized, and ignite curiosity and empathy in young readers. These works embody an inclusive vision of children's literature that both nourishes the self and expands a vision of the world. This exhibition has been organized by staff members of the NIU University Libraries.
- Biennial NIU Faculty Art Show (January 19 – May 14, 2022)
NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Continuum (January 14 – March 18, extended September 8 – November 14, 2020)
- Refugee Exhibition Suite (August 24 – November 12, 2021)
- “The Art of Surviving: The Journey of the Karen Refugees in Illinois” organized by the Center for Burma Studies at NIU
- Refuge and Refugee
- “Very Well, Thank You”: The Arts as a Means to Well Being (March 26 – May 15, 2021)
- “Well Enough, Considering…” Artists take a mid-pandemic look at COVID-19
- Narrative Art Exhibition Suite (January 12 – February 26, 2021) *These exhibitions contain mature content and may not be suited for all audiences.
NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Continuum (January 14 – March 18, extended September 8 – November 14, 2020)
- Exploring Aspects of War In and Through the Visual Arts (August 27 – extended through November 13, 2019)
- Data Exhibition Suite (March 28 – May 16, 2019)
- Data: BIG/-driven/Visualized…
- Graduate Museum Studies Student-curated Exhibitions
- Transparency Exhibition Suite (November 15 - February 15, 2019 closed university holidays)
- SWEET, Golden and Delicious…NIU Studio and Design Alumni Artists (August 28 - October 19, 2018)
- Imagery and Icons: Former Tenure and Tenure-track Faculty (September 18 - October 19, 2018)
- South Asian Traditions and New Directions Exhibition Suite (March 27 - May 18, 2018)
- NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition (November 16 - December 15, 2017 and January 16 - February 23, 2018)
- New to the Collection: Recent Acquisitions (November 16 - December 15, 2017 and January 16 - February 23, 2018)
- Objectifying the Photograph (August 29 - October 20, 2017)
- Reflections: Intimate Portraits of Iconic African Americans by Terrence A. Reese (August 29 - October 20, 2017)
- Vintage Cameras: A Snapshot of Photographic Technology (August 29 - November 12, 2017)
- Hand in Hand: The Visual Arts as a Means of Social and Political Propaganda, Protest and Commentary (March 28 - May 20, 2017)
- “What a Frightful Spectacle!”: Lithographs of Honoré Daumier
- Theoretical Mockery: Satirical Prints by Sidney Chafetz
- A Tale of Donkeys and Elephants; Satire with the Wink of a Fox
- Over the Top to Victory!
- (RE)PRESENTING GUATEMALA (January 17 - February 27, 2017)
- VISIONES E HISTORIAS: Maya Paintings from Guatemala
- REGINA JOSÉ GALINDO: Bearing Witness
- This exhibition contains graphic images not appropriate for children or sensitive viewers.
- HUIPILES: Maya Identity and Identifier
- Kaleidoscope of Burmese Art: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Center for Burma Studies (August 23 - November 18, 2016)
- Journey Through Burmese Art
- Masterpieces from the Burma Art Collection at NIU
- From Tradition to Modernity: Art from Myanmar as Viewed by Contemporary Burmese Artists
- Donors and Collectors: A Legacy
- Art Deco Exhibition Suite (April 7 - May 20, 2016)
- Between the Wars: Contrasts, Parallels, Shifts and Patterns
- Beyond Gatsby: Common Luxury in American Art Deco
- The Chicagoan: A Publication of the Era
- NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial (November 17, 2015 - February 20, 2016)
- Contemporary Artists Exploring Relevant Social Issues (August 25 - October 24, 2015)
- Embarrassment of Riches
- Unloaded
- Sustainability Practices and Research
- Traditions Transfigured: The Noh Masks of Bidou Yamaguchi (March 24 - May 22, 2015)
- Amerimanga! Convention and Expression (March 24 - May 22, 2015)
- Local Visions: Selections From Area Collections (January 6 - February 21, 2015)
- Dressing Difference: Exploring Ethnicities in Modern Burma (August 26 - November 15, 2014)
- Manly Men, Girly Girls and Everybody in Between (August 26 - November 15, 2014)
- Hoarding, Amassing and Excess (March 25 - May 23, 2014)
- Looting, Hoarding, Collecting (April 3 - May 23, 201
- NIU School of Art Faculty Exhibition (November 9, 2013 - February 15, 2014)
- On Watching and Being Seen (August 27 - October 19, 2013)
- OBJECTIVE/SUBJECTIVE: Mapping as Visual Language (March 19 - May 24, 2013)
- Mapping: Measuring Across Place and Period; Information, Navigation, and Geography (March 19 - May 24, 2013)
- Selections from NIU's Geography department regarding contemporary mapping techniques (March 19 - May 24, 2013)
- Vice + Virtue (January 8, 2013 - February 23, 2013)