New Walker Art Center exhibition encourages kids to play in ‘Show & Tell’

The Walker Art Center has opened its contemporary collection to families and children and is inviting them to play in the new exhibition Show Tell An Exhibition for Kids Specifically designed with children and their adults in mind Show Tell features a collection of contemporary art spanning multiple mediums all with a kid-friendly approach at the center Through April guests can explore the five distinct zones of the exhibition FIND READ PLAY MAKE and WATCH Siri Engberg the museum s senior curator and director of visual arts and Pavel Py curator of visual arts and collections strategy commented the exhibition has been in the works for months with the intention of providing an exciting activity for Minnesota residents during the winter months We really thought about how to create a lively conditions that also gives kids and families a way into contemporary art that is really welcoming and engaging Engberg revealed The exhibition features contemporary art from the Walker s collection as well as new acquisitions with chosen pieces making their debut for the first time in a long time Each art piece is related to a different experience encouraging visitors to play and touch instead of standing and observing The PLAY zone features Cas Holman s sculpture work Critter Party which doubles as a piece of art and a play area that encourage climbing and exploration This was an intentional choice by Holman as she is an educator and toymaker who focuses on the power of play in her work Also featured in the zone is the -piece jigsaw puzzle by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija with the finished image representing Delacroix s famous painting La Libert Guidant le Peuple which the band Coldplay used for their album cover Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends We were really thinking about how we can surprise our young viewers and offer them a kind of strange and unorthodox way of engaging with the art Py declared In the realm of unorthodox the exhibition features its FIND zone designed to engage visitors with seeking out art as the featured works are hidden in a wall and can only be viewed by looking through a series of porthole windows The artworks range from a miniature of Spoonbridge and Cherry by Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg to a family of abstract aliens of Yinka Shonibare For those looking to slow down the READ zone encourages visitors to take a break and think about the power of storytelling in art Featuring artwork by Julie Buffalohead Andrea Carlson Amy Cutler and Jacob Lawrence families are encouraged to ask what comes next for the figures in the art It s essentially an area where you can come and see works and think about them and experience them through the lens of storytelling Py commented Artists are often storytellers Their works often come in stories In the WATCH zone visitors can lounge and enjoy a selection of kid-friendly cinema from the Walker s Ruben Bentson Moving Image Collection Before every video viewers are prompted to be on the lookout for hidden details Visitors can also create art of their own in the MAKE zone Inspired by the abstract work of Jeffrey Gibson and Caroline Kent visitors can experiment with shapes colors and composition to create a work of art projected on the gallery wall or turn themselves into a one-minute statue a reference to artist Erwin Wurm and his drawings It s a really fun way for kids to feel like they re artists for the day like they re part of the exhibition Py mentioned The exhibition will run through the spring with the intention of offering a space for families to learn and explore the world of contemporary art For visitors the Walker offers free admission on the first Saturday of the month and every Thursday night Obviously you see the Do not touch symbol in museums Engberg mentioned We have the Please touch symbol in all the areas where it s about playing and interactivity Show Tell An Exhibition for Kids What Families can explore the world of contemporary art in an exhibition designed for kids When Through April Where Walker Art Center Vineland Place Minneapolis Tickets adults seniors students with ID and free for children under the age of For more information see walkerart org Related Articles ideas to celebrate St Paul secondhand shopping on Black Friday weekend Holiday arts and entertainment White Christmas Dickens and the Grinch lead the holiday stage offerings Holiday arts and entertainment Trans-Siberian Orchestra Mannheim Steamroller among holiday concerts History and fantasy blend in Rollicking A Winter Carnival Musical Voli re Spirits and CrowBar new distillery and cocktail lounge to open at Hamm s Brewery site