UWM Special Collections - "The Milwaukee Art Museum Addition;

"The Year 2000 and The Milwaukee Art Museum Addition:
Celebratory Posters by Communications Design Majors"

The University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee students were given several parameters for the assignment. They studied Calatrava's designs through photographs and drawings. Then they visited the museum and viewed architectural models of the expansion. Next, they had to create a celebratory poster, which accomplished the following: 1.) Announce and promote the new addition to Milwaukee, which would encourage visits and future participation, and 2.) Make a smaller version as a "professional portfolio upgrade" addition.

Most of Dr. Travanti's students view the design as a piece of avant-garde sculpture, rather than a practical, functioning building. This is reflected in the works on display, which abound in silken planes and luxurious curves. The artwork ranges from extreme abstraction to precise realism, with some artists focusing on a single aspect of the design and others the complete model.

This exhibit has been shown at Northwestern Mutual Life, Discovery World, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, Firstar, and Mayfair Mall. Dr. Travanti believes that "Milwaukee parents who bring their children to see this exhibit will encourage involvement with the museum, art in general, and their future interest in fine arts."

More posters can be seen on the second floor of the Visual Arts Department. Both exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Max Yela, Special Collections, Golda Meir Library, (414) 229-4345.