The story of a democratic flourishing of arts and culture in the American Midwest really begins in Stockholm in the 1880s, when a group of radical young artists broke with the long-established Royal Academy of Fine Arts over issues of artistic freedom. These revolutionary artists formed the Artists League in 1886 to organize public exhibitions in Sweden and offer free instruction for anyone who desired to practice art. The philosophy of "art for all" resonated deeply with the next generation of art students, including Birger Sandzén who emigrated to the United States and brought the egalitarian philosophies of their Artist League mentors to new audiences, mounting public exhibitions, and promoting public school art collections.
Cori Sherman North, curator of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, will highlight the art for all movement from its Swedish beginnings to the artist’s careers in the Mid-West and across America. Register below to join this virtual discussion via Zoom. $5 for ASHM members and $10 for nonmembers.