The Andersen Window Gallery, a public resource space located within the Walker Art Center's permanent collection galleries, begins its fourth year as a site for conversation, research, reading, and exploration. In conjunction with the Walker's reinstallation of its permanent collection opening Sunday, September 5--Art in Our Time: 1950 to the Present--a new installation in The Andersen Window Gallery will feature a Media Bar with material ranging from the low tech--books and magazines--to high tech--an online computer for visitors to navigate through a range of Web sites and a touch-screen monitor devoted to the works on view in the exhibition. To illustrate the work of artists in residence, Artists at Work will document recent projects with filmmaker Cheryl Dunye, the Dutch collective Atelier van Lieshout, and choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and her dance company Urban Bush Women in collaboration with jazz composer-performer David Murray and his Octet. The Andersen Window Gallery, designed in partnership with Blu Dot Design of Minneapolis, also serves as a site for public programs such as artists' talks, community conversations, and classes. Artists at Work will be on view September 5, 1999, through March 19, 2000. Art in Our Time will remain on view through September 2, 2001.

Artists at Work features three residency projects supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Filmmaker Dunye spent three months in residence conducting research and workshops to develop her screenplay about women prisoners and their families, Stranger Inside. Artist Joep van Lieshout created The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, a two-part sculpture in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with a detachable mobile unit to be used by the Walker's community partners. Choreographer Zollar and her dance company collaborated with jazz composer-performer Murray and his Octet on a new piece, Soul Deep. Each residency closely involved the artists with individuals and organizations from the Twin Cities' community, forming relationships that guided their unique artistic processes.

The exhibitions in The Andersen Window Gallery will change twice a year to illustrate the ongoing work of artists in residence. The Walker has supported artists working in the visual arts, film/video, and performing arts for nearly 30 years, providing the Twin Cities community with a way to engage with artists directly.

Blu Dot Design, founded in 1997 by sculptor John Christakos and architects Maurice Blanks and Charlie Lazar, creates stylish, functional and affordable home furnishings. Describing the firm's philosophy, Lazar has said: "Our designs approach some of the strategies the mid-century modern designers used, because they were dealing with similar objectives: efficiency and straightforward, practical design that looks really good." Blue Dot's design for The Andersen Window Gallery takes away the doors and opens up the walls to create a different kind of museum experience that invites visitor interaction.

RELATED PROGRAM
Gallery Talk: Blu Dot Design
Thursday, November 4, 6:30 pm, free
Principals of the Minneapolis-based Blu Dot Design discuss their design for The Andersen Window Gallery.

Funding
Art in Our Time: 1950 to the Present is made possible by generous support from Jeanne and Richard Levitt, and Norwest Bank Minnesota.

The Andersen Window Gallery is made possible by generous support from Andersen Windows. Additional support is provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts. This gallery was designed in partnership with Blu Dot Design of Minneapolis.

Major support for Walker Art Center programs is provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, The Bush Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation through the Doris Duke Fund for Jazz and Dance and the Doris Duke Performing Arts Endowment Fund, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Dayton Hudson Foundation on behalf of Dayton's, Mervyn's California, and Target Stores, The McKnight Foundation, General Mills Foundation, Coldwell Banker Burnet, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, American Express Minnesota Philanthropic Program on behalf of American Express Financial Advisors Inc. and American Express Travel Services Co., Honeywell Foundation, The Cargill Foundation, The Regis Foundation, Star Tribune, The St. Paul Companies, Inc., U.S. Bank, and the members of the Walker Art Center.

Northwest Airlines, Inc. is the official airline of the Walker Art Center.