Figge Art Museum

Programs: Exhibition: the figge's 2016-2017 exhibition highlights included the wonderful world of oz, selections from the williard carroll/tom wilhite collection. Picturing the prairie: tallgrass qc which featured six regioanl artists working in variety of mediums to raise awareness about prairie ecology. David plowden: an american master, featuring the photographer's recent gift to the museum. Rembrandt and the jews featuring a collection of 22 etchings by the dutch master that explore the relationship between the artist and the jewish residents of his amsterdam neighborhood. Giving the devil his due: the art of gary kelly features the illustrations of the artist depicting the tortured souls of two legendary musicians: 19th-century violinist and guitarist nicol paganini and his 20th-century counterpart, blues guitar legend robert johnson. Living proof exhibit: cancer survivor art showcasing the passion, courage, and talent of cancer survivors who use art as a way to celebrate and reflect upon survival. Scrimmage: football in american art from the civil war to the present features works dating from the 1850's to 2014 that take as their subject various aspects of the game of football. The art of persuasion: american propaganda posters and the great war explores how some of the most important artists and illustrators of the day supported the war effort. Jefferson pinder: ghost light the artist jefferson pinder created a site-specific and performance based installation exploring race and conditioning in the midwest.

education: the figge served students from local elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities, as well as private school students, senior citizens, community organizations and tourists with a broad program of onsite tours, lectures, hands-on activities. The "big picture" outreach program provided hands-on art experiences to over 31,000 students and other community members throughout the region. In addition, free family days, thursday night programs, and other activities attracted thousands of visitors for innovative, art-based learning.

collections: in 2016-2017, the figge continued conservation treatments on artworks in its collection, and the manager of collections and exhibitions, assisted by other staff and interns, continued work on the collections databased that will be more accessible to the public. The figge acquired a number of artworks for the collection through donation and purchase.

the figge continued its partnership with western illinois university's museum management degree program. Western illinois university students met regularly at the figge, with classes and workshops taught by figge staff and educational activities in all museum departments.