Luba Lukova: Designing Justice at Jewish Museum Milwaukee, Wisconsin
September 17, 2020 – January 31, 2021
1360 N Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Virtual Opening Preview and Artist Talk
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Artist Talk at 7:00 pm
Gallery Hours
Monday – Thursday
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday, closed
Sunday, 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Jewish Museum Milwaukee reopens to the public with a new exhibition by internationally renowned artist Luba Lukova. Through 34 prints, tackling a range of social justice topics, including income inequality, immigration, war and peace, the environment, and more, Lukova’s work resonates on a global level. Along with these vivid, captivating works, visitors will encounter multimedia and interactive components, inviting them to become participants in creating their own experiential journeys.
Expressing commentary on complex social issues has been Lukova’s career-long focus because of her firmly held belief that art is central to human existence and that morality and creativity are aligned. Whether pinpointing essential themes of humanity or succinctly visualizing social commentary, Lukova’s work is undeniably powerful and thought-provoking.
What makes Lukova’s work resonate with people from so many different places and perspectives is her instinctive ability to capture the very essence of an idea and convey it in a way that transcends language and culture. When you view a Lukova image you “see” her approach to visual problem solving and expression. Rarely using written text to communicate a message, she prefers to tap understanding with bold, succinct symbols and visual metaphors, which communicate universal truths about desire, fear, creation, hope, and man’s endless capacity for love and hate.
Jewish Museum Milwaukee Reopens to Public, Debuts New Exhibitions
"The timing of this exhibit is just kind of amazing. Luba Lukova's work leans in to the complexities of our time; somehow she's able to make the issues that impact our lives and our communities more approachable... The Designing Justice exhibit is happening alongside Shakespeare's in the Alley: A Tribute to Bob Dylan, an artist who found a way to speak to a large audience through words and songs. Luba Lukova speaks to her audience about similar themes but through visual compositions. In both exhibitions we see artists grappling with some of the most challenging aspects of being alive. We see them on a quest for personal creativity and we see work that promotes deep introspection. As an artist educator I'm always looking for an opportunity to bridge the educational space with society at large, and Jewish Museum Milwaukee's Designing Justice exhibit, I think, is that bridge."
– Jeff Zimpel, Artist Educator
Jewish Museum Milwaukee
Thank you to our generous exhibition sponsors: Joel and Caran Quadracci · Argosy Foundation · Brico Fund · Anonymous Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation · Greater Milwaukee Foundation · Gene and Ruth Posner Foundation · Linda and Eli Frank · Nancy Pinter and Max Samson · Bess Schwartz · Steve Solochek Memorial Fund · We Energies Foundation · Milwaukee Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin · Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts · Ron and Susan Angel Miller · Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid Social Action Committee · Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun · Congregation Sinai · Media Sponsor: Wisconsin Public Radio
Designing Justice was curated by Luba Lukova in collaboration with Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA).
Learn more about Luba Lukova: Designing Justice and come experience it in person at the museum! Get inspired by this thought-provoking exhibition picked by the Milwaukee Official Visitors Guide as one of the 40 must-do activities of the year!
Limited edition sets of cards featuring images from Luba Lukova: Designing Justice are available at the museum's bookstore. Grab your copy after visiting the exhibition!
Luba Lukova, Human Race, 2020, Silk-screen
Luba Lukova, LIC Blues, 2016, Silk-screen
Luba Lukova, Love, 2001, Silk-screen
Luba Lukova, Income Gap, 2008, Silk-screen
PRESS
"Simple yet profound... clever yet accessible." – NPR
"Intense and unrelenting, pointing out the injustices and foibles of society in a cheerful aesthetic that surprises the viewer with its poignancy."
– William Corwin
Saatchi Online TV & Magazine
"Luba Lukova’s images have punch, and they are laced with such feeling that they often merit a second look."
– Cate McQuaid, The Boston Globe