Art and ArtWords
"Each [of these pieces] are a result of an experimental inkjet printing process onto canvas, which starts in the digital realm, using photo manipulation software such as Photoshop..." Hear more from Christian on our Nonfiction episode!
"I have a fascination with the moment of absolute change in a narrative, the point of no return, of suspense, when the reader is on the edge of their seat, wondering if the hero will succeed." Hear more from Cate on our Fiction episode!
"The tanks are based on a photograph taken by my grandpa... when I was ten years old, he passed away." Hear more about Taylor's artistic process on our Poetry episode!
Please enjoy our podcasts! Featured art and their corresponding podcast links are above, and the ArtWords contest art is below. To listen to our ArtWords winning pieces, please check out our Poetry episode!
"We're just some art nerds interested in fresh art that reflects today's society. Our love of different mediums and styles pushes us toward distinct and powerful pieces. Art is subjective, but rest assured, we're excited about publishing some awesome pieces in the 2020 edition!"
Our Art Genre Editors:
Rylee Gag, Chief Art Editor, Designer, Publicist, The Tower
Ann Petersen, Art Editor, Managing Editor, The Tower
Cate Tynjala, Art Editor, Editor in Chief, The Tower
Miki Schumacher, Art Editor, Marketing Director, ArtWords Judge, The Tower
ArtWords Contest:
Please check out our Poetry episode, where you can hear from Jamee Yung from the Weisman Art Museum about the contest, The Tower judges about the editorial and judging process, and hear the winning contest pieces, read by each of this year's contest winners!
2020 ArtWords Tower Staff Judges:
Claire Breitenbach, Fiction Editor and Copyeditor, The Tower
Afton Kelly, Chief Poetry Editor and Managing Editor, The Tower
Miki Schumacher, Art Editor and Marketing Director, The Tower
Kimberly Xayaroun, Fiction Editor and Publicist, The Tower
2020 ArtWords Guest Judges:
Michael Curran, Communications Associate, Weisman Art Museum
Douglas Kearney, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing in the Department of English at the University of Minnesota
Sam Van Cook, Founder and Publisher, Button Poetry
2020 ArtWords Art Pieces:
Untitled, Teo Nguyen, 2017. Acrylic on velum, 54 1/4 x 102 1/4 inches, Weisman Art Museum, intended gift of Mary and Bob Mersky. Inspiration for winning piece "Situated Between a Hamlet and a Village" by Macie Rasmussen.
Marathon, Sam Gilliam, 2003. Relief monoprint on paper, 29 5/8 x 39 5/8 inches, collection of the Weisman Art Museum, gift of Steven M. Andersen. Inspiration for winning piece "How My Husband Makes a Jackson Pollock" by Catherine Retica.
Lift, Rhonda Willers, 2018. Earthenware, terra sigillata, wire, nails, screw, OSB, acrylic, 37 1/8 x 24 x 4 5/8 inches, collection of the Weisman Art Museum, The Nancy and Warren MacKenzie Fund. Inspiration for the winning piece "Around Here" by Joey Gotchnik.
Green Woods, B.J.O. Nordfeldt, 1950. Oil on canvas, 40 1/4 x 52 inches, collection of the Weisman Art Museum, gift of Mrs. B. J. O. Nordfeldt. Inspiration for the winning piece "Real Colorful Creatures" by Samantha Sanvik.
About ArtWords
ArtWords is an annual writing competition for undergraduate and graduate students of the University of Minnesota, sponsored by the Weisman Art Museum. Students select a piece of art on display from the museum's permanent collection and create an original piece of prose or poetry in response. Selected authors are awarded prizes, published online, and given the opportunity to present their work in galleries of the museum. ArtWords is held in collaboration with the Department of English's Creative Writing program and The Tower art and literary magazine. A jury including faculty, Weisman Art Museum staff, professionals from the Twin Cities community, and staff members of The Tower select the winning entries.
Launched in 1998, ArtWords encourages students to analyze, reflect, and respond to the diverse and stimulating collection at the Weisman Art Museum. This is The Tower's seventh year as an ArtWords collaborator, and we are happy to present the 2020 undergraduate ArtWords winners in this year's issue.
Special thanks to Jamee Yung, Susannah Schouweiler, and the Weisman Art Museum for their support!