A thief struck the University Gallery in June of 1967, stealing 6 prints right out of their frames. According to the theft report in the files, the prints (meaning woodcuts, lithographs, and the like) were works by very well-known artists, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Max Beckmann, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The report states:

As a researcher and museum fanatic, to read back on the events and accomplishments of the exhibit titled, "A Bicentennial Exhibition of Minnesota Art and Architecture," I felt the need to push my jaw back up to meet my front bite, after the many drops in awe of the events surrounding this exhibition, the records for which filled ¾ of Box 16, the entirety of Box 17, and even a few more folders that lingered into Boxes 18 and 19.

If you've spent much time on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus, you've no doubt seen the large steel sculpture near Williamson Hall. I've walked by it many times without knowing the artist or the title of the work — until I found a WAM file called "Process: A Public Sculpture by Stewart Luckman". The University Gallery had an exhibition in 1981 showcasing images and plans from the making of the sculpture.

Here is a sampling of some of the catalogues we've come across from the early 1980s. All are exhibitions that were developed by the University Gallery. (Also see the previous post Looking Back for catalogues from the 1970s.)

From Charles Helsell's (curator) files associated with the exhibit titled, "Mirror of the Middle Ages," held at the Gallery from March 28-April 20, 1978, we receive a glimpse into exhibition planning through the design specifications of an exhibit case, as well as fabric swatches considered for the display: