On September 23, 1963, the opening of an exhibition of the works of artist Grace Hartigan was held at the University Gallery in Northrop Auditorium. An invitation to the exhibition, found in the Gallery press books from the 1960s, is one of many clues found within the archives that can begin to describe the details and events surrounding exhibitions during this decade.

Long considered as a commercial method of print production, the silkscreen process received a new appreciation in the mid-1930s, when artist Anthony Velonis, tasked by New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia with a project to promote the city government, embraced the silkscreen method to produce posters that publicized administrative projects in the city.

The allure of the archive is found not only in the rich original evidence of the past that it contains, but is also demonstrated by what the archive may lack. The nature of the organization of records and the proclivity of the record creator determine the composition of the collection. In other words, a single archival collection may not contain all of the information or materials created on a certain person, event, or organization - it may not offer the whole story.

In Box 191, a folder titled "Print Research," dated 1923-1977 was found. Contained within the folder were several examples of object labels that at one time identified works exhibited at the University Gallery. The objective of a label is to provide the credentials of the work - title, artist, medium, size, ownership, era, etc. Here are some examples:

*click on the image for a larger version

Let's be honest, it's not even June, but, because we live in Minnesota, we are considering this 70 degree weather "summer". In my opinion, the Twin Cities seems to come alive in the summertime. Yes, yes, we're a state and a city known for our beautiful winters and our outrageous snow activities and festivals. But, when else do you get to ride your bike from St. Paul to Lake Calhoun, or spend your entire day outside listening to live music and eating at food trucks? It's during the summer that the Lyndale Park Rose Garden blooms and every place downtown sets up a patio.