Robert Motherwell was featured in the University Gallery in 1965, in a traveling exhibition from the Museum of Modern Art. Motherwell was part of the New York School (which included Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning) and his work is likewise in the Abstract Expressionist vein. His distinctive style of painting with rich black blobs and swaths is on display in this poster for the show, and in the photographs from the opening.

The press release from the Gallery describes Motherwell and his style:

In building upon President Lotus Coffman's initial intentions with the "fine arts experiment" at the University, in the early years the Gallery provided not only exhibition and art rental in order to improve the "cultural aspects" of the student population, but also a room of respite in order for students to be exposed to art and culture.

Documentation included in Box 101, which includes Ruth Lawrence's early correspondence and administrative papers, creates a picture of what the "Fine Arts Room" was like and the processes followed to maintain it.

In order to commemorate the Minnesota Territorial Centennial, the University Gallery exhibited "the most humble object made at home because it had to supply some need, to those objects of great artistry and excellent craftsmanship which would grace any museum in the land."

In the Ivory Tower literary magazine, student Roger Horrocks wrote of his visit to the Frank Pearson exhibit in 1965:

Upon reading the news of the recent passing of Jerome Liebling, photographer and former U of M art faculty member, I looked back through the WAM Files to see if his work had been featured in an exhibit at the University Gallery.