I have previously featured several items that are present within the WAM collection concerning the Bicentennial Exhibition of Minnesota Art and Architecture. Just when I thought I had seen the last trace of any Bicentennial exhibit record - I came across a bevy of related materials that once again increased my intrigue in this exhibition.

A few months ago, we shared a University Gallery general promotional brochure from the 1970s. Just this past week, we encountered a 1990s version of the institution's promotional materials:

Minnesota is home to a large number of descendants of Scandinavian and Finnish immigrants. Folks here love their pickled herring and carved Swedish horses. I'm sure this popular interest in the heritage and history served as an impetus behind the University Gallery's 1979 exhibition Scandinavian Wood. The exhibition, which also toured to other locations in the Midwest, showcased the ornate woodworking crafts of the Scandinavian and Finnish tradition. The catalogue states:

A September 25, 1984 UM News Release (Digital Conservancy) announced, "Folklorist to Survey Minnesota Arts and Artists"

Ever walked by a mural and wondered about the history behind it—who painted it and why? In a folder titled simply "WPA", I found materials meticulously documenting the locations and conditions of WPA murals made in Minnesota. Artists painted these historic murals during the Great Depression as part of the economic relief provided by the Work Progress Administration.